Six ways to say “become” in Spanish
English uses one verb, become (or get, as in “get nervous”). Spanish picks a different verb depending on what kind of change it is: quick or lasting, chosen or accidental, a new state or a whole new thing. Ask yourself two questions: is the change temporary, and did the person choose it?
| Verb | Kind of change | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ponerse | quick, temporary: mood, health, color | Se puso nervioso. |
| volverse | lasting change in character | Se volvió muy egoísta. |
| hacerse | chosen or worked for: job, beliefs, wealth | Se hizo médica. |
| quedarse | the state you are left in after an event | Se quedó sin trabajo. |
| convertirse en | transformation into something new (+ noun) | Se convirtió en mariposa. |
| llegar a ser | reaching a goal after a long process | Llegó a ser presidenta. |
Quick change: ponerse
- ponerse rojo, pálido, serio
- ponerse nervioso, triste, contento
- ponerse enfermo
- ponerse a + infinitive = start to (se puso a llorar)
Deep change: volverse
- volverse arrogante, desconfiado
- volverse más tranquilo, más responsable
- volverse loco (a fixed phrase)
- signals: con los años, desde que…
The traps
Ponerse vs volverse. Both go with adjectives. Se puso serio describes a moment; se volvió serio means he became a serious person. Time clues like con los años or desde que point to volverse.
Hacerse vs llegar a ser. Both can describe a career. Hacerse is the simple, neutral choice (se hizo abogado). Llegar a ser stresses a long climb to the top (llegó a ser directora general).
Convertirse en needs a noun. You can say se convirtió en un problema, but not se convirtió en rojo. For colors and feelings, use ponerse.
Real speech overlaps. Many speakers say se volvió rico or se hizo famoso for the same idea. This drill only uses sentences where one verb is clearly the natural choice.
Quick answers
How do you say “to become” in Spanish?
It depends on the kind of change. Ponerse is for quick, temporary changes (se puso nervioso), volverse for lasting changes in character (se volvió arrogante), hacerse for changes someone chooses or works for (se hizo abogado), quedarse for the state left after an event (se quedó sin trabajo), convertirse en for a transformation into something new (se convirtió en mariposa), and llegar a ser for reaching a goal after a long process (llegó a ser directora).
What is the difference between ponerse and volverse?
Ponerse describes a quick, usually temporary change in mood, health or appearance: “Se puso rojo.” Volverse describes a lasting change in someone’s character: “Con los años se volvió más tranquilo.”
Can you say “se convirtió en rojo”?
No. Convertirse en is followed by a noun, as in “se convirtió en un problema.” For colors, feelings and appearance, use ponerse: “se puso rojo.”
Is there a free quiz for Spanish “become” verbs?
Yes. VerbSprint’s “become” verbs drill is free, has 36 sentences, runs for 60 seconds and explains the rule for every mistake. No account is needed.