hacerle
/ah-SEHR-leh (or ah-THAIR-leh in Spain)/
to do (something) to him/her/it/you (formal)
This image shows an action being done to someone, illustrating 'hacerle' in the sense of causing an effect or impact.
hacerle(verb)
to do (something) to him/her/it/you (formal)
?causing an effect or impact
,to cause/inflict (on him/her/it/you formal)
?implying harm or a strong reaction
to make (him/her/it/you feel or react)
?emotional effect
📝 In Action
No quiero hacerle daño.
A2I don't want to hurt him/her/you (formal). (Literally: I don't want to do harm to him/her.)
La película le hizo llorar.
B1The movie made him/her cry. (Note: The conjugated verb is 'hizo,' with 'le' placed before it.)
Tuvimos que hacerle una advertencia.
B1We had to give him/her a warning.
💡 Grammar Points
What 'le' means here
The 'le' attached to 'hacer' means 'to him,' 'to her,' or 'to you (formal).' It identifies the person receiving the effect of the action.
Pronoun Attachment Rule
Pronouns like 'le' attach ONLY to three verb forms: the infinitive (hacerle), the gerund (haciéndole), and the affirmative command (hazle).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Misplacing the accent
Mistake: "Writing 'hacerle' as 'hacerle' when used as a command."
Correction: When you attach the pronoun to the simple command form, an accent is needed: '¡Hazle!' (Tell him/her!). For the infinitive 'hacerle', no accent is needed.
⭐ Usage Tips
When to use 'hacerle' versus 'hacerlo'
Use 'hacerle' when you are performing an action FOR or TO a person (Indirect Object). Use 'hacerlo' when the action itself IS the person or thing (Direct Object: 'to make it/him').
Preparing or making something for the benefit of another person is shown here by wrapping a gift, visualizing 'hacerle' in the sense of 'to make/prepare for him/her'.
hacerle(verb)
to make/prepare (for him/her/it/you formal)
?creating something for the benefit of someone
to fix (a meal for him/her)
?preparing food
📝 In Action
Necesito hacerle la cena a mi jefe.
B1I need to make dinner for my boss (you formal).
¿Puedes hacerle un favor?
A2Can you do him/her a favor?
Si lo haces bien, prometo hacerle un descuento.
B2If you do it well, I promise to give him/her a discount.
💡 Grammar Points
Beneficiary Focus
In this meaning, 'le' highlights the person who benefits from the action. You are 'making' or 'doing' something, and they are the beneficiary.
⭐ Usage Tips
Redundancy is normal
It is very common in Spanish to use 'le' even if the person's name is mentioned later: 'Voy a hacerle el café a Juan.' This double mention emphasizes the recipient.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: hacerle
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'hacerle' in its command form?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
When does 'hacerle' become 'hacerlo' or 'hacerla'?
It changes based on the grammatical role of the person or thing you are talking about. Use 'hacerlo' (to make him/it) or 'hacerla' (to make her/it) when the person/thing is the direct object (the thing being made). Use 'hacerle' when the person is the indirect object (the one receiving the result of the action).
Is 'hacerle' always one word?
Yes, when it is attached to the infinitive form, it must be written as a single word. However, in most conjugated tenses (like present or past), the pronoun 'le' separates and moves before the conjugated verb: 'Le hice un favor.' (I did him a favor).