Hacer in Preterite: Guide You Can Learn Fast
Hacer is a useful verb in Spanish. It means “to do” or “to make.” People use it every day. You hear it in school. At work. In movies. In songs. In texts. Everywhere.
Want to say “I made food”? You need hacer.
Want to say “I did my homework”? You need hacer.
Want to say “We made plans”? You need hacer.
So learning the preterite of hacer is important. The preterite is the past tense you use for things that happened and are finished. It is like “did” or “made.”
The good news? Hacer in preterite has only one big change. One tiny twist. After that, it is very simple.
This guide shows you everything. Clear forms. Easy examples. Simple tricks to help you remember fast.
Let’s get started.
What Hacer Means
Hacer has two main meanings:
- to do
• to make
It can also appear in expressions like:
- hacer preguntas (to ask questions)
• hacer ejercicio (to exercise)
• hacer calor (it is hot)
• hacer frío (it’s cold)
• hacer planes (to make plans)
It is a power verb. It works in many places.
What the Preterite Is
It is the past tense for:
- actions done once
• actions finished
• moments with a clear start and end
• things that happened quickly
For example:
I did the work.
We made a cake yesterday.
She did everything.
These are complete actions. That is why we use the preterite.
Hacer in the Preterite
Here are the forms you need to learn:
yo hice
tú hiciste
él hizo
ella hizo
usted hizo
nosotros hicimos
vosotros hicisteis
ellos hicieron
ellas hicieron
ustedes hicieron
That is the whole chart.
One important thing to notice:
- the yo form is hice
• the él and ella form is hizo
• no accents at all
• the root changes to hic except in hizo
The z in hizo keeps the sound soft. That is why it changes.
Say Them With Meaning
yo hice
I did or I made
tú hiciste
you did or you made
él hizo
he did or he made
ella hizo
she did or she made
usted hizo
you did or you made (formal)
nosotros hicimos
we did or we made
vosotros hicisteis
you all did or made (Spain)
ellos hicieron
they did or made
ellas hicieron
they did or made (girls)
ustedes hicieron
you all did or made
If you practice them a few times. Then they feel very easy.
Easy Examples
Simple sentences you can use:
yo hice la tarea
I did the homework
yo hice una sopa
I made soup
tú hiciste un buen trabajo
you did a good job
tú hiciste muchas preguntas
you asked many questions
ella hizo una fiesta pequeña
she made a small party
él hizo ejercicio en la mañana
he exercised in the morning
nosotros hicimos planes para el fin de semana
we made weekend plans
nosotros hicimos todo lo posible
we did everything we could
ellos hicieron una película
they made a movie
ellas hicieron pasteles
they made cakes
ustedes hicieron lo correcto
you all did the right thing
All simple. All clear. All done actions.
Negative Sentences
Just add “no.” Very easy.
yo no hice nada
I did nothing
ella no hizo la tarea
she did not do the homework
ellos no hicieron el proyecto
they did not do the project
nosotros no hicimos planes
we did not make plans
Nice and simple.
Common Expressions with Hacer in Preterite
Here are useful everyday lines:
hice una llamada
I made a call
hice un viaje
I took a trip
hice una lista
I made a list
hice un favor
I did a favor
hicimos una compra
we made a purchase
hicieron ruido
they made noise
hicieron una pregunta
they asked a question
hizo calor ayer
it was hot yesterday
hizo frío anoche
it was cold last night
These phrases are super common.
Hacer with Time Expressions
Spanish used hacer in the past when talking about weather and time.
hizo viento
it was windy
hizo mal tiempo
the weather was bad
hizo buen tiempo
the weather was nice
Another pattern is:
hace dos días
two days ago
Differences Between “Hice” and “Hago”
Students sometimes mix tenses.
hago = I do or I make (now)
hice = I did or I made (past)
Examples:
hago ejercicio todos los días
I exercise every day
hice ejercicio ayer
I exercised yesterday
hago comida
I make food (now)
hice comida
I made food (yesterday or earlier)
Same verb. Different times.
Also Read: Happy Father’s Day in Spanish: With Easy Words, and Sweet Lines
Common Mistakes
Wrong: yo hico
Right: yo hice
Wrong: él hico
Right: él hizo
Wrong: ellos hicierón
Right: ellos hicieron
Wrong: yo hací
Right: yo hice
Wrong: hicistes
Right: hiciste
One simple rule fixes most problems:
Only remember hice and hizo.
The rest follow the pattern.
Also Read: Flirty Good Night in Spanish: Lines to Make Someone Smile
A Simple Trick to Memorize Hacer in Preterite
Try this short sound pattern:
hice
hiciste
hizo
hicimos
hicisteis
hicieron
Say it three times like a little song.
Your brain will remember it.
Another trick:
Think of “HICE” like “I did.”
Both start with the sound “I.”
Think of “HIZO” as “he did.”
Both start with “hi.”
Easy connection.
Also Read: Salvadoran Slang: Words People Use Every Day
Practice Time
Try filling the blanks in your mind:
- Ayer yo ____ pizza.
- Tú ____ un buen trabajo.
- Ella ____ una pregunta.
- Nosotros ____ un pastel.
- Ellos ____ la tarea.
Answers:
- hice
- hiciste
- hizo
- hicimos
- hicieron
See? Easy.
Hacer in preterite is simple once you know the pattern. You only need to remember a few forms. You can talk about anything you did or made in the past after that.
Remember:
- hice
• hiciste
• hizo
• hicimos
• hicisteis
• hicieron
Practice them out loud. Use them in small sentences. Try them with friends. Spanish past tense gets easier each time. And hacer is one of the best verbs to start with.
