Expressions with Hacer

Hacer means "to do" or "to make", but it also powers a huge number of fixed expressions. In weather, time references, and many daily actions, hacer is the verb Spanish reaches for first.

Weather with hacer

When English uses it is plus an adjective for weather, Spanish usually uses hace plus a noun. The verb stays in the third-person singular.

Hace calor.

It's hot.

Hace mucho frío en enero.

It's very cold in January.

Hoy hace viento.

It's windy today.

Hace sol, vamos a la playa.

It's sunny, let's go to the beach.

Por la mañana hace fresco.

In the morning it's cool.

Hace buen tiempo.

The weather is nice.

Hizo mal tiempo todo el fin de semana.

The weather was bad all weekend.

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Use mucho/mucha, not muy, because the word after hace is a noun: hace mucho calor, hace mucha brisa. Never say hace muy calor.

See weather expressions for a full overview, including verbs like llover and nevar.

Hacer for time ago

Hace + time expression means "ago". It can go at the start or end of the sentence.

Llegué hace dos horas.

I arrived two hours ago.

Hace tres años que vivimos aquí.

We've lived here for three years.

Hace poco lo vi en la calle.

I saw him on the street a little while ago.

¿Hace cuánto que esperas?

How long have you been waiting?

For the full breakdown of hace, desde hace, and desde, see time expressions.

Everyday idioms

Many ordinary actions take hacer in Spanish where English might use a different verb.

hacer falta (to be needed / to be lacking)

Me hace falta una computadora nueva.

I need a new computer.

No hace falta que vengas.

There's no need for you to come.

hacer caso (to pay attention / to mind)

Mi hijo no me hace caso.

My son doesn't listen to me.

Hazle caso a tu abuela.

Listen to your grandma.

hacer cola (to stand in line)

Tuvimos que hacer cola por una hora.

We had to wait in line for an hour.

hacer daño (to hurt)

Me hace daño el estómago.

My stomach hurts.

No te va a hacer daño.

It won't hurt you.

hacer la cama / hacer las compras / hacer la tarea

Hacer covers many chores.

Todas las mañanas hago la cama.

Every morning I make my bed.

Voy a hacer las compras al mercado.

I'm going grocery shopping at the market.

¿Ya hiciste la tarea?

Did you do your homework yet?

Hacer as a pronominal verb: hacerse

Hacerse means "to become" in the sense of gradual change or conscious choice.

Se hizo médico.

He became a doctor.

Se está haciendo tarde.

It's getting late.

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Compare three "become" verbs: hacerse (gradual, often by effort), ponerse (sudden, temporary mood or state, see ponerse), and volverse (deep, often negative change). Se hizo rico (he got rich) vs. se puso rojo (he turned red) vs. se volvió loco (he went crazy).

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