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The verb Hacerse

The verb Hacerse

1
vote

The verb Hacerse, does it have anything to do with being reflexive because of the "se" that is at the end of the word'

8969 views
updated OCT 31, 2010
posted by Cherub1

8 Answers

2
votes

samdie said:

English dictionary or an American dictionary? I've heard it said that the British (many of them, anyway) think that Americans _overuse_ the word "get" (presumably, the result of a lack of familiarity with "our own" language).

An English dictionary... either American or British. The Merriam-Webster (American), for example, has 35 intransitive uses, 9 intransitive ones, and 47 as an auxiliary verb. Then people come to the forum and ask: How do you say "get" in Spanish, hehe.

Many English speakers (all over the word) use "to get" a lot, even though there are many alternatives to this word, because it is easy. The same happens in Spanish with other words:

hacer amistades (granjearse)
hacer un agujero (perforar)
hacer un daño (causar)
hacer un edificio (levantar, construir)
hacer un poema (componer)
hacer un traje (confeccionar)
hacer una carrera (cursar)
hacer una falta (cometer)
hacer una fiesta (celebrar)
hacer una película (rodar, grabar)
hacer una pregunta (formular)

updated OCT 31, 2010
posted by lazarus1907
How about "se me hace muy difícil"? I know this means "I find it very difficult", but I don't really understand the structure. - TroyThrap, SEP 15, 2010
2
votes

lazarus1907 said:

Cherub1 said:

wow. i can't believe there is so much to just one word

Really? Check GO or GET in an English dictionary, hehe.


English dictionary or an American dictionary? I've heard it said that the British (many of them, anyway) think that Americans _overuse_ the word "get" (presumably, the result of a lack of familiarity with "our own" language).

updated OCT 31, 2010
posted by samdie
2
votes

Cherub1 said:

wow. i can't believe there is so much to just one word

Really? Check GO or GET in an English dictionary, hehe.

updated OCT 31, 2010
posted by lazarus1907
2
votes

Cherub1 said:

I really didn't have any example sentences, i was just looking up the word and found quite a bit of many different meanings. Only needed a little more explanation. Thank you

In my dictionary I have over 12 uses of "hacer" as pronominal (i.e. "hacerse"), and over a dozen idioms and expressions using this form as well,... plus many other passive forms of the verb with over 30 different meanings. The more common the verb, the more complex it is. I have spent over a week just to write about this verb, and I still have a lot to cover.

updated OCT 31, 2010
posted by lazarus1907
2
votes

"Hacerse" can be several things; sometimes you could talk about the verb "hacerse", with its own meaning, but in other cases it could be a passive or impersonal construction. Actually, it could even be a reflexive SE too:

hacerse (=recorrer una distancia): Quiere hacerse el camino a pie.
hacerse (=convertirse): Quiere hacerse budista.
hacerse (=llegar a un momento): Va a hacerse de día.

Reflexive: Va a hacerse una tortilla
Reflexive: Va a hacerse de comer

Passive reflexive: Van a hacerse modificaciones.

Many possibilities, as you can see.

updated OCT 31, 2010
posted by lazarus1907
1
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wow. i can't believe there is so much to just one word

updated DIC 11, 2009
posted by Cherub1
1
vote

I really didn't have any example sentences, i was just looking up the word and found quite a bit of many different meanings. Only needed a little more explanation. Thank you

updated DIC 11, 2009
posted by Cherub1
1
vote

We've recently had several discussions about "se" and its meaning. I often hear (or see) "hacer" in what would be a passive voice in English. The passive in Spanish is usually expressed with "se." As an example "se habla español" means "Spanish is spoken." This is passive, not reflexive.

If you give us some context (a sentence or two) we'll probably be better able to help. Please check the rules for starting a discussion.

updated DIC 11, 2009
posted by CalvoViejo
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