89 Faire gaffe

Faire la tête vs N’en faire qu’à sa tête

Both “faire la tête” and “n’en faire qu’à sa tête” are common French idiomatic expressions related to attitude and behavior, but they have different meanings and connotations.

1. “Faire la tête”

This expression means to sulk or to be in a bad mood, often because of displeasure or resentment. It implies that someone is pouting or refusing to engage with others.

Usage & Examples:

• Il fait la tête parce que je n’ai pas voulu aller au cinéma avec lui.
  (He’s sulking because I didn’t want to go to the movies with him.)
• Pourquoi tu fais la tête ? J’ai dit quelque chose de mal ?
  (Why are you sulking? Did I say something wrong?)
• Pourquoi est-ce qu’il me fait la tête ? Je ne lui ai rien fait ! (Why’s he sulking? I haven’t done anything to him!)
• Pourquoi est-ce que tu me fais la tête ? (Why are you pulling that face to me?)

It is often used in everyday conversations to describe someone who is visibly upset or moody.

2. “N’en faire qu’à sa tête”

This expression means to do as one pleases or to be stubborn and not listen to advice. It describes someone who follows their own ideas or desires without considering others’ opinions or rules.

Usage & Examples:

• Mon fils n’écoute jamais personne, il n’en fait qu’à sa tête.
  (My son never listens to anyone; he just does whatever he wants.)
• Elle a décidé de partir sans prévenir, comme d’habitude, elle n’en fait qu’à sa tête !
  (She decided to leave without telling anyone— as usual, she does whatever she wants!)

This phrase is often used to criticize or describe someone who is headstrong, independent, or even reckless.

faire le point

“Faire le point” means to take stock of a situation, to assess where things stand, or to clarify something. It is often used when reviewing progress, evaluating options, or ensuring clarity in a discussion.

Usage & Examples:

• Avant de continuer, faisons le point sur ce que nous avons accompli jusqu’à présent.
  (Before continuing, let’s take stock of what we’ve accomplished so far.)
• Le professeur a fait le point sur les notions importantes avant l’examen.
  (The teacher reviewed the key concepts before the exam.)
• Nous devons faire le point sur notre relation.
  (We need to clarify where we stand in our relationship.)
• Nous allons faire un point sur les orages dans le Midi. (We’re going to update you on the storms in the south of France.)

It is commonly used in professional, academic, and personal contexts when reflection or evaluation is needed.

faire une croix sur

“Faire une croix sur quelque chose” means to give up on something, to abandon hope of getting something, or to accept that something is no longer possible. It conveys a sense of resignation or loss.

Usage & Examples:

• Avec cette blessure, il doit faire une croix sur sa carrière de footballeur.
  (With this injury, he has to give up on his football career.)
• J’ai oublié mon portefeuille dans le train, je peux faire une croix sur mon argent.
  (I forgot my wallet on the train; I can kiss my money goodbye.)
• Si tu refuses cette offre, fais une croix sur une augmentation de salaire.
  (If you refuse this offer, forget about getting a raise.)
• On devra faire une croix sur les vacances à la montagne cette année. (We’ll have to forgo our mountain holiday this year.)

If the object noun has already been mentioned, it is replaced by dessus, (on it), to avoid repetition.

• Si tu lui prêtes ta moto, tu peux faire une croix dessus. (If you lend him your motorbike, you can kiss it goodbye.)

The phrase often expresses disappointment but also acceptance of an unavoidable situation.

Il faut le faire

The phrase “Il faut le faire” means “It must be done” or “It is necessary to do it”. It’s used to express that something is required or essential. It can be used in various contexts where there is a sense of necessity, obligation, or duty.

Usage & Examples

• Il faut le faire si tu veux réussir.
  (You have to do it if you want to succeed.)

• Même si c’est difficile, il faut le faire.
  (Even if it’s hard, it must be done.)

• Il faut le faire avant demain.
  (It has to be done before tomorrow.)

• Si tu veux avancer, il faut le faire.
  (If you want to move forward, you have to do it.)

Summary

• “Il faut le faire” expresses a necessity or requirement to take action, often with a focus on completing a task, fulfilling an obligation, or doing something that’s unavoidable.

se faire + Infinitive

In French, the construction “se faire” + infinitive has different meanings depending on the context. It usually expresses an action being done to oneself, similar to the passive voice or having something done. Sometimes, it can also indicate allowing something to happen or suffering an action.

1. “Se faire” to Express “Having Something Done”

This is commonly used to indicate that someone is having something done to them, often by someone else.

