hago ejercicio
/aɡo exeɾθiθjo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I exercise" is translated into Spanish as hago ejercicio.
This phrase is used to say that you engage in physical activity to stay healthy or fit. If you want to be more specific about the type of activity, you can say Hacer yoga to mean "to do yoga" or Hacer pesas to mean "to lift weights". Another common alternative is the verb entrenar, which is used when referring to more structured or athletic training.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a combination of the verb hacer (to do/make) and the noun ejercicio (exercise).
Which one should you use?
Hago ejercicio is the most common way to express the habit of exercising, whereas me ejercito is more formal and less frequently used in daily conversation.
How do you pronounce it?
/aɡo exeɾθiθjo/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying hago un ejercicio if you mean you are exercising in general. In Spanish, un ejercicio usually refers to a single specific task or drill (like a math problem or a specific movement).
Did you know?
- The verb entrenar is used for athletic training, but it is also the word used for 'training' a dog or a new employee.
- The English word 'exercise' and the Spanish ejercicio both descend from the Latin 'exerceō', which means 'to keep busy'.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, people use the phrase hacer pesas to mean 'lifting weights', but pesas literally translates to 'weights' as in the objects used for weighing goods.
Examples in context
- Hago ejercicios dos horas por día.I exercise for two hours every day.This sentence shows how to use hago ejercicio when stating the duration of your daily routine.Tatoeba #5053574 by don_ramon, translation #1037299 by Brian255
- Hago ejercicio casi todos los días.I exercise almost every day.This sentence uses hago ejercicio to describe the frequency of your physical activity.Tatoeba #1745921 by marcelostockle, translation #1740407 by Amastan
- Hago ejercicio por el día y por la noche, pero prefiero ejercitarme por la mañana.I exercise during the day and at night, but I prefer to exercise in the morning.This sentence uses hago ejercicio to describe when during the day you typically exercise.Tatoeba #8379814 by arh, translation #8384052 by cromwellt
- Hago ejercicio todas las mañanasI exercise every morning
- Estoy ejercitándome ahoraI am exercising now
- Voy a hacer ejercicio mañanaI will exercise tomorrow
- Hago ejercicio rigorosamente para mantenerme en formaI exercise rigorously to stay fit
- Voy al gimnasio semanalmente para ejercitarmeI go to the gym weekly to exercise
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are talking about their morning routines.
- AlejandroHago ejercicio todas las mañanas.I exercise every morning.
- Lucía¡Qué bueno! Yo prefiero caminar.That's good! I prefer walking.
- Alejandro¿Haces ejercicio con frecuencia, Lucía?Do you exercise frequently, Lucía?
- LucíaNo, pero trato de moverme más.No, but I try to move more.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ejercicio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
