verb

fare

make · take · do

Compiere un'azione o creare qualcosa con il proprio impegno o le proprie mani.

Definition & meaning

Fare is a highly versatile Italian verb whose core meanings are “to do” and “to make.” Its precise translation depends on context:

To do, carry out, or perform an action:
— “to do homework”; — “to make a phone call.”
To make, create, or prepare something:
— “to make a cake.”
To cause or bring about something:
— “to make someone laugh.”
To act or behave in a certain way:
— “to do well” or “to be right.”
To indicate weather, time, or distance:
— “It’s cold”; — “What time is it?” (The verb fare is also used in expressions such as , “to be late.”)
To become or turn into, often in expressions of change:
— “to grow up.”
To spend or pass time:
— “to take a break.”
As a noun, il fare can mean “doing,” “action,” or someone’s way of acting. This use is less common than the verb.

Grammar & Word origin

Fare is an irregular, transitive verb. It commonly takes the auxiliary avere in compound tenses, and its past participle is fatto (“done” or “made”). Some key forms are (“I do/make”), (“you do/make”), (“he/she does/makes”), (“we do/make”), (“they do/make”), and (“doing/making”).

The verb descends from Latin facere, meaning “to do” or “to make.” In modern Italian, its form cannot be reliably broken into smaller parts with separate meanings.

Synonyms & antonyms

There is no single synonym for fare that works in all its meanings. Alternatives are more specific:

— “to carry out” or “accomplish”; often suggests completing an action.
— “to perform” or “execute”; often used for tasks, instructions, or technical actions.
— “to create” or “bring about”; emphasizes producing or achieving a result.
— “to create”; focuses on bringing something new into existence.
— “to cause”; more specifically describes producing an effect.

There is no general antonym for fare. Depending on the context, means “to undo” or “take apart,” while means “to refrain” from doing something.