Voluntary changes with "hacerse"
To talk about a voluntary life change—one that requires active effort, study, or a deliberate decision—use the reflexive verb hacerse (to become).
Like other reflexive verbs, use a pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) that matches the subject.
| Subject | Pronoun + Verb |
|---|---|
| yo | me hago |
| tú | te haces |
| él / ella / usted | se hace |
| nosotros / nosotras | nos hacemos |
| vosotros / vosotras | os hacéis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | se hacen |
Because the word following hacerse acts as a noun or adjective, it must agree with the subject in gender and number. You will often see this verb used in the present perfect (e.g., me he hecho) to talk about a change that has already happened.
Professions and lifestyles
Use hacerse for taking up a new profession or adopting a new lifestyle (like becoming a vegetarian or vegan).
| My sister wants to become a doctor to help people. | Mi hermana quiere hacerse médica para ayudar a la gente. |
| I no longer eat meat because I have become vegetarian. | Ya no como carne porque me he hecho vegetariana. |
| You have to study a lot to become a lawyer. | Tienes que estudiar mucho para hacerte abogado. |
Ideologies and religions
You will also use hacerse to express a shift in political ideology or religious affiliation. Whether someone becomes a socialist, a conservative, Catholic, or atheist, Spanish treats it as a voluntary shift in identity.
| When he was young he was a socialist, but he has become conservative. | Cuando era joven era socialista, pero se ha hecho conservador. |
| Are they still Catholic or have they become atheist? | ¿Todavía son católicas o se han hecho ateas? |
| Have you all become republicans or socialists? | ¿Os habéis hecho republicanos o socialistas? |