Conjugate and Use ‘To Make’ in Spanish With Confidence

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Hacer means “to make” in Spanish and you’ll use it in much the same ways we do in English, with a few differences. Use it to talk about your own creations, but also to discuss cooking, chores, obligations, and feelings. 

Did you know hacer also means “to do” in Spanish? It’s an important Spanish verb you’ll use often. Learn how to conjugate hacer and when it’s better to use a different word to translate your English thoughts into Spanish. 

How to conjugate hacer (to make) in Spanish 

Hacer means both “to do” and “to make” in Spanish. Because it’s a slightly irregular Spanish verb, you’ll need to learn these six forms of hacer, paying close attention to the yo (I) form, hago (I make). 

The rest of the forms will match the pattern for regular -ER verbs in the present tense, so if you already know those, you’re most of the way there. 

hacer (to make) present tense

As an added boost to your vocabulary, you can now also conjugate some related verbs, such as deshacer (to undo) and rehacer (to redo) which simply add Spanish prefixes to this same conjugation. 

Use hacer to talk about things that are created

Are you a creator that makes videos (videos), a tailor that makes la ropa (clothing), or do you simply make listas (lists)? Whatever you create, use hago to say “I make” in Spanish. Adjust the conjugation to talk about what other people make. After a conjugated verb or Spanish preposition like para (in order to), you’ll use the infinitive form hacer. 

• Hago trajes para mis clientes. = I make suits for my clients. 
  
• Esta máquina hace botellas de vidrio.= This machine makes glass bottles. 
  
• Estas latas son recicladas. El metal será usado para hacer nuevas latas. = These cans are recycled. The metal will be used to make new cans. 
  
• ¿Qué hace usted? = What do you make/do? 
  
• Yo uso esta máquina para hacer libros. = I use this machine to make books. 
  

Spanish vocabulary for things you make

If you’re interested in creating or crafting, or you meet someone who is, here are a few terms for things that people might make so you can hold a basic Spanish conversation about hobbies and interests. 

Using hacer with emotions

If you want to say “make someone happy” or “make someone laugh,” you would use hacer. In the examples, notice that the Spanish pronouns such as me (me), la (her), los (them) are placed before the verb.

• Mirar fotos viejas siempre me hace sonreír. = Looking at old photos always makes me smile. 
  
• Jugar con niños me hace feliz.= Playing with children makes me happy. 
  
• Correr me hace tener sed. = Running makes me thirsty.
  
• El libro la hace llorar. = The book makes her cry. 
  
• Ella es alérgica a las flores. La hacen estornudar cuando está cerca. = She’s allergic to flowers. They make her sneeze when she’s close by. 
  
• Esta película los hace reír. = This movie makes them laugh. 
  

It’s also common to use the verb poner plus an emotion. 

Common verb phrases with hacer 

In English, there are many common verb phrases with the verb “to make.” In some instances, you can use hacer for a direct translation of the verb “to make” in Spanish. In the table, you’ll see some examples of phrases you likely use quite often.  

It is common for a more specific verb to be used instead of hacer in Spanish. While English speakers regularly use verb phrases with “to make,” take note of when other action verbs would sound more natural than hacer in Spanish. For example:

• cometer un error = to make (to commit) a mistake
• ganar dinero = to make (to earn) money
• tomar una decisión = to make (to take) a decision
• llegar al equipo = to make (to arrive at) the team
• efectuar un pago = to make a payment (more formal)

Verbs to use when you ‘make’ food

When discussing making food in Spanish, you can use hacer, but there are also a few alternative verbs like preparar (to prepare) or producir (to produce) that might be a more natural fit in Spanish. 

• ¿Qué deberíamos hacer para la fiesta? = What should we make for the party? 
  
• Necesitamos aumentar la cantidad de pan que hacemos porque nuestros compradores quieren más.= We need to increase the amount of bread that we make because our buyers want more. 
  
•  ¿Qué vas a preparar para la fiesta? = What are you going to make for the party? 
  
• Voy a preparar una ensalada. = I’m going to make a salad. 
  
• Ésta es una cena sencilla de preparar. Sólo necesitas pan y queso. = This is a simple dinner to make. You only need bread and cheese. 
  
• ¿De quién fue la idea de prepararme el desayuno? = Whose idea was it to make me breakfast? 
  
• ¿Todavía producen queso? = Do you still make cheese? 
  
• Sí, todavía producimos queso, pero ahora está hecho de leche de cabra. = Yes, we still make cheese but now it’s made with goat’s milk. 
  

Don’t use hacer if you mean ‘to make someone do something’ 

Use the verb obligar a (to oblige/to force to) if what you mean is someone or a situation forces or obliges a person to do something. 

• Mi mamá me obliga a levantarme temprano. = My mom makes me get up early. 
• Mi abuelita me obligan a comer verduras. = My grandma makes me eat vegetables. 
• ¡No puedes obligarme a nadar en este lago! = You can’t make me swim in this lake!

To talk about the things you have to do, you can use tener que (to have to), one of the many helpful uses of tener (to have) in Spanish. 

Confidently use verbs like ‘to make’ in Spanish

Knowing verbs like hacer in Spanish is one of the best ways to unlock effective communication. Particularly because it translates to both “to do” and “to make” in English. This verb with a double meaning is a powerhouse that can help you learn Spanish and assist you with many interesting conversations. 

One of the easiest ways to note all of the uses of hacer and when they differ from English is by comparing the way native speakers use it in phrases. If you have any doubts about how to use hacer and when a different verb would sound more natural, you can expand your knowledge with Rosetta Stone’s live lessons or expert tutoring.