Saying “to become” in Spanish can be a tricky task, because there are several verbs that express this concept. Today, we’ll explore the main translations and learn how to use them correctly. If you’re curious about how to say “to become” in Spanish or need tips on how to use these verbs properly, read on!
The Coffee Break Spanish Show is a series of short, informal podcast episodes, in which we discuss tricky but useful topics for Spanish learners. In the latest episode, Anabel and Concha talk through the four main verbs that are used in Spanish to express “to become”.
Listen along to the audio episode, or watch the video version while you read this article. Once you reach the end, don’t miss your free worksheet which you can download to put what you’ve learned to the test. ¡Vamos allá!
‘Convertirse en’
The first possible translation of “to become” in Spanish is convertirse en. This reflexive verb, which also requires a preposition, indicates a radical or complete change, similar to “turn into” in English. Por ejemplo:
Joaquín se ha convertido en una estrella mundial.
Joaquín has become an international star.
We can also use a variation of this structure to discuss religious beliefs. For that, we change the preposition and say convertirse a.
Nos convertimos al cristianismo.
We converted to Christianity.
Convertir is an irregular verb, which means that convertirse en/a is irregular, too. If you’d like to brush up the conjugation of radical changing verbs in Spanish, you may want to listen to our podcast episode about irregular verbs in the present tense.
‘Llegar a ser’
Another way to express “to become” is by using llegar a ser. The first thing that we have to mention about this verb is that we only conjugate the first verb (llegar). For instance, the present tense of llegar a ser is:
(yo) llego a ser
(tú) llegas a ser
(él/ella/usted) llega a ser
(nosotros/nosotras) llegamos a ser
(vosotros/vosotras) llegáis a ser
(ellos/ellas/ustedes) llegan a ser
Meaning-wise, llegar a ser is similar to convertirse en, but it emphasises that the change happened after significant effort.
Having said that, llegar a ser and convertirse en can sometimes be interchangeable. However, don’t forget that llegar a ser has that subtle meaning added.
Let’s see an example:
Después de mucho trabajo, Rosa llegó a ser la presidenta del país.
After a lot of work, Rosa became the president of the country.
‘Hacerse’
Hacerse is a reflexive verb used to talk about changes in age, profession, wealth, or ideology. In the following example we can see a combination of some of these uses.
Me hago mayor, pero también me hago más rico.
I’m becoming older, but also richer.
This verb can also be used to describe external changes. For example:
Se hace tarde.
It’s getting late.
‘Ponerse’
Ponerse is used for changes in mood, state of mind, or physical state that are often uncontrollable. It’s commonly used with emotions.
Nos pusimos muy tristes después de la película.
We became very sad after the film.
It can also describe uncontrollable physical changes, like in the following example:
Lucía se pone pálida cuando se pone enferma.
Lucía becomes pale when she gets sick.
Visual summary of how to say “to become” in Spanish
Understanding these nuances will help you master how to say “to become” in Spanish and use the right translation in different contexts. Keep practising these structures, and soon you’ll feel more confident in your Spanish conversations.
¡Eso es todo por ahora! We hope that now you feel more comfortable and start using these different verbs to express “to become” in Spanish. If you found this article useful, why not listen to the full episode with Anabel and Concha on The Coffee Break Spanish Show? For more episodes for Spanish learners, make sure to subscribe to our podcast feed and our channel on YouTube.
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Mucha suerte and, as always, happy Coffee Breaking!
