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Idiomatic uses of the verb fare

The verb fare is very common in Italian. Most generally, it can be translated as “to do” or “to make,” but fare is also used in a number of idiomatic expressions that have specific meanings beyond the basic definition of “to do/make.”

1. Fare is used to express some weather phenomena. It is also used to express the idea of the weather being hot / being cold.

Che tempo fa? — How is the weather? / What’s the weather like?

Fa buon (cattivo) tempo. — It is good (bad) weather / The weather is good (bad).

Fa caldo (freddo). — It is warm (cold).

2. When used before an infinitive, fare is causative; that is, the subject of such a construction causes the action expressed by the infinitive to be done by someone or something else. The construction is the equivalent of “to have something done,” “to cause something to be done,” or “to order,” as in the following sentences.

Facciamo servire il caffè. — Let’s have coffee served. (Compare: Serviamo il caffè. — Let’s serve the coffee.)

La farò servire subito. — I’ll have it served at once. (Compare: La servo subito. — I’ll serve it at once.)

Ho fatto mandare dei fiori a Maria. — I had some flowers sent to Maria. [I ordered some flowers for Maria.] (Compare: Ho mandato dei fiori a Maria. — I sent some flowers to Maria.)

Feci venire il medico. — I sent for the doctor. [literally, “I made the doctor come.”]

VOCABULARY