"To do" is one of the most fundamental verbs in any language, and French is no exception! While "faire" is the go-to verb you'll learn first, it's just the beginning.

Just like in English, where "to do" can mean many things depending on the context, French offers a rich variety of verbs to express actions, tasks, and accomplishments.

Ready to expand your vocabulary beyond "faire"? Let's dive into 9 different ways to say "to do" in French, helping you speak more naturally and precisely!

The general 'to do' or 'to make' – faire

In French, faire is one of the most versatile and essential verbs, primarily translating to 'to do' or 'to make' in English.

Faire is a highly irregular verb, meaning its conjugation doesn't follow a standard pattern. It's crucial to memorize its forms as it's used constantly. For example, in the present tense: je fais (I do/make), tu fais (you do/make), il/elle/on fait (he/she/one does/makes), nous faisons (we do/make), vous faites (you do/make), ils/elles font (they do/make).

Beyond 'to do' and 'to make', faire is often used to describe a wide range of actions where English might use a more specific verb. Think of it as a general-purpose action verb that can stand in for many others depending on context.

The true power of faire lies in its numerous idiomatic expressions. It's used in phrases like faire du sport (to play sports/exercise), faire la cuisine (to cook), faire le ménage (to do housework), faire les courses (to do the grocery shopping), and faire la vaisselle (to do the dishes).

Faire is also central to the causative construction (faire + infinitive), which means 'to have something done' or 'to make someone do something'. For example, Je fais réparer ma voiture (I'm having my car repaired).

You'll frequently encounter faire in impersonal weather expressions, always with il. For instance, Il fait beau (It's beautiful weather), Il fait froid (It's cold), Il fait chaud (It's hot).

Faire is incredibly versatile and can be used in both formal and informal settings without sounding out of place. Its broad applicability makes it indispensable in everyday French conversation.

💡 * Je fais mes devoirs. (I'm doing my homework.)

Elle fait un gâteau. (She's making a cake.)

Nous faisons du sport chaque semaine. (We play sports every week.)

Il fait beau aujourd'hui. (The weather is nice today.)

Vous faites quoi ce soir ? (What are you doing tonight?)

The 'to perform' or 'to execute' – exécuter

The French verb exécuter translates most directly to "to perform" or "to execute" in English. It's a versatile verb with a slightly formal connotation, used for carrying out tasks, commands, or even artistic works.

The most common usage of exécuter is to describe the act of carrying out instructions, orders, a plan, or a duty. It emphasizes the completion of a task according to specifications.

Beyond mere tasks, exécuter is also the standard verb for performing a piece of music, a play, a dance, or any artistic work. It highlights the skill and precision involved in the performance.

In more formal or technical domains, exécuter is used for the execution of legal documents (like a will or a contract), or for running a computer program or command. It implies a definitive and often irreversible action.

Compared to simpler verbs like faire (to do/make) or réaliser (to achieve/realize), exécuter carries a more formal, serious, and often precise tone. It suggests adherence to a specific process or command.

When you use exécuter, you're often highlighting that something is being done accurately, completely, and in accordance with a predefined standard or instruction. There's little room for improvisation.

💡 * Le programme a été exécuté avec succès. (The program was executed successfully.)

Il a exécuté les ordres sans hésitation. (He executed the orders without hesitation.)

La pianiste a exécuté la sonate avec brio. (The pianist performed the sonata brilliantly.)

Le contrat doit être exécuté avant la fin du mois. (The contract must be executed before the end of the month.)

Nous devons exécuter ce plan rapidement. (We must execute this plan quickly.)

The 'to accomplish' or 'to achieve' – accomplir

Accomplir is a versatile French verb that directly translates to 'to accomplish,' 'to achieve,' or 'to fulfill.' It's a key verb for discussing successful completion of tasks, goals, or dreams.

Like many common French verbs ending in -ir, accomplir follows the regular conjugation pattern of verbs like finir (to finish) or choisir (to choose). This makes its conjugation relatively straightforward once you know the pattern.

You'll frequently encounter accomplir when speaking about completing a project (accomplir un projet), reaching a goal (accomplir un objectif), fulfilling a duty (accomplir son devoir), or realizing a dream (accomplir un rêve). It emphasizes successful execution and completion.

While 'to do' or 'to make' can sometimes be expressed with faire, accomplir often carries a more formal or significant connotation, implying a more substantial or deliberate achievement. It's used for actions that require effort and yield a clear result.

In compound tenses like the passé composé, accomplir uses the auxiliary verb avoir and its past participle is accompli. For example, 'I accomplished' would be J'ai accompli.

