hacerla
/ah-SEHR-lah/
to do it
Hacerla (to do it) can refer to completing a feminine task, such as preparing dinner.
hacerla(Verb + Pronoun Contraction)
to do it
?referring to a feminine noun (e.g., homework, dinner, shopping)
,to make it
?referring to a feminine creation (e.g., a cake, a reservation)
📝 In Action
La cena está lista. ¿Vas a hacerla ahora?
A1Dinner is ready. Are you going to make it now?
La tarea es difícil, pero tengo que hacerla antes de medianoche.
A2The homework is difficult, but I have to do it before midnight.
No te preocupes por la reserva, ya estoy haciéndola.
B1Don't worry about the reservation, I am already making it.
💡 Grammar Points
Attachment Rule
The word 'hacerla' is only used when the verb is in its basic form (infinitive), or when giving a direct command (hazla). In all other tenses (la hago, la hice), the pronoun 'la' separates and goes before the conjugated verb.
Pronoun Placement
When a sentence has two verbs (like 'tengo que hacerla'), you have a choice: you can attach the pronoun ('hacerla') or place it before the first verb ('la tengo que hacer'). Both are correct!
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Gender
Mistake: "Using 'hacerlo' when referring to a feminine noun like 'la comida'."
Correction: Use 'hacerla' if the object is feminine ('la comida'), and 'hacerlo' if the object is masculine ('el trabajo').
⭐ Usage Tips
Use for Commands
Remember to attach the pronoun when giving a positive command: 'Haz la cama' becomes 'Hazla' (Make it!).
Idiomatically, hacerla means to succeed or achieve a goal.
hacerla(Idiomatic Verb Phrase)
to succeed
?to achieve a goal or objective
,to make it
?to manage to get somewhere or accomplish something difficult
,to pull it off
?to manage a tricky situation successfully
to do well
?in business or life
📝 In Action
El examen era muy difícil, pero creo que la hice.
B1The exam was very difficult, but I think I succeeded (I pulled it off).
Si trabajas duro, vas a hacerla en esta compañía.
B2If you work hard, you are going to make it (succeed) in this company.
Llegamos tarde, pero logramos hacerla y entrar al concierto.
B2We arrived late, but we managed to make it and get into the concert.
💡 Grammar Points
Fixed 'La'
In this idiomatic phrase, the pronoun 'la' doesn't refer to a specific feminine noun. It's a fixed part of the expression, similar to saying 'to pull it off' in English, where 'it' doesn't refer to anything specific.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Assuming a Noun
Mistake: "Trying to figure out which feminine noun 'la' refers to when hearing this phrase."
Correction: If the context is about achievement or success, treat 'hacerla' as a single unit meaning 'to succeed,' regardless of what specific task was involved.
⭐ Usage Tips
Past Tense Usage
This phrase is very common in the past tense (la hice, la hicimos) when talking about overcoming a challenge or narrowly succeeding.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: hacerla
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'hacerla' in its idiomatic sense (to succeed)?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the word written as one word ('hacerla') sometimes, but separated ('la hago') other times?
'Hacerla' is written as one word only when the verb is in its basic, unconjugated form (the infinitive), the gerund ('haciéndola'), or an affirmative command ('hazla'). In all standard tenses (present, past, future), the pronoun 'la' must separate and be placed before the verb ('la hago', 'la haré').
Does 'hacerla' always mean 'to succeed'?
No. Its primary, foundational meaning is the literal 'to do/make it,' where 'it' is a feminine noun like 'the job' or 'the dinner.' The meaning 'to succeed' is an idiomatic extension common in informal Spanish, where 'la' doesn't refer to a physical object but to the general goal or situation.