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"Hacer daño" is a transitive verb phrase which is often translated as "to hurt", and "pegar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to hit". Learn more about the difference between "hacer daño" and "pegar" below.
hacer daño(
ah
-
sehrr
dah
-
nyoh
)A transitive verb phrase is a phrase that combines a verb with a preposition or other particle and requires a direct object (e.g., take out the trash.).
a. to hurt
Que sepas que lo que me dijiste ayer me hizo mucho daño.Let me tell you that what you said to me yesterday hurt a lot.
b. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Seguro que tu hermanito solo estaba jugando y no quería hacerte daño.I'm sure your little brother was just playing and didn't mean any harm.
Perdóname, no tenía intención de hacer daño a nadie, pero la situación se me fue de las manos.Please forgive me, I didn't intend any harm to anybody, but the situation got out of hand.
a. to be bad for
No hay forma de convencer a mi hermana de que el tabaco le hace daño.There's no way of convincing my sister that cigarettes are bad for her.
b. to damage
Al parecer ese medicamento puede hacer daño al hígado.It seems that drug can damage the liver.
c. not to agree with (food)
Está claro que los pimientos me hacen daño.Peppers obviously don't agree with me.
a. to cause damage to
Como cabía esperar, la tormenta hizo un daño enorme a la cosecha de este año.As it was to be expected, the storm has caused great damage to this year's crop.
b. to do harm to
Las acusaciones, aunque falsas, hicieron mucho daño a su reputación.The accusations, though false, did a lot of harm to his reputation.
An intransitive verb phrase is a phrase that combines a verb with a preposition or other particle and does not require a direct object (e.g., Everybody please stand up.).
a. to hurt
Ya verás como esta inyección no hace nada de daño.This injection doesn't hurt at all. You'll see.
a. to be bad
Los médicos no se ponen de acuerdo en si un vaso de vino al día hace o no daño.Doctors can't agree whether drinking a glass of wine a day is bad for you or not.
b. to be harmful
Dicen que comer demasiado deprisa puede hacer daño.They say eating too quickly can be harmful.
a. to cause damage
La calumnia puede hacer mucho daño; sobre todo, dentro de una comunidad pequeña como la nuestra.Slander can cause a lot of damage; especially, within a small community like ours.
b. to do harm
En lugar de ayudar, la política adoptada por el gobierno hizo mucho daño.The policy adopted by the government did a lot of harm rather than help.
hacerse daño
A pronominal verb phrase combines a verb with a preposition or other particle and always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Se dio cuenta del problema.)
a. to hurt oneself
Me hice daño al intentar mover el sofá yo solo.I hurt myself trying to move the couch on my own.
b. to do oneself harm
Obsesionándote así con ella, solo conseguirás hacerte daño a ti mismo.Getting so obsessed about her, you'll only do yourself harm.
a. to hurt
En este deporte, es fácil hacerse daño en la muñeca.It's easy to hurt your wrist playing this sport.
pegar(
peh
-
gahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. to hit
Le pegó a la pelota de béisbol y marcó un jonrón.He hit the baseball and scored a home run.
2. (to attach)
a. to paste (with glue)
Voy a pegar esto en mi cuaderno para que me inspire.I'm going to paste this in my notebook for inspiration.
b. to glue (with glue)
Pega las dos hojas y luego dóblalas por la mitad.Glue the two sheets together and then fold them in half.
c. to stick
Pega este dibujo al lado del otro con chinches.Stick this drawing next to that one with thumbtacks.
4. (computing)
a. to paste
Copia ese texto y pégalo en este documento.Copy that text and paste it into this document.
a. to give
Mi tía me pegó la gripa y ahora me tengo que quedar en casa.My aunt gave me the flu and now I have to stay home.
7. (to give)
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Está en el hospital después de que le hayan pegado un tiro.He's in the hospital after having been shot.
Cuando vio el ratón, pegó un grito.When she saw the mouse, she screamed.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
pegarse
A reciprocal verb is a verb that indicates that two or more subjects perform an action on each other (e.g., Ellos se abrazan.).
a. to hit each other
Mis dos hermanos siempre se pegan cuando vamos al supermercado.My two brothers always hit each other when we go to the supermarket.
A reflexive verb is a verb that indicates that the subject performs an action on itself (e.g., Miguel se lava.).
a. to hit oneself
El niñito se pegó con su mochila y empezó a llorar.The little boy hit himself with his backpack and began to cry.
b. to bump into
Me pegué con la silla al salir de la cocina.I bumped into the chair as I was leaving the kitchen.
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
11. (to cling)
a. to stick
Los frijoles se pegaron a la olla y no los puedo quitar.The beans stuck to the pan and I can't scrape them off.
12. (to catch)
a. to pick up
Siempre se me pega el acento cubano de mi abuelo cuando lo visito.I always pick up my grandfather's Cuban accent when I visit him.
