Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bricolaje | /bɾikoˈlaxe/ | masculine |
| hacerlo sí mismo | /aθeɾlo si mismo/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /aseɾlo si mismo/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
imperative |
| bricolage (brikolash) | masculine |
The masculine noun bricolaje refers specifically to the hobby or the practice of DIY (do-it-yourself) home improvements and maintenance. When you want to tell someone to perform an action by themselves, you use imperative forms such as Hazlo tú mismo or Hágalo usted mismo.
What does it mean word for word?
The word bricolaje is a loanword from the French bricolage, which conveys the idea of tinkering or making do with the tools and materials at hand.
Which one should you use?
Use the noun bricolaje when referring to the concept of DIY as a hobby or activity. Use the imperative phrases when giving a command or instruction to actually perform the task.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the phrase Hazlo tú mismo is often shortened to Hazlo tú.
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing the general principle of 'doing it oneself' (to do it oneself), it is more natural to use the reflexive pronoun uno mismo rather than sí mismo.
How do you pronounce it?
/bɾikoˈlaxe/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using hacerlo sí mismo to mean 'do it yourself'. In Spanish, sí mismo is a reflexive pronoun used for third-person subjects (meaning 'himself' or 'herself') and is not used for the imperative 'you'.
Did you know?
- While bricolaje is the standard term for DIY in Spain, many Latin American countries prefer the term hágalo usted mismo, which is a direct translation of 'do it yourself'.
- The Spanish term bricolaje is closely related to the English word 'bric-a-brac', as both derive from the same French root referring to small, miscellaneous objects.
- The word mismo has a complex history involving much more than just 'self'. It evolved from a combination of an emphatic suffix and the Latin word ipsimus, meaning 'the very same'.
Examples in context
- Si desea pintar su casa, le recomendamos que lo haga usted mismo para ahorrar dinero y aprender al mismo tiempo.If you want to paint your house, we recommend you do it yourself to save money and learn at the same time.
- ¿Ya reparaste tu bicicleta? Hazlo tú mismo y te sentirás orgulloso de haberlo logrado.Did you fix your bicycle? Do it yourself and you will feel proud of having accomplished it.
- El bricolaje es mi pasión.DIY is my passion.
- Compré herramientas para el bricolaje.I bought tools for DIY.
- Ella hace mucho bricolaje en casa.She does a lot of DIY at home.
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are talking about a new shelf in the living room.
- ElenaMe encanta el estante nuevo, Javier.I love the new shelf, Javier.
- JavierGracias, es mi primer proyecto de bricolaje.Thanks, it is my first DIY project.
- Elena¿Fue muy difícil de hacer?Was it very difficult to make?
- JavierNo, el bricolaje es muy divertido.No, DIY is very fun.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “do it yourself” translations and entries bricolaje, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bricolaje, mismo, sí, CC BY-SA 4.0.
