Tu ________ une surprise à ta mère.

Question

One of your test has this question "Tu ________ une surprise à ta mère." and the answer is Tu fais une surprise à ta mère., which means "You're giving a surprise to your mother." How come its fais when it says to give? which is supposed to be donner.  Hoping for a response thanks

Accepted Answer

Bonjour Jerald Ray L,
'faire une surprise à [qqn]' = 'to give [sb] a surprise'
See link here on how faire is used in many other French expressions:
when-would-you-use-faire-as-compared-to-other-verbs-for-example-i-am-making-a-cake-as-compared-to-i#Answer-5235
I hope this is useful.
Bonne journée.

Answer

For a further example - “faire un cadeau” is an expression for to give a present.

“Faire” is a much used word in France and goes well beyond ‘make’ in English.

I have a love-hate relationship with French expressions - they are creative, diverse and interesting, but so numerous!

Answer

Fais also mean to make or to do.

Answer

I would even say that 'giving a surprise to your mother' should, rather be: 'you are surprising your mother' or 'you are surprising your mother by _______" or 'you are surprising your mother with _____________.' I don't have anything to add to why the French was written that way, but the idiom in English was a little less 'idiomatic' English.