Hacer y el pasado
I did vs. I was doing
Learn the irregular preterite of hacer and separate a completed action from one that was in progress.
Acción terminada: hice
The preterite presents the action as complete and bounded.
Hice = I did / I made
Hacer changes to the irregular stem hic- in the preterite. The yo form is hice.
subject + preterite hacer + complementYesterday I did my homework.
We made dinner last night.
Hizo, no hico
The third-person singular changes spelling to hizo to preserve the sound.
She exercised.
What did you do yesterday?
Acción en progreso: estaba haciendo
The past progressive focuses on an action that was unfolding.
Estar en imperfecto + gerundio
Use estaba, estabas, estábamos, or estaban with haciendo.
imperfect estar + haciendoYesterday I was doing my homework.
We were making dinner when you called.
Resultado vs. proceso
Hice reports the complete action. Estaba haciendo places us inside the process.
I did my homework and then watched a movie.
I was doing my homework when my friend arrived.
Conexión con el presente
The same structure works in the present with estoy haciendo.
Ahora estoy haciendo...
For an action happening right now, use the present tense of estar.
present estar + gerundI am studying Spanish now.
What are you doing?
Conjugaciones
Mexican usage is prioritized: ustedes is included and vosotros is intentionally omitted.
Hacer — presente
Only the yo form changes irregularly in the present: hago.
| Subject | Form | Spanish example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | hago | Hago ejercicio. | I exercise. |
| tú | haces | Haces la tarea. | You do the homework. |
| usted / él / ella | hace | Ella hace café. | She makes coffee. |
| nosotros / nosotras | hacemos | Hacemos planes. | We make plans. |
| ustedes / ellos / ellas | hacen | Ustedes hacen preguntas. | You all ask questions. |
Hacer — pretérito
Use the irregular stem hic-. The third-person singular is spelled hizo.
| Subject | Form | Spanish example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | hice | Hice mi tarea. | I did my homework. |
| tú | hiciste | Hiciste la cena. | You made dinner. |
| usted / él / ella | hizo | Ella hizo ejercicio. | She exercised. |
| nosotros / nosotras | hicimos | Hicimos un plan. | We made a plan. |
| ustedes / ellos / ellas | hicieron | Ustedes hicieron preguntas. | You all asked questions. |
Estar — imperfecto
Combine these forms with haciendo to describe a past action in progress.
| Subject | Form | Spanish example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | estaba | Estaba haciendo la tarea. | I was doing the homework. |
| tú | estabas | Estabas haciendo café. | You were making coffee. |
| usted / él / ella | estaba | Él estaba haciendo ejercicio. | He was exercising. |
| nosotros / nosotras | estábamos | Estábamos haciendo planes. | We were making plans. |
| ustedes / ellos / ellas | estaban | Ustedes estaban haciendo preguntas. | You all were asking questions. |
Ahora practica
Follow one connected loop: quiz first, flashcards next, then use the same language in a guided scenario.