Spanish Expressions with "hacer"

Overview

The verb “hacer” can be used in a number of ways to indicate the length of time an action has been taking place.

Beautiful young woman wearing scarf and a a hat on a cold winter day

July 14, 2023

The word “hacer” means “to do,” and it can be used for several things in the Spanish language. It can be used to tell time, how long ago an action happened. Something that happened in the past, and it continues in the present. There are also several common expressions that we will learn in this lesson.

1. If you would like to tell someone that you have been doing something for three years, you can say:

Hace tres años que comencé a estudiar en la universidad.

It has been three years since I started studying at the university.

When you want to indicate and action that started in the past, and continues unto the present, you will use this formula:

“Hacer” + time + que + verb in the preterite or

“Verb in the preterite + Hacer + time

Nos mudamos a Australia hace cuatro años.

We moved to Australia four years ago.

If you would like to tell someone that something happened while you had been doing another action for a while you will use:

“Hacía + Time + Que +verb in the preterite or

Verb in the preterite +Hacía + Time

Hacía tres días que estábamos viajando, cuando perdí mis papeles.

It had been three days that we were traveling, when I lost my papers.

If you want to talk about the weather, you would also use “hace,” to indicate how cold or hot it is.

Hace calor! – It is hot!

Hace fresco – It is a little chilly

Hace frío! – It is cold

Hace buen tiempo – It is good weather

Hace mal tiempo – It is bad weather

Hace viento – It’s windy

“Hacer,” is also used to indicate an action. It means “to do.”

Hacer los quehaceres – To do housework

Hacer la tarea – To do your homework

Hacer la cama – To make your bed

Hacer ejercicio – Exercise

Hacer cola – To stand in line

Hacer caso – To mind

Hacer un viaje – To travel

Hacer daño – To do harm

Hacer la compra – To go shopping

As you can see, “Hacer,” can be used to tell someone to “do” a trip or to “do” harm, as well as “to do your homework.” In English we don’t say “We are going to make a line.” when we are going to stand in line. However, if you would translate the expression “hacer cola.” literally, that is what you would get.

Highlighted Author:

Stephen Sovenyhazy

Stephen is the President of CORE Languages having founded the company in 2007. His focus is on empowering those with a need for community, culture and communication. For over a decade, CORE has helped businesses achieve their strategic international goals by empowering employees to learn and find joy in communicating in a new language and cultural context. With our online instructor-led courses, we now bring this to community members across the globe. A quote from Stephen. "When I started teaching, I sought to bring that same energy, dedication, and sense of purpose into my own classrooms. I founded CORE Languages to expand that vision, seeing the growing need for language training options designed to meet the unique needs of business environments. For over a decade, CORE has helped businesses achieve their strategic international goals by empowering employees to learn and find joy in communicating in a new language and cultural context. With our online instructor-led courses, we now bring this to community members across the globe. It’s a privilege to do what we do and share what we love with you.”

Private Classes

Meet one or more times weekly with a dedicated Spanish instructor online at a pace and schedule that custom fits your busy life.

Group Courses

Self-Study

Do you like to study on your own when it’s convenient for you? Buy helpful charts, vocabulary lists, and courses.

Additional Topics

Aztec Temple at ruins of Tenochtitlan with the Dome of Metropolitan Cathedral - Mexico City, Mexico

Spanish Passive Voice (all tenses)

Spanish passive voice formation is pretty straightforward. All you need is a subject (which is the object in the active sentence), the verb “ser” followed by the past participle of the active verb. Subject + ser + past participle

Some would call them the social generation

Spanish Conditional Tense

The conditional is a structure that we use to express possibility or probability, wishes, excuses, and even suggestions or requests. It can also be used to talk about things we would do, if a certain action happens (ie. hypothetical situations).

attractive asian girl using virtual reality headset on street in evening, city of future concept

Spanish Future Tense

The Simple Future (Futuro simple), is used to describe actions that will happen in the future, without indicating a specific point in time.

Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

The CEFR is an international standard used to describe language ability. Here are specific details of the CEFR for this topic.

General Explanation:

Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

Specific Capabilities at this Level

Writing:

I can write short, simple notes and messages relating to matters in areas of immediate needs. I can write a very simple personal letter, for example thanking someone for something.

Spoken Production:

I can use a series of phrases and sentences to describe in simple terms my family and other people, living conditions, my educational background and my present or most recent job.

Spoken Interaction:

I can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar topics and activities. I can handle very short social exchanges, even though I can’t usually understand enough to keep the conversation going myself.

Reading:

I can read very short, simple texts. I can find specific, predictable information in simple everyday material such as advertisements, prospectuses, menus and timetables and I can understand short simple personal letters.

Listening:

I can understand phrases and the highest frequency vocabulary related to areas of most immediate personal relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local area, employment). I can catch the main point in short, clear, simple messages and announcements.