Spanish grammar · Intermediate
Preterite of Hacer: Conjugation and How to Use It
The preterite of hacer is irregular u-stem: hice, hiciste, hizo, hicimos, hicisteis, hicieron. Note the z in hizo (3rd singular) for spelling. Used for completed past actions of doing or making.
Hice la tarea.
I did the homework.
What it is
The preterite of hacer is irregular with a u-stem and slightly modified endings: hice, hiciste, hizo, hicimos, hicisteis, hicieron. Note the z in hizo (3rd singular), required for spelling (no c + o). Used for completed past actions of doing or making.
Hice la tarea anoche (I did the homework last night), preterite of hacer, completed action.
How to spot it
Look for hice / hiciste / hizo / hicimos / hicisteis / hicieron. The z in hizo is the giveaway.
- Hice mucho ejercicio. — I did a lot of exercise.
- ¿Hiciste la tarea? — Did you do the homework?
- Hizo una llamada. — He made a phone call.
No accents on yo / él forms in irregular preterites (hice, hizo), unlike regular preterites where yo (-é / -í) and él (-ó / -ió) carry accents.
Preterite of Hacer Quick Reference
Preterite of hacer, irregular u-stem
| Person | Form | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | hice | I did/made |
| tú | hiciste | you did/made |
| él/ella/Ud. | hizo | he/she/it did/made |
| nosotros | hicimos | we did/made |
| vosotros | hicisteis | you all did/made (Spain) |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | hicieron | they did/made |
Common Preterite of Hacer Examples in Spanish
The preterite of hacer in real Spanish contexts:
Did Something, Past Action
- Hice mucho ayer.
- I did a lot yesterday.
- ¿Qué hiciste el fin de semana?
- What did you do last weekend?
- Hicieron un trabajo excelente.
- They did excellent work.
Default for asking / describing completed past activities.
Made, Creation
- Hice una tarta.
- I made a cake.
- Hicimos una casa.
- We made / built a house.
- Hizo un dibujo.
- She made a drawing.
Hacer covers both did and made, context decides.
Hace + Time = Ago
- Lo hice hace dos días.
- I did it two days ago.
- Hace un año que fuimos a Madrid.
- It's been a year since we went to Madrid.
Hace + period + que + verb = It's been X since... Note: this hace is not preterite, it's the impersonal present.
Weather (Impersonal)
- Ayer hizo calor.
- Yesterday it was hot.
- Hizo frío en enero.
- It was cold in January.
Spanish uses 3rd singular hizo for past weather (with calor, frío, sol, viento). Always hizo, never the regular verb estar.
How to Use the Preterite of Hacer
Memorize the U-Stem Forms
Hacer uses a u-stem (hic-, with c→z in 3rd singular). Endings: -e, -iste, -o, -imos, -isteis, -ieron.
Hice, hiciste, hizo, hicimos, hicisteis, hicieron.
I did, you did, he/she did, we did, you all did, they did.
The u-stem family includes other irregulars: poder (pude), poner (puse), saber (supe), estar (estuve), tener (tuve), andar (anduve), caber (cupe). Same endings, different stems.
Hizo Has a Z (Not C)
In the 3rd singular form, the c of hic- becomes z (hizo). Spelling rule: no c + o; replace with z.
Hizo, not hico.
He / she / it did.
Spanish never writes c + o or c + a with a soft sound. So hic + o becomes hizo for correct pronunciation.
Used for Past Weather (Impersonal Hizo)
Past weather expressions use hizo + calor / frío / sol / viento. Always 3rd singular, always preterite.
Hizo mucho calor el verano pasado. Hizo frío en enero.
It was very hot last summer. It was cold in January.
Don't use estar for weather: never estuvo calor, always hizo calor.
Hacer in Time Expressions (Ago)
Hace + period of time + verb (in past) = X time ago. Hace dos días vine. The hace stays in present tense (impersonal); the action verb is preterite.
Hace dos días vine. Hace un año fui a Madrid.
I came two days ago. I went to Madrid a year ago.
If translated as ago, use hace + period + action verb in preterite.
Common Mistakes with Preterite of Hacer
Incorrect: Yo hací la tarea. — I did the homework. (wrong, irregular form)
Correct: Yo hice la tarea. — I did the homework.
Hacer is irregular in preterite. Don't apply the regular -er ending (haci). Use the u-stem: hice.
Incorrect: Él hico una llamada. — He made a phone call.
Correct: Él hizo una llamada. — He made a phone call.
3rd singular is hizo (with z), not hico. Spanish doesn't write c + o with a soft sound.
Incorrect: Ayer estuvo calor. — Yesterday it was hot.
Correct: Ayer hizo calor. — Yesterday it was hot.
Spanish uses hacer (not estar) for past weather: hizo calor, hizo frío, hizo sol. Always hacer.
Hace + Time = Ago
Constructing Ago in Spanish
Hace + period of time + (que +) verb in preterite = X time ago.
- Hace dos años fui a Italia.
- Two years ago I went to Italy.
- Lo vi hace una semana.
- I saw him a week ago.
- Hace mucho tiempo que nos conocimos.
- We met a long time ago.
The hace stays in present tense, it's impersonal (literally it makes two years that...). The action verb takes preterite.
Past Weather Always Uses Hacer
Spanish weather expressions in past use hizo (preterite) or hacía (imperfect), never estuvo or estaba.
- Hizo calor ayer.
- It was hot yesterday.
- Hacía frío todo el invierno.
- It was cold all winter. (ongoing)
Use hizo for a bounded past (yesterday, last summer) and hacía for ongoing background (all winter).
Preterite of Hacer FAQs
- What is the preterite of hacer in Spanish?
- Hice, hiciste, hizo, hicimos, hicisteis, hicieron. Irregular u-stem. Note the z in hizo (3rd singular) for spelling. Used for completed past actions of doing or making.
- Why is the 3rd singular hizo instead of hico?
- Spanish doesn't write c + o with a soft sound. So when the c of hic- meets the -o ending, it becomes z. Same spelling rule applies anywhere else c + o would appear with a soft sound.
- How do you say ago in Spanish using hacer?
- Hace + period + (que +) preterite verb. Hace dos días vine = I came two days ago. The hace is in present tense (impersonal); the action verb is in preterite.
- Do I use hacer or estar for past weather?
- Always hacer. Hizo calor (it was hot), hizo frío (it was cold), hizo sol (it was sunny). Never use estar for weather, that's an English-influenced error.
- How can I master the preterite of hacer?
- Memorize the six forms as a unit. Use them in daily questions (¿Qué hiciste ayer?). The u-stem pattern repeats for poder (pude), poner (puse), saber (supe), learning hacer unlocks all of them.