"To have fun" and "to become" - some questions

Question

Hi,

My Spanish textbook is giving me this phrase to say, "have a good time" -

¡Que te lo pases bien!

I can't work out how the grammar is working. It is a command, right? So, why isn't the "te" and "lo" tacked on the end, like normal affirmative commands? Also, why is it "pases" and not "pasa"? (I thought you only used "pases" in a negative tú command).

Also, are these right?

¡Diviértete! (Enjoy yourself - tú command) ¡Diviértase! (Usted command)

And, I'm also studying how to use "hacerse" to say "to become". My book is listing these examples: Se hicieron amigos (they became friends) Se hizo monja (she became a nun)

I can't understand why the preterit and not the imperfect is being used since we don't know the time frame of either event - and the "becoming friends" or "becoming a nun" could have happened over months or years.

Thanks so much to anyone who is able to help out!

Emma

Thank you for making a great effort and trying , I imagine a Spanish native will wander by playing a guitar and offering more sound advice that this poor innocent can give. - ray76, Jun 10, 2014

Thanks ray!! - Motema15, Jun 11, 2014

Answer 1

Yes Emma, hacerse amigos is used to mean: to become friends

hacer amigos = to make friends

Yes, diviértase (Ud polite form) and diviértete (tu familar form) are both correct

When the Spanish say to become meaning, for example to become a doctor they would use the verb construction: llegar a ser (to become) or hacerse

S/he always wanted to be a doctor = Siempre quería llegar a ser un médico.

Llegar a ser means to become when referring to a person wanting to become a doctor, nurse,, architect, dentist etc....

A native who used to be on here called Heidita taught us that llegar a ser is used to mean to become when the action takes some time to achieve, that is: it takes time to become a vet, doctor , teacher but hacerse is used for a change that occurs more quickly / rapidly

Se hizo rico de la noche = S/he became rich overnight

llegar a ser / hacerse = to become (llegar a ser = gradual/hacerse = quick/er change)

ponerse = to become eg angry, furious, (used with emotions)

eg Se puso enfadado, furioso,

I hope this helps

Answer 2

Thanks so much Reid - ¡claro que sí! Muchas gracias por tu ayuda

De nada! - Reid13, Jun 13, 2014

Answer 3

If It was the imperfect tense ''Se harían amigos'' would mean they used to be friends or they was becoming friends. ''Se hacía monja'' would mean he/she/you was becoming a nun or he/she/you usted to be a nun. Don't take my word on this I am not a native but I believe I am right