hicieran
“hicieran” means “they did” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
they did, they would do
Also: you (plural, formal) did
📝 In Action
Esperaba que mis amigos hicieran la tarea antes de salir.
B1I hoped that my friends would do the homework before going out.
Si ustedes hicieran ejercicio, se sentirían mejor.
B2If you (formal plural) exercised, you would feel better.
Era necesario que los estudiantes hicieran el examen ayer.
B2It was necessary that the students take the exam yesterday.
they created, they caused
Also: they prepared
📝 In Action
Si los arquitectos hicieran planos más detallados, evitarían errores.
B2If the architects made more detailed plans, they would avoid errors.
Me sorprendió que hicieran una fiesta tan grande.
B1It surprised me that they made such a big party.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: hicieran
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'hicieran' to express doubt about a past action?
📚 More Resources
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin verb *facere*, meaning 'to do' or 'to make.' Over time, the initial 'f' softened and disappeared, leading to the modern Spanish 'hacer' (which is silent).
First recorded: Old Spanish (around 10th century)
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'hicieran' the only form of the Imperfect Subjunctive for 'hacer'?
No, there is a second, less common form: 'hiciesen.' Both 'hicieran' and 'hiciesen' are correct, but 'hicieran' is much more frequently used, especially in Latin America and everyday speech.
Why is 'hicieran' used in conditional sentences?
When you talk about a hypothetical situation that is contrary to reality ('If I were rich...'), Spanish uses the Imperfect Subjunctive ('hicieran' in this case) in the 'if' part of the sentence, followed by the Conditional tense in the result part.