Have someone do something

Question

We often use this construction in English when we talk about other people doing a job for us. I'm not sure of the most natural way to express this in Spanish, but maybe someone could correct my translations.

I had them press my shirts.
Hice que plancharan mis camisas.

We're going to have them paint our house.
Vamos a pedirles que pinten nuestra casa.

She had him clean the watch.
Ella hizo que limpiara el reloj.
Ella mandó limpiar el reloj.
Ella hizo limpiar el reloj.

I had my mechanic rotate the tires while he was at it.
Le dije al mecánico que rotara las ruedas/llantas ya que estaba ahí.

I think my translations are correct, but somehow they don't sound quite right to me.

Answer 1

The difference is that "I had..." is somewhat neutral. It just means that I took some action resulting in the desired effect being achieved by someone else. "I had my tall friend hang the picture."

"I made" means that I forced someone to do something he didn't want to do. "My parents made me eat liver." If I say "I made my friend hang the picture," the very clear implication is that my friend did not want to hang it, but was forced to do it anyway.

My father had me practice baseball every evening =
My father encouraged me to do it. Maybe I liked it, maybe not. It is neutral.

My father made me practice baseball every evening =
He forced me. I didn't like the practice.

Your "Mi hijo se disculpó con su hermano" does not convey the above.

Answer 2

But that still doesn't convey the idea that I caused the apology to happen.

This usage is extremely common in English, which is why I want to have some good tools in my box when I want to express the idea.

James, did you ever find a way to express it? - Goldie_Miel, Nov 26, 2011

Answer 3

Si, se puede usar esta construcción en cualquier tiempo.

Hice/ hago/ haré planchar mis camisas.

-Hice planchar mis camisas (por alguién).
-Hago planchar mis camisas (por alguén, no lo hago personalmente).
-Haré planchar mis camisas (por alguién, mañana)

Answer 4

I just noticed something else. In the second example, you changed the tense from future to past. Does that mean that this construction is only used in the past tense? Can I say "Vamos a hacer pintar nuestra casa"'

Answer 5

Thank you, Vernic. I notice that you omitted the "que" in all your examples, instead using "hacer + infinitive." I'll try to remember that, since it looks like a useful construction.

Answer 6

"hacer que..." is never used for this meaning'

Well, the nuance is very important, of course that can be used, but without direct reference to any person.

Hice planchar mis camisas.
Hicimos pintar nuestra casa.
Ella hizo limpiar el reloj.
Hice rotar las llantas de mi auto.

Note that in any example is mentioned the subject who pressed, pinted, clined or roted, but who ask for..., who ordered that...

Answer 7

Thank you for the corrections. Your versions sound much better. I wish I could come up with that kind of writing myself. {sigh}

"le mandó" is almost like a military command

You used mandar in one of your translations (Mandé que plancharan...). Does that mean that mandar can used, but only in certain situations?

And am I then correct in understanding that "hacer que..." is never used for this meaning?

Follow-up question:
How would you differentiate between "had someone..." and "made someone..."?

I had my son apologize to his brother.
I made my son apologize to his brother.

Both of the above constructions are extremely common in English, and the difference in nuance is important.

Answer 8

Hice que plancharan mis camisas. (sounds too strange)
Les di mis camisas para que (me) las plancharan / Mandé que me plancharan las camisas (or "... que plancharan mis camisas").

Vamos a pedirles que pinten nuestra casa.
That's fine. Other alternatives (not identical): Vamos a pintar la casa (las circunstancias personales deciden si son ellos, o pagan a otros para que lo hagan) / Nos van a pintar la casa.

Ella hizo que limpiara el reloj. '?
Ella le mandó limpiar el reloj. ?
Ella hizo limpiar el reloj.
Le dijo que (le) limpiara el reloj ("le mandó" is almost like a military command) / Le dio el reloj para que (se) lo limpiara. "Hizo que limpiara el reloj" is fine, but it sounds a bit as if he was forced to do so against his will.

"Le dije/pedí al mecánico..." is fine.