Examples:

• Je me fais couper les cheveux. (I’m getting my hair cut.)
• Elle s’est fait tatouer une rose sur le bras. (She got a rose tattooed on her arm.)
• Nous nous faisons livrer des repas chaque soir. (We have meals delivered every evening.)

👉 This structure is frequently used for services or personal actions performed by someone else.

2. “Se faire” to Express “Suffering an Action”

In some cases, “se faire” + infinitive indicates that someone is the victim of an action, sometimes unexpectedly or unwillingly.

Examples:

• Il s’est fait voler son téléphone. (He got his phone stolen.)
• Je me suis fait avoir ! *(I got tricked!) / (I got fooled!)
• Ils se sont fait licencier après la restructuration. (They got fired after the restructuring.)

👉 This often implies a negative consequence or something happening against one’s will.

3. “Se faire” to Express a Personal Change or Process

It can also indicate that someone is undergoing a transformation, often in a figurative sense.

Examples:

• Il s’est fait connaître grâce à ses vidéos sur YouTube. (He became known thanks to his YouTube videos.)
• Elle s’est fait respecter dès son arrivée dans l’équipe. (She earned respect as soon as she joined the team.)

👉 This usage is more metaphorical, often expressing progress or reputation-building.

Grammar Tip: Agreement of “fait”

• If the direct object comes before “se faire”, “fait” agrees with it.
  • Les voitures qu’elles se sont faites voler. (The cars they got stolen.)
• But if the direct object follows, “fait” remains invariable.
  • Elles se sont fait voler leurs voitures. (They got their cars stolen.)

📔 Examples from the text

• Gaspard s’est fait connaître pour son esprit de compétition bien développé.
• Il s’est fait aider par un journaliste pour écrire l’article.
• Il a dû se faire aider par quelqu’un, non ?
• Il a dû se faire secourir par hélicoptère.

Understanding “Faire cadeau de” and Related Expressions

These expressions revolve around gift-giving (literal or figurative) and strictness (lack of generosity or leniency).

1. “Faire cadeau de” → To give (literally or figuratively)

Meaning:

• To offer something as a gift
• To waive a debt, penalty, or mistake

Examples:

• Il m’a fait cadeau d’un livre. (He gave me a book as a gift.)
• Je te fais cadeau de cette erreur. (I’ll overlook this mistake.)
• Mon copain m’a fait cadeau de cette ceinture. (My boyfriend gave me this belt.)

2. “Ne pas faire cadeau de” → To be strict about something specific

Meaning:

• To not forgive or overlook something
• To be strict about a particular rule or issue

Examples:

• Le professeur ne fait cadeau d’aucune faute. (The teacher won’t let any mistake slide.)
• Les juges ne feront cadeau de rien aux candidats. (The judges won’t go easy on the contestants.)

3. “Ne pas faire de cadeau” → To be ruthless in general

Meaning:

• To show no mercy, to be tough or uncompromising
• Often used in competition, exams, or business

Examples:

• En affaires, il ne faut faire de cadeau à personne. (In business, you must not give anyone special treatment.)
• Pendant le match, ils n’ont fait aucun cadeau. (During the match, they showed no mercy.)
• L’équipe n’a pas fait de cadeau à ses adversaires. (The team gave their opponents a hard time.)
• La vie ne leur a pas fait de cadeau, mais ils ont quand même réussi brillamment.

4. “Sans se faire de cadeau” → To be tough on each other

Meaning:

• Mutual toughness, competition, or rivalry
• Often used in sports, debates, or conflicts

Examples:

• Les deux équipes se sont affrontées sans se faire de cadeau. (The two teams competed fiercely with no mercy.)
• Dans leur couple, ils ne se font pas de cadeau. (In their relationship, they’re not kind to each other.)

Quick Summary Table

Il me fait de la peine

Meaning:

• “Il me fait de la peine” translates to “He makes me feel sorry” or “He makes me feel sad.”
• It expresses sympathy or sadness for someone, indicating that their situation or behavior evokes a sense of emotional discomfort or pity.

Usage & Examples:

• “Il me fait de la peine, il a perdu son travail.”
  (He makes me feel sorry, he lost his job.)

• “Elle me fait de la peine avec ses problèmes.”
  (She makes me feel sad with her problems.)

• “Il me fait de la peine quand il parle de ses difficultés.”
  (He makes me feel sorry when he talks about his struggles.)

Explanation:

• “Faire de la peine” literally means “to cause pain” or “to make someone feel emotional discomfort.”
• It’s used to express empathy or a sad emotional reaction to someone’s situation.

Vocabulaire