Meaning and Use
Hacer is a very common Spanish verb meaning to do or to make. It is used to express actions that involve creating, performing, or carrying out activities. The verb can be applied in many contexts, such as making something physical, doing a task, or indicating weather conditions.
Irregularity
Hacer is an irregular verb, meaning it does not follow regular conjugation patterns. Its stem changes in certain tenses, and the first person singular (yo) form is unique, which is important to memorize for proper conjugation.
Present Tense Conjugation
| Spanish Pronoun | Spanish Conjugation | English Conjugation | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | hago | I do / I make | Yo hago la tarea. | I do the homework. |
| tú | haces | you do / you make | Tú haces un pastel. | You make a cake. |
| él / ella / usted | hace | he/she/you does | Ella hace ejercicio. | She does exercise. |
| nosotros/as | hacemos | we do / we make | Nosotros hacemos la cena. | We make dinner. |
| vosotros/as | hacéis | you all do / make | Vosotros hacéis un proyecto. | You all do a project. |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hacen | they / you all do | Ellos hacen deportes. | They do sports. |
Uses in Expressions
Hacer appears in many fixed expressions and idioms, such as hacer frío (to be cold), hacer la cama (to make the bed), and hacer daño (to harm). It’s also used in time expressions like hacer sol (to be sunny) or when talking about activities like hacer deporte (to do sports).
Past Tense (Preterite) Conjugation
| Spanish Pronoun | Spanish Conjugation | English Conjugation | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | hice | I did / I made | Yo hice un dibujo ayer. | I made a drawing yesterday. |
| tú | hiciste | you did / you made | Tú hiciste la tarea. | You did the homework. |
| él / ella / usted | hizo | he/she/you did | Él hizo una llamada. | He made a call. |
| nosotros/as | hicimos | we did / we made | Nosotros hicimos un pastel. | We made a cake. |
| vosotros/as | hicisteis | you all did/made | Vosotros hicisteis la cena. | You all made dinner. |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hicieron | they / you all did | Ellos hicieron ejercicio. | They did exercise. |
Summary
Understanding hacer is essential since it appears frequently in everyday conversation, across various tenses and expressions. Mastering its irregular forms ensures clear and correct communication in Spanish.
