The Spanish verb hacerse means "to become" or "to make oneself" and is often used in contexts that imply transformation or change in state. It can refer to changes in identity, profession, or status. It is used in both written and oral speech, but its frequency may vary depending on the context, with oral speech often reflecting a more colloquial use.
Spanish: Mi hermano quiere hacerse médico.
English: My brother wants to become a doctor.
Spanish: Al hacerse mayor, empezó a tomar decisiones más sabias.
English: As he became older, he began to make wiser decisions.
The verb hacerse is commonly used in idiomatic expressions in Spanish. Here are some notable examples:
Hacerse el sueco: To pretend not to understand.
Spanish: No me hagas el sueco, sé que sabes la respuesta.
English: Don't pretend not to understand, I know you know the answer.
Hacerse de rogar: To take a long time to reply or accept an invitation, making someone wait.
Spanish: No te hagas de rogar y ven a la fiesta.
English: Don't take too long to reply and come to the party.
Hacerse cargo: To take charge or responsibility.
Spanish: Cuando el jefe se fue, yo me hice cargo de las operaciones.
English: When the boss left, I took charge of the operations.
Hacerse el tonto: To act foolishly or pretentiously.
Spanish: No te hagas el tonto, sabes muy bien lo que pasó.
English: Don't act foolishly, you know very well what happened.
Hacerse is derived from the verb hacer, which means "to do" or "to make." The prefix "se" indicates that it is a reflexive verb, implying that the subject is performing the action on themselves.
Overall, hacerse is a versatile verb in Spanish that signifies personal change or transformation and is embedded in various idiomatic expressions that enrich the language.