Faire confiance

DavidC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Faire confiance

The quiz asked: How would you tell your friends to have faith? "____ confiance, mes amis!" Have faith, my friends.

I answered "Faites" but it wanted "Ayez". Nearly all lessons here that refer to "confiance" associate it with "faire" - not "avoir". There does not seem to be one specifically on "Have faith". What is the grammar rule here?

Asked 5 years ago
CécileKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Hi all,

In my opinion, both expressions can be used to indicate the idea of trust .

Avoir confiance en = to have faith/trust/confidence in something or someone

Faire confiance à quelque chose/quelqu'un = to trust something or someone

e.g. 

J'ai confiance en toiJe te fais confiance

Tu ne me fais pas confiance = Tu n'as pas confiance en moi.

This particular quiz was asking you to use 'avoir confiance', the interesting element being the imperative of avoir which is 'Ayez'..

Hope this helps!

 

ChrisC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Hi David,

Recommended reading with respect to your question:
http://parler-francais.eklablog.com/avoir-confiance-en-dans-a4936709

-- Chris.

AlanC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Also I have to point out:

HINT: Use ''avoir'' in l'Impératif

AlanC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Sorry - actually it was a different question that had that hint - maybe it should also have been given for the question you mentioned.
DavidC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor
The recommended reading reference only discusses "avoir confiance" when followed by "en" or "dans". It is not clear that it can be used alone. Or that it can relate to "faith" rather that "trust" or "confidence". An explanation from the Kwiziq team would be helpful. On the face of it it seems that a new construct has been introduced for which no lesson has prepared us.
AlanC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
I think it's sort of introduced via the quizzes - the first time you encounter it there's an explicit hint to use avoir to mean "have faith". Then I suppose you're expected to remember it for subsequent questions. 
DavidC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Thank you Cécile.

Your answer help me in understanding the usage.

The issue this illustrates with Kwiziq is that often the quizzes are encountered a long way from the lessons and the only standard one can apply, in attempting to answer them correctly first time, is what is correct French usage - not what has appeared in some Kwiziq lesson.

After getting them "wrong" one can attempt to memorize what the acceptable answer is so that one will not be penalized in future, which is essential if, like me, you are attempting to get 100% in each level. (Currently I am at 100% on levels A0,A1,A2,B1 and at 99+% on level B2). Of course a bigger problem, for me, is my own stupid mistakes.

Faire confiance

The quiz asked: How would you tell your friends to have faith? "____ confiance, mes amis!" Have faith, my friends.

I answered "Faites" but it wanted "Ayez". Nearly all lessons here that refer to "confiance" associate it with "faire" - not "avoir". There does not seem to be one specifically on "Have faith". What is the grammar rule here?

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