DO and MAKE
Do and make are two verbs frequently confused in
English. Both are translated as “hacer”, but there are some differences in meaning. In general, with do what it is considered is the action itself, and
with make we refer to the result of the action.
DO
We use do for actions, activities and works. It is used in the wide meaning of “achieve” or “carry out”. In general, these actions and activities do not produce an object.
Examples:
- do homework