The corresponding noun, un accomplissement (an accomplishment, an achievement), is also very useful. You might hear C'est un grand accomplissement ! (That's a great achievement!).

💡 * J'ai accompli toutes les tâches pour aujourd'hui. (I accomplished all the tasks for today.)* Il a toujours rêvé d'accomplir de grandes choses. (He always dreamed of achieving great things.)* Nous devons accomplir cette mission avant la fin du mois. (We must accomplish this mission before the end of the month.)* Pour accomplir un tel projet, il faut beaucoup de persévérance. (To accomplish such a project, a lot of perseverance is needed.)* Elle se sent fière d'avoir accompli son objectif. (She feels proud to have achieved her goal.)

The 'to carry out' or 'to conduct' – effectuer

The verb effectuer in French translates to 'to carry out,' 'to conduct,' or 'to perform' in English.

Unlike more general verbs like faire (to do/make), effectuer often implies a more formal, official, or precise execution of an action or task.

It is frequently used in professional, administrative, or technical contexts when referring to the execution of tasks, operations, studies, or procedures.

You'll often encounter effectuer when discussing the performance of a duty, a payment, a repair, a flight, or a survey, highlighting a deliberate and often structured action.

💡 *Il doit effectuer un virement bancaire. (He must carry out a bank transfer.)*Les techniciens ont effectué les réparations nécessaires. (The technicians carried out the necessary repairs.)*Nous allons effectuer une étude de marché. (We are going to conduct a market study.)*Le pilote a effectué un atterrissage en douceur. (The pilot performed a smooth landing.)*Elle effectue ses tâches avec rigueur. (She carries out her duties rigorously.)

The 'to undertake' or 'to engage in' – entreprendre

Entreprendre is a versatile French verb meaning 'to undertake,' 'to engage in,' or 'to embark on.' It implies starting something significant that requires effort or commitment.

It's often used for projects, businesses, studies, or challenging endeavors. Think of it as a stronger, more formal alternative to commencer (to begin) when the action involves a certain scale or complexity.

The verb entreprendre inherently suggests initiative, determination, and often a degree of risk or challenge. It's about setting out to achieve something substantial.

You'll recognize its root in words like une entreprise (a company, an undertaking) and un entrepreneur (an entrepreneur), highlighting its connection to business and significant projects.

Entreprendre is conjugated like prendre (to take) and its derivatives, making it a regular verb of the third group. Common tenses include j'entreprends, nous entreprenons, and il a entrepris.

💡 * Elle a décidé d'entreprendre de nouvelles études. (She decided to undertake new studies.)

Ils vont entreprendre un grand voyage autour du monde. (They are going to embark on a big trip around the world.)

L'entreprise a entrepris des réformes importantes. (The company undertook important reforms.)

Pour entreprendre un tel projet, il faut beaucoup de courage. (To undertake such a project, one needs a lot of courage.)

Nous entreprendrons les travaux dès que possible. (We will begin the work as soon as possible.)

The 'to practice' (an activity) – pratiquer

The French verb pratiquer directly translates to “to practice” and is primarily used when referring to engaging in an activity, sport, hobby, or even a profession or religion on a regular basis.

When you pratiquer a sport or hobby, it means you do it. For example, pratiquer le football means “to play football” or “to practice football” in the sense of regularly engaging in the sport, not necessarily training to improve your skills (though improvement is a natural byproduct).

Beyond leisure, pratiquer can also apply to a profession or religion. For instance, pratiquer la médecine means “to practice medicine” (to be a doctor), and pratiquer une religion means “to practice a religion” (to observe its customs and beliefs).

It's crucial to note that pratiquer is not typically used for practicing a specific skill or performance to get better. For example, you wouldn't say pratiquer le piano to mean “to practice the piano” in the sense of rehearsing. For that, you'd use verbs like s'exercer (to drill, to practice a skill), répéter (to rehearse), or s'entraîner (to train, for physical activities).

In summary, think of pratiquer as “to do regularly” or “to engage in” an activity, rather than “to rehearse” or “to drill” a skill for improvement.

💡 * Je pratique le yoga tous les matins. (I practice yoga every morning.)

Elle pratique la natation depuis son enfance. (She has been swimming since her childhood.)

Mon père pratique la pêche comme passe-temps. (My father practices fishing as a hobby.)

Il ne pratique plus sa profession d'avocat. (He no longer practices his profession as a lawyer.)

Beaucoup de gens pratiquent le vélo en ville. (Many people cycle in the city.)

The 'to realize' or 'to fulfill' (a task) – réaliser

The French verb réaliser is a versatile verb that translates to 'to realize' or 'to fulfill' (a task, a dream, a goal). It's crucial to understand its dual nature to use it correctly.

