hacer amigos
/aθeɾ amiɡos/from spelling rules
To make friends in Spanish is to say hacer amigos. Wiktionary also lists entablar / trabar amistades.
Meaning: to create friendships (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| hacer amigos | /aθeɾ amiɡos/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /aseɾ amiɡos/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
| entablar / trabar amistades |
The phrase is used to describe the act of creating friendships.
Which one should you use?
While hacer amigos is the common way to say 'to make friends', the forms entablar amistades or trabar amistades are used to mean 'to establish/strike up friendships'. These latter forms are more formal and literary.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase hacer amigos, the noun amigos can be changed to amigas to refer specifically to female friends or you can use amigos y amigas to be gender-inclusive.
How do you pronounce it?
/aθeɾ amiɡos/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using crear amigos, which is a literal translation of 'to create friends'. Instead, use the idiomatic expression hacer amigos.
Did you know?
- The formal verb entablar for 'to strike up a friendship' comes from the word tabla, which means 'board' or 'plank'. It creates a mental image of 'setting up' a relationship as if one were constructing something with wood.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the transition from 'making friends' to being amigos often involves a high level of physical touch, such as the abrazo or a kiss on the cheek, which is much more common than in English-speaking cultures.
- If you use the verb trabar to 'strike up a friendship', you are using a word that also means 'to jam' or 'to clog', such as a key in a lock. It implies a sudden, locking connection between two people.
Examples in context
- No es fácil hacer amigos.It isn't easy to make friends.This sentence illustrates how to express that making friends is not easy.Tatoeba #10588691 by Shishir, translation #10585654 by CK
- No estoy acá para hacer amigos.I'm not here to make friends.This sentence shows how to state a lack of intention to make friends in a specific setting.Tatoeba #2903799 by hayastan, translation #2903738 by Hybrid
- Es un buen modo de hacer amigos.It's a good way to make friends.This sentence provides an example of a method for making friends.Tatoeba #3670780 by Seael, translation #2311425 by Hybrid
- Quiero hacer amigos aquíI want to make friends here
- Estoy interesado en entablar amistades duraderasI am interested in establishing lasting friendships
- Es importante forjar relaciones sociales en el ámbito laboralIt is important to build social relationships in the work environment
- Me encantaría hacer amigos aquíI would love to make friends here
- ¡Hola! Soy nuevo aquí y me encantaría hacer amigos. ¿Hay algún grupo social al que pueda unirme?Hi! I'm new here and would love to make friends. Is there any social group I can join?
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Daniel are talking at a new community center.
- MaríaEs difícil hacer amigos en una ciudad nueva.It is difficult to make friends in a new city.
- DanielTienes razón, pero yo ya empecé a hacer amigos.You are right, but I have already started to make friends.
- María¿De verdad, Daniel? ¡Qué bueno!Really, Daniel? That's great!
- DanielSí, la gente aquí es muy amable.Yes, the people here are very kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “make friends” translations and entries hacer amigos, 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 entablar, hacer, trabar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
