Spoken Description

Aprende cuándo usar hacer frente a realizar en español, con ejemplos prácticos, diferencias de matiz y uso correcto en contextos cotidianos y formales para mejorar tu precisión al hablar y escribir.

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Learn when to use hacer versus realizar in Spanish, with practical examples, nuance differences, and correct usage in everyday and formal contexts to improve your accuracy when speaking and writing.

In Spanish, hacer and realizar both translate as "to do" or "to make," but they serve different functions: use hacer for general actions and realizar for completing or carrying out tasks.

Hacer

Use hacer for broad activities, physical actions, creations, and when asking for or giving general tasks; it is the more versatile and frequent verb in everyday speech.

Examples

Common Expressions

la tarea (to do)

hacer la tarea

say 'to do the homework' in Spanish (hacer)

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Utiliza hacer para actividades amplias, acciones físicas, creaciones, y cuando pides o das tareas generales; es el verbo más versátil y frecuente en el habla cotidiana.

Realizar

Use realizar to emphasize the execution, completion, or fulfillment of a specific task, plan, project, or goal; it sounds more formal and is common in professional contexts.

Examples

Formal Contexts

el informe (to prepare/execute)

realizar el informe

say 'to prepare the report' in a formal context (realizar)

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Utiliza realizar para enfatizar la ejecución, culminación o cumplimiento de una tarea, plan, proyecto o meta específica; suena más formal y es común en contextos profesionales.

Differences

Remember that hacer covers general "to do" and "to make" uses, while realizar highlights the actual carrying out of an action; you usually cannot swap them without changing nuance or sounding unnatural.

Summary

Use hacer for general actions and everyday tasks and reserve realizar for stressing the completion or execution of specific activities, especially in formal or work-related contexts.

Suggested Reading

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No Nonsense Spanish Workbook

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Collins Easy Learning: Spanish Conversation

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Barron’s 501 Spanish Verbs

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Practice Makes Perfect: Complete Spanish Grammar

Practice Makes Perfect: Complete Spanish Grammar by Gilda Nissenberg

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