One of its most common uses is to express the idea of fulfilling, achieving, or carrying out a plan, a project, a dream, or a task. In this context, it often implies bringing something into existence or making it happen.

Another significant meaning of réaliser is 'to realize' in the sense of becoming aware or understanding something. This is akin to the English 'to suddenly grasp a fact or situation'. It's important to note that while the English 'to realize' can also mean 'to make real', the French réaliser covers both 'to make real/achieve' and 'to become aware of'.

💡 * Elle a réalisé son rêve de voyager autour du monde. (She realized/fulfilled her dream of traveling around the world.)

Nous devons réaliser ce projet avant la fin du mois. (We must complete/fulfill this project before the end of the month.)

J'ai réalisé que j'avais oublié mes clés. (I realized/became aware that I had forgotten my keys.)

Il a réalisé l'ampleur du problème trop tard. (He realized/understood the extent of the problem too late.)

Le metteur en scène a réalisé un film magnifique. (The director made/produced a magnificent film.)

The 'to manage' or 'to deal with' (a task) – gérer

The 'to manage' or 'to deal with' (a task) – gérer

The French verb gérer primarily means "to manage," "to handle," or "to deal with" a task, a situation, or an organization. It's a regular -ER verb, making its conjugation straightforward for learners.

You'll frequently encounter gérer when talking about managing projects, time, budgets, or even people. It implies a degree of responsibility and organization in handling something effectively.

While often used for formal management tasks, it can also be used in a more casual sense, like "to cope" or "to deal with" a personal situation, though se débrouiller might be more common for "to cope."

💡 * Il gère bien son entreprise. (He manages his company well.)* Nous devons gérer notre temps plus efficacement. (We need to manage our time more efficiently.)* Comment vas-tu gérer ce problème ? (How are you going to deal with this problem?)* Elle a du mal à gérer le stress. (She has difficulty managing stress.)* C'est difficile de gérer une équipe aussi grande. (It's difficult to manage such a large team.)

The 'to busy oneself with' – s'occuper de

The French verb s'occuper de is a versatile and common reflexive verb that translates to 'to busy oneself with,' 'to take care of,' or 'to deal with.' Understanding its nuances is key to sounding more natural in French.

As a reflexive verb, s'occuper always requires a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nous, vous, se) that matches the subject. It is always followed by the preposition de, which means 'of' or 'about,' connecting the verb to the object or activity being taken care of.

One of the primary uses of s'occuper de is to express the act of taking care of someone or something, or dealing with a task or issue. This implies responsibility or managing a situation, similar to 'to look after' or 'to handle'.

Another common application is to describe being busy with or occupied by an activity. This highlights the action the subject is currently engaged in, often implying they are dedicating time and effort to it.

💡 * Je m'occupe des enfants cet après-midi. (I'm taking care of the children this afternoon.)

Il s'occupe de son jardin tous les jours. (He busies himself with his garden every day.)

Nous nous occupons de préparer le dîner. (We are busy preparing dinner.)

De quoi t'occupes-tu en ce moment? (What are you busy with/What are you doing at the moment?)

Elle s'occupe de la paperasse administrative. (She's dealing with the administrative paperwork.)

Are there other ways to say 'to do' in French?

Our list features faire as the most common way to say 'to do' or 'to make' in French. However, French is rich with verbs that express specific actions more precisely, often translating to 'to do' or 'to make' in English depending on the context.

To find very specific action verbs, you might do an online search for 'comment dire [specific English action] en français' (e.g., 'comment dire to accomplish en français'). This can lead you to more precise alternatives.

While faire is incredibly versatile, always pay close attention to the context. Many English phrases using 'to do' or 'to make' will have a unique, dedicated French verb. For example, 'to do homework' is faire ses devoirs, but 'to make a cake' is faire un gâteau (using faire), while 'to do sports' is faire du sport.

As you read, watch, and listen to things in French, pay attention to how different verbs are used. You'll discover a wider range of verbs that express actions beyond just faire, enriching your understanding of the language's nuances.

For exploring the precise meanings and conjugations of verbs related to 'doing' or 'making', a comprehensive French-English dictionary like WordReference, or a reliable verb conjugator, is an excellent resource.

I hope this article has helped you understand the versatility of faire and the broader landscape of French verbs for 'to do'. To conclude, here’s a thought from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry that perfectly embodies action: "Pour ce qui est de l'avenir, il ne s'agit pas de le prévoir, mais de le rendre possible." (As for the future, it is not a question of foreseeing it, but of making it possible.)

9 ways to say "to do" in French