Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, especially Mexico, the word mandar is used informally to mean to make or to have someone do something.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb is irregular in several forms. In the first-person singular present indicative, it takes the form hago (I do/I make). In the preterite tense, the stem changes to hic-, resulting in forms like hice (I did/I made). For the third-person singular preterite, the 'c' in the stem changes to 'z' to form hizo (he/she/it did/made) to maintain the correct sound before the vowel 'o'.
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈθeɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often struggle to choose between hacer and realizar. While both can translate to "to do" or "to make", hacer is the much more common and general-purpose verb.
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the phrase hacerse el sueco means 'to play the Swede', which is used to describe someone pretending not to understand a situation to avoid responsibility.
- The phrase hacerle el vacío literally means 'to make the vacuum for someone', but it actually refers to the act of socially isolating or ignoring a person.
- The Spanish word hacer is a distant relative of the English word 'fact'. Both descend from the Latin verb facere, meaning 'to do' or 'to make'.
Examples in context
- Hemos hecho un gran progresoWe have made great progress
- Vamos a realizar un proyecto importanteWe are going to carry out an important project
- Han llevado a cabo una investigación exhaustivaThey have carried out a thorough investigation
- ¿Qué haces este fin de semana?What are you doing this weekend?
- No le hagas caso a esos rumoresDon't pay attention to those rumors
- Quiero hacer ejercicio hoy.I want to do exercise today.
- ¿Qué vas a hacer mañana?What are you going to do tomorrow?
- Ella tiene que hacer la tarea.She has to do the homework.
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are deciding on a weekend activity.
- JavierLucía, ¿qué vamos a hacer este sábado?Lucía, what are we going to do this Saturday?
- LucíaPodemos hacer una caminata por el parque.We can go for a hike through the park.
- JavierMe parece una idea genial.I think that's a great idea.
- LucíaPerfecto, yo preparo todo.Perfect, I'll prepare everything.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry hacer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hacer, CC BY-SA 4.0.
