hacerse
Lemma Details
Translation: to become; to turn into; to get; to grow; to make oneself; to pretend to be
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: Hacerse is the reflexive form of 'hacer' (to do, to make), which comes from Latin 'facere' (to do, to make). The reflexive form transforms the action back onto the subject, creating the sense of 'to make oneself' which evolved into 'to become'. This is similar to how English uses 'to make oneself' in expressions like 'to make oneself comfortable'. The Latin root 'facere' is found in many English words like 'factory', 'manufacture', and 'fact'.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 60%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Se hizo médico después de muchos años de estudio.
He became a doctor after many years of study.
El cielo se hizo oscuro antes de la tormenta.
The sky turned dark before the storm.
Con el tiempo, se hizo más tolerante.
Over time, he became more tolerant.
Se hizo el dormido para no participar en la conversación.
He pretended to be asleep to avoid participating in the conversation.
Hacerse rico no es fácil.
Becoming rich is not easy.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'hacer' (to make) + 'se' (oneself) = 'to make oneself into something'
- Remember the phrase 'hacerse mayor' (to grow up) by thinking of literally 'making yourself older'
- Connect with English 'to fashion oneself into' which has a similar meaning to 'hacerse'
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
Hacerse is a fundamental verb in Spanish for expressing personal transformation, development, or change in status. It's used extensively in everyday conversation to describe how people or things evolve or change state.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'hacer' means 'to do' or 'to make' something external, 'hacerse' implies a transformation or change in the subject itself.
Notes: Hacerse involves a process or transformation, while hacer is about creating or performing an action.
Mnemonic: Hacerse has 'se' which points back to the subject (reflexive) - the subject is changing. Hacer affects something else.
Explanation: Both mean 'to become', but 'volverse' often implies a more sudden or complete change, especially in character or behavior, while 'hacerse' suggests a more gradual process or achievement.
Notes: Hacerse often relates to professions, social status, or physical changes; volverse to psychological or behavioral changes.
Mnemonic: Think of 'hacerse' for gradual becoming (like building a career) and 'volverse' for turning or flipping (like a sudden change).