Hacer y Haber

Hacer (to do, make) and haber (to have–auxiliary verb) are distinct and vital components of the Spanish language.

Hacer (to do, make) facilitates the expression of actions, activities, and even weather conditions, while haber (to have–auxiliary verb) serves as an auxiliary verb to indicate existence, form compound tenses, and contribute to the intricacies of verb conjugation. By understanding and effectively using these verbs, learners can navigate a wide range of linguistic contexts and accurately convey their ideas in Spanish.

Hacer

Hacer is a versatile verb in the Spanish language that translates to (to do, make) in English. It serves as a fundamental verb for expressing actions, activities, or tasks that individuals engage in. This verb is commonly used to describe a wide range of actions and is a key component of various verb tenses and grammatical structures.

¡Los ejemplos!

Action and activity:

1. Voy a hacer los deberes. (I am going to do the homework.)
2. Estoy haciendo mi los deberes de matemáticas en este momento. (I am doing my math homework right now.)
3. El chef está haciendo una deliciosa comida en la cocina. (The chef is making a delicious meal in the kitchen.)

Weather:

An interesting and unique application of hacer is its use to discuss the weather. In this context, it is employed to express weather conditions or temperatures on a given day.

1. Hace frío hoy. (It’s cold today.)
2. Hace mucho sol en la playa hoy. (It’s very sunny at the beach today.)
3. Hace viento en la ciudad, las hojas están volando por todas partes. (It’s windy in the city, the leaves are flying everywhere.)

Haber

Haber holds a distinct role in Spanish grammar. It primarily functions as an auxiliary verb, often serving as an impersonal verb to indicate the existence or presence of something. It is a crucial element for constructing compound tenses and is also utilised in the formation of specific verb tenses, contributing to the depth and nuance of the language.

¡Los ejemplos!

Existence or Presence:

Haber is frequently used to convey the existence or presence of something. In this capacity, it is employed to state the availability or occurrence of an item or concept.

1. Hay una fiesta esta noche. (There is a party tonight.)
2. Hay un libro en la mesa. (There is a book on the table.)
3. Había muchas personas en la fiesta. (There were many people at the party.)

Compound Tenses:

Haber is a key component in the formation of compound tenses, such as the pretérito perfecto (present perfect), pretérito pluscuamperfecto (pluperfect), and futuro perfecto (future perfect). These tenses combine the conjugated form of haber with the past participle of another verb to express actions that have occurred or will occur in relation to a point in time.

1. Example (Present Perfect): He estudiado español por tres años. (I have studied Spanish for three years.)
2. Example (Pluperfect): Cuando llegué, ya habían comido. (When I arrived, they had already eaten.)