Hacer: to do, to make
Pronunciation: ah-SEHR (stress the capital letters)
Hacer means “to do, to make” in English.
Quick answer
- Meaning: to do, to make
- How to say it: ah-SEHR
- Present: yo hago, tú haces
- Level: Beginner (A1)
What “hacer” means and how to use it
Hacer covers both “to do” and “to make.” It is also the verb for weather (hace frío) and for “ago” when talking about time (hace dos años).
How to conjugate “hacer”
| Who | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| yo | hago | I |
| tú | haces | you (informal) |
| él, ella, usted | hace | he, she, you (formal) |
| nosotros | hacemos | we |
| ellos, ustedes | hacen | they, you all |
| Past (preterite) | yo hice, él hizo | I / he or she |
| Past participle | hecho | used with haber |
A closer look at “hacer”
Hacer in weather expressions
Weather in Spanish uses hacer: hace frío (it is cold), hace calor (it is hot), hace sol (it is sunny), hace viento (it is windy). For rain and snow, use the verbs llover and nevar: llueve, nieva.
Hacer and “ago”
To say “ago,” use hace plus a time: hace tres años (three years ago). With “desde hace,” you say how long something has been true: vivo aquí desde hace dos años.
Examples with audio
- Hago la tarea por la noche.I do my homework at night.
- Mi mamá hace pan.My mom makes bread.
- Hoy hace mucho calor.It is very hot today.
Usage tip
Do not say “está frío” for the weather. Use “hace frío.” With time expressions, “hace tres años” means “three years ago.”
Frequently asked questions
How do you say “to do, to make” in Spanish?
“to do, to make” in Spanish is “hacer.” It is pronounced ah-SEHR, with the stress on the syllable in capital letters.
How do you pronounce “hacer”?
Say ah-SEHR. The syllable in capital letters gets the stress. Press the speaker button at the top of this page to hear it.
What is the past tense of “hacer”?
In the preterite, “yo” is “hice” and “él” is “hizo.” The past participle is “hecho.”
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