hacia
Lemma Details
Translation: toward; towards; to; in the direction of; around; about
Part of Speech: preposition
Etymology: Derived from Old Spanish 'faze a' or 'fazia', which comes from Latin 'facies' (face) + 'ad' (to). The evolution shows how the concept of 'facing toward' something developed into the directional preposition we use today. This connection to 'face' (English cognate) can help remember that 'hacia' indicates direction or orientation.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Vamos hacia el parque.
We're going toward the park.
Mira hacia la montaña.
Look toward the mountain.
El avión vuela hacia el sur.
The plane flies southward.
Esto ocurrió hacia las tres de la tarde.
This happened around three in the afternoon.
Siento un gran respeto hacia ti.
I feel great respect toward you.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'hacia' as 'facing' a direction - they share the same root.
- The 'h' in 'hacia' is silent, so it sounds a bit like 'Asia' - imagine pointing toward Asia.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Cultural Context
Used frequently in giving directions and describing movement or orientation in Spanish. Unlike English, which has many directional prepositions, Spanish often relies on 'hacia' combined with other words to express direction.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Hacia' indicates direction or movement toward something, while 'hasta' means 'until' or 'up to' (a limit in time or space).
Notes: 'Hacia' focuses on the direction of movement, while 'hasta' emphasizes reaching the endpoint.
Mnemonic: 'Hacia' is about direction (like 'facing'), 'hasta' is about reaching a destination or limit.
Explanation: While both can translate to 'to' or 'toward' in some contexts, 'hacia' specifically indicates physical direction, whereas 'para' typically indicates purpose, destination, or recipient.
Confused word:
Compré este regalo para ti.
I bought this gift for you.
Notes: When indicating movement, 'hacia' focuses on the direction, while 'para' often implies the final destination or purpose.
Mnemonic: 'Hacia' is about physical direction, 'para' is about purpose or destination.