Is the dictionary wrong, or is this a regional difference?

Question

Hi all,

Under the dictionary entry for ánimo, if you scroll down you will see "4. Thought, attention. (m) Hacer buen ánimo -> to bear up under adversities". However, my friend, a native speaker of Perú claims that "Hacer buen ánimo" is never used, and that the correct expression is "Tener buen ánimo". Does anyone know if he is correct and the dictionary is indeed wrong, or are there parts of the world that use hacer?

Thanks

When I google both phrases, I do get some results for "tener buen ánimo", but none that make any sense for "hacer buen ánimo". - aceydoubleyou, Aug 1, 2010

good question though, as you can see, jejej, both natives agreed with you, I mean gekko and I, and your friend of course, well, we are often unaware of regional uses. - 00494d19, Aug 2, 2010

Yes, as one person recently told me when I was asking about Spanish of different countries, "I really don't know every word used in every Spanish speaking country in the world just because I live in one." - aceydoubleyou, Aug 2, 2010

Answer 1

From the R A E dictionary: ánimo

hacer, o tener, ~.

1. locs. verbs. Formar o tener intención de hacer algo.

don't ask me why the link won't work.

Notice that buen ánimo is an interjection.

Hmmm... maybe this is the source the entry came from? At any rate, I will tell Paralee about our thread and see what she says. - aceydoubleyou, Aug 2, 2010

Answer 2

I agree. Seems to be an error.

Thanks for your input, Gekkosan...I was really attracted to that phrase (it pertained to something we were talking about), so I wanted to check it out and see what it should be. - aceydoubleyou, Aug 1, 2010

By the way, it can be "tener buen ánimo" or, more commonly, "estar de buen ánimo". Hacer - never. - Gekkosan, Aug 1, 2010

Gekko, although no one else has chimed in, I suspect you and my friend are correct, so I'm accepting your answer. Thanks for the help! - aceydoubleyou, Aug 1, 2010

yes, I agree too, thanks for calling me acey - 00494d19, Aug 2, 2010

hi acey, please unaccept, this answer is incorrect, but you can see I agreed with it, this is very unusual, see Quentin's answer, and accept it, he was right;) - 00494d19, Aug 2, 2010

Answer 3

Paralee asks

So here are our options: 1. I can leave it just as it is (since the RAE says it is technically correct) 2. I can add a new "SpanishDict" entry that includes "Tener buen ánimo" with whatever definition you decide.

I'd say, let' put it the same way it is on the RAE.

hacer, o tener, ~. 1. locs. verbs. Formar o tener intención de hacer algo.

That way both options are included.

I checked on Google, and found several examples of how "hacer ánimo" is used. Not back at home, though. It sounds very alien to me.

I concur, although my non-nativeness does not qualify me to know what is right here. - aceydoubleyou, Aug 2, 2010

Answer 4

Hi acey, please unaccept the answer, as it is incorrect. I will leave my comment, I agreed with gekko, this is a very unusual use.

NO need to write to Paralee, this is a correct expression and listed in the RAE, good enough for anybody

sorry to have to insist, acey, thanks for being so fast, the correct answer is Quentin's - 00494d19, Aug 2, 2010

please unaccept this one, thanks - 00494d19, Aug 2, 2010

Done! - aceydoubleyou, Aug 2, 2010

Answer 5

Hi acey, thanks for pointing this out to me, sorry, I have no edit function on the dictionary, please send a note to Paralee who is in charge, thanksa lot

Will do. - aceydoubleyou, Aug 2, 2010

Answer 6

I just asked my husband - also a native of Perú - he says that "hacer buen ánimo" doesn't make any sense, but "tener buen ánimo" is fine. He also gave me an alternative phrase:

"Hacer de tripas corazón" ~ When you are very down and about to give up, this is the action of finding the strength inside you to keep going. It's quite an old fashioned phrase but you'll still hear people using it.

I thoguht you might like it

Answer 7

Alright, so since everyone agrees that "Tener buen ánimo" is the best phrase, what would you like me to do? Clearly, the RAE is the master of all things Spanish in deciding what is right and wrong, but I would like to have the most common phrase as well.

So here are our options: 1. I can leave it just as it is (since the RAE says it is technically correct) 2. I can add a new "SpanishDict" entry that includes "Tener buen ánimo" with whatever definition you decide.

Let me know!

Answer 8

"Hacer el ánimo" is definitely (in Spain) an expression most people have never even heard. The only example I've found in my literary database in from 1953, from Juan Rulfo, a Mexican writer:

Con la vaca era distinto, pues no hubiera faltado quien se hiciera el ánimo de casarse con ella, sólo por llevarse también aquella vaca tan bonita.

With "tener ánimo" I get a huge amount of examples.

Welcome home Lazarus. - Mark-Baker, Nov 15, 2010

Answer 9

Hi Paralee,

My dictionary gives some examples that might help:

No consigo hacerme el animó de levantarme temprano - I can't bring myself to getting up early.

tiene mejor animó - He is in better spirits.

You are welcome to view my on line dictionary. Send me a PM and I will divulge the access code if you are interested.