Make or do
Ukrainian and Russian have one verb where English has two. When to use make, when to use do, and the fixed phrases worth learning as whole units.
The problem
Ukrainian робити and Russian делать cover almost every action: you робиш homework, a cake, a mistake and a decision. English splits this space between two verbs, make and do, and the choice is not free. I did a cake sounds as if you did something to a cake that already existed; I made my homework sounds as if you invented the exercises yourself. Learners who translate робити directly choose between the two at random, and about half the time the result is wrong.
There is a general idea behind the split, and it explains most cases. The rest are fixed phrases that simply have to be learnt, the same way you learn that it is приймати рішення and not робити рішення.
How English does it
The core idea: make is about producing or creating something that did not exist before. Do is about carrying out an activity, a task or a job, often one that is repeated. When the action is unclear or general, English uses do: What are you doing?, Do something, I have nothing to do.
| Use | Verb | Typical phrases |
|---|---|---|
| creating, building, cooking | make | make a cake, make breakfast, make a dress, make a film, make coffee |
| results of speaking or deciding | make | make a decision, make a plan, make a suggestion, make a promise, make a phone call, make a complaint |
| causing a reaction or sound | make | make a mistake, make a noise, make a mess, make someone laugh |
| earning and gaining | make | make money, make a profit, make friends, make progress, make an effort |
| work, tasks, duties | do | do your homework, do the housework, do the shopping, do the washing-up, do the ironing |
| study and exercise | do | do a course, do an exam (British), do exercise, do yoga, do sport (British) |
| general or unknown actions | do | do something, do nothing, do your best, do well, do badly |
| effects on others | do | do someone a favour, do damage, do harm, do good |
Two phrases for the home are easy to mix up: you make the bed (put the sheets in order) but do the housework. In American English you do the dishes; in British English you do the washing-up. Americans also say play sports where British speakers say do sport.
Some everyday actions use neither verb: you take a photo, have a shower and have a party. British English also allows take a decision, though make a decision is far more common everywhere. When a phrase with робити does not fit either rule, check the word page for the noun: collocations are listed there.
The past forms are irregular: make, made, made; do, did, done.
Examples
- Tom made breakfast for everyone this morning.
- Have you done your homework yet?
- I made a mistake in the second exercise.
- Anna usually does the shopping on Saturdays.
- We need to make a decision before Friday.
- Could you do me a favour and close the window?
- The children are making a lot of noise upstairs.
- She is doing an online course in design.
Common mistakes
- ✗ I made my homework at the weekend.
✓ I did my homework at the weekend.
Homework is a task you carry out, not something you create, so it takes do, exactly like do the housework and do the washing-up. - ✗ Everybody does mistakes.
✓ Everybody makes mistakes.
Робити помилки / делать ошибки uses the general verb, but in English a mistake is something you produce, so it is always make. - ✗ Can I make a photo of you?
✓ Can I take a photo of you?
Neither make nor do works here: English takes photos. The same is true of take a shower or have a shower, never make a shower. - ✗ Let's make a party on Saturday.
✓ Let's have a party on Saturday.
Зробити вечірку / сделать вечеринку translates badly: in English you have a party, or throw one in informal speech, and organise one when you plan it. - ✗ Can you make me a favour?
✓ Can you do me a favour?
A favour is an action you perform for someone, so English uses do. Russian сделай одолжение and Ukrainian зроби послугу both push towards make; resist it.
Try it
- I need to ___ a phone call before the meeting. (make / do)
- Who ___ the washing-up last night? (made / did)
- Tom ___ a lot of progress with his English this year. (has made / has done)
- Please don't ___ so much noise. (make / do)
- Anna always ___ her best in exams. (makes / does)