fare
/ˈfa.re/
The English phrase "doing" translates to the Italian verb fare.
The Italian verb fare covers both the English meanings "to do" and "to make".
Which one should you use?
While English distinguishes between "to do" and "to make", the Italian fare covers both meanings.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the present indicative tense, the verb changes its form depending on the subject: faccio for "I do / I am doing", fai for "you do / you are doing", facciamo for "we do / we are doing", fate for "you all do / you all are doing" and fanno for "they do / they are doing".
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈfa.re/. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.
When do people say it?
In informal settings, you might hear the phrase Che fai? to ask someone "What are you doing?" or "What are you up to?"
Did you know?
- When an Italian says fare schifo, they are not making something disgusting, but saying that something is absolutely repulsive.
- The verb fare is used to describe a person's profession, such as fare l'avvocato for 'to be a lawyer'. This literally means 'doing the lawyer'.
- In Italy, you use fare to talk about the weather, such as in the phrase fa caldo for 'it is hot' or fa freddo for 'it is cold'.
Examples in context
- Noi non lo faremo.We won't be doing that.This sentence uses fare to express a future refusal to do something.Tatoeba #2736367 by Guybrush88, translation #2546289 by CK
- E cosa faremo ora?And what are we doing now?This sentence uses fare to ask about current actions.Tatoeba #4394377 by Guybrush88, translation #2319353 by freddy1
- Io amo fare questo.I love doing this.This sentence uses fare to express a preference for an activity.Tatoeba #6846005 by Guybrush88, translation #2380206 by CK
- Sto facendoI am doing
- La signora sta facendoThe lady is doing
- Stai facendoYou are doing (informal)
- Lui/lei sta facendoHe/she is doing
- State facendoYou all are doing (informal)
- 341 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina and Alessandro are discussing their weekend plans.
- MartinaCosa vuoi fare questo fine settimana?What do you want to do this weekend?
- AlessandroVorrei fare una passeggiata in montagna.I would like to go for a walk in the mountains.
- MartinaÈ un'idea bellissima, Alessandro.That is a beautiful idea, Alessandro.
- AlessandroAllora, dobbiamo fare le valigie!So, we need to pack our bags!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry fare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
