hacían
“hacían” means “they used to do” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
they used to do, they were doing
Also: you all used to do
📝 In Action
Todos los veranos, mis abuelos hacían viajes largos.
A1Every summer, my grandparents used to do long trips.
Cuando llegué, ellos hacían la tarea en la biblioteca.
A2When I arrived, they were doing their homework in the library.
Ustedes siempre hacían lo correcto, por eso los admiraban.
B1You all always did the right thing, that's why they admired you.
they used to make, they were making
📝 In Action
Los artesanos hacían las vasijas de barro con mucho cuidado.
A1The artisans used to make the clay pots with great care.
Ellas hacían una torta cuando sonó el teléfono.
A2They were making a cake when the phone rang.
they were causing, they were pretending
📝 In Action
Los chistes que contaban siempre hacían reír a la audiencia.
B1The jokes they told always made the audience laugh (were causing the audience to laugh).
Ustedes se hacían los dormidos para no ayudar.
B2You all were pretending to be asleep so you wouldn't have to help. (Reflexive use: 'hacerse')
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: hacían
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'hacían' to describe a finished action that happened once?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
'Hacer' comes from the Latin verb *facere*, which meant 'to make, do, or perform.' This root gave Spanish one of its most essential and versatile verbs.
First recorded: Before 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'hacían' and 'hacía'?
'Hacían' is used when the subject is plural (ellos/ellas/ustedes - they/you all). 'Hacía' is used when the subject is singular (yo/él/ella/usted - I/he/she/you formal). Both mean 'used to do' or 'was/were doing' in the past.
Why is 'hacían' used for weather sometimes?
The base verb 'hacer' is used in many weather phrases, but for weather, the singular form 'hacía' is always used because the subject is an implied 'it' (impersonal). For example: 'Hacía frío' (It was cold).