To say “do,” you will commonly use a form of hacer (to do). These include hago (I do), haces (you do), hacemos (we do), and hacen (they do). But you won’t say “do” in Spanish as often as you might think.
Learn how to conjugate the verb hacer, when to use it to mean “do,” and what other verbs you may need to use instead. This guide also covers how to ask questions the Spanish way (because you won’t use “do” to form questions in Spanish), plus other words and phrases.
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How to conjugate hacer (to do) in Spanish
The basic verb that means “to do” is hacer. While it’s one of the most common irregular verbs in Spanish, it only has an irregular yo (I) form, so take care to remember this when you say “I do” in Spanish. The rest of the conjugation forms follow the -ER verb patterns.
Learning the conjugation of this verb is doubly important; because, hacer means both “to do” and “to make” in Spanish. So, while you may not be using hacer for all the instances you would use “do” in English, you’ll certainly be using it often.
Hacer – to do/to make
| yo hago | I do/make | nosotros hacemos | We do/make |
| tú haces | you do/make (informal) | vosotros hacéis | you do/make (informal, plural, used in Spain) |
| él/ella/usted hace | he/she does/makesyou do/make (formal) | ellos/ellasustedes hacen | they do/make you do/make (plural, formal) |
Use hacer to talk about performing an action
The most direct translation of “to do” in Spanish would be for phrases where it means “to perform an action.” These common expressions will be very helpful when you’re chatting about your pastimes and hobbies, or if you’re making plans with a new friend.
Be sure to conjugate the verb hacer according to the subject pronoun or who is doing the action.
| Spanish | English |
| hacer ejercicio | to do exercise |
| hacer la compra | to do the shopping |
| hacer la tarea/hacer los deberes | to do homework |
| hacer un favor | to do a favor |
| hacer un trabajo | to do a job |
| ¿Qué estás haciendo? | What are you doing? |
| ¿Qué te gusta hacer? | What do you like to do? |
| Me gusta hacer manualidades. | I like to do arts and crafts. |
To talk about your plans and activities, you might use hacer in your question, but it won’t be used twice as it is in English.
- ¿Qué haces los fines de semana? = What do you do on the weekends?
- No hago nada los sábados.= I don’t do anything on Saturdays.
- ¿Qué vas a hacer? = What are you going to do?
- Voy a dormir mucho. = I’m going to sleep a lot.
Spanish verbs that replace ‘do’ phrases in English
Though “do” is a widely used word in English, in many cases, it doesn’t translate directly in Spanish. It’s better to ask yourself “what is the complete thought that I’m trying to express?” and select a Spanish verb accordingly.
| Spanish | English |
| dedicarse a… | to do… for a living |
| eliminar | to do away with/to eliminate |
| imitar | to do an impression of |
| investigar | to do research |
| lavar la ropa | to do the laundry |
| lavar los platos | to do the dishes |
| maquillarse | to do your makeup |
| peinarse | to do one’s hair |
When not to say ‘do’ in Spanish
In English, “do” is used as an auxiliary or “helping” verb in questions such as “do you have…?” and to negate other verbs, but this doesn’t happen in Spanish. To create these structures, you won’t translate word-for-word. Instead, you’ll use the main verb you need, in this case “have” in Spanish.
- ¿Tienes dinero? = Do you have money?
- No. = No, I don’t.
In this example, you never see the verb hacer.
You won’t use ‘don’t’ for negative constructions
While English puts forms of “do not” like “doesn’t” or “don’t” in front of a verb, Spanish uses “no.”
- Ella no habla inglés. = She doesn’t speak Spanish.
- Yo no juego al fútbol. = I don’t play soccer.
You won’t use ‘do/does’ to form questions in Spanish
In English, the word “do” is used to form a question. In Spanish, yes/no questions are simply formed by including the Spanish upside down question mark while writing, or by using your tone of voice. While English speakers will often add “I do” to an affirmative answer, Spanish doesn’t have an exact translation for this.
For example, if you’re meeting new people on your travels, one of the first questions you might want to ask is “do you speak Spanish?” in Spanish. Don’t get stuck on the first word of the question; because, you won’t use the verb hacer at all.
- ¿Hablas español? = Do you speak Spanish?
- Sí.= Yes. (I do.)
- ¿Juegan ustedes al fútbol? = Do you play soccer?
- Yo no, pero él sí. Es portero. = I don’t, but he does. He’s a goalkeeper.
How do people say “I do” at a Spanish wedding?
While the direct translation of “I do” would technically be hago, you’ve seen how this only works in some phrases that use the verb hacer. If you’re ever lucky enough to get invited to a boda (wedding) in a Spanish-speaking place, you won’t hear “I do” at that big moment when the couple exchanges vows. Marriage vows in Spanish would most likely use one of the following:
- Sí, quiero = Yes, I want to (used in Spain)
- Sí, acepto. = Yes, I accept (used in Latin America).
Key takeaways for “do” in Spanish
Translating “do” in Spanish isn’t always straightforward, but there are a few things you can keep in mind to help you remember how and when to say hacer.
- Use a form of hacer to ask how someone spends their time.
- You’ll often need to use a more specific verb to translate phrases that include “do” in English.
- Form questions without a translation of “do.”
- “Do not” in Spanish is simply translated as no.
Rosetta Stone can introduce you to many natural-sounding translations through the Stories and Phrasebook in the all-in-one app.
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