hacer daño
Lemma Details
Translation: to hurt; to harm; to damage; to injure
Part of Speech: phrase
Etymology: This phrase combines 'hacer' (to do/make) from Latin 'facere' and 'daño' (harm/damage) from Latin 'damnum'. The construction follows a common pattern in Spanish where 'hacer' + noun creates verbal expressions. The Latin 'damnum' also gave English words like 'damage' and 'damn'.
Commonality: 80%
Guessability: 50%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of 'hacer' as 'to make' and 'daño' as 'damage' - literally 'to make damage'.
- Connect 'daño' with English 'damage' - they share the same Latin root.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
This phrase is used both for physical and emotional harm. It's commonly used in apologies or when discussing unintended consequences of actions.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'hacer daño' refers specifically to causing harm or injury, 'hacer mal' can mean 'to do wrong' or 'to do something badly', though in some contexts they can overlap.
Notes: Both phrases use 'hacer' but with different nouns that change the meaning significantly.
Mnemonic: 'Daño' connects to 'damage', while 'mal' connects to 'malicious' or 'malady'.
Explanation: 'Hacer daño' is a phrase construction while 'dañar' is a single verb with similar meaning. 'Hacer daño' is more commonly used in everyday speech, especially for emotional harm.
Notes: 'Dañar' is the verb form derived directly from the noun 'daño'.
Mnemonic: Think of 'hacer daño' as more personal and emotional, while 'dañar' is more technical or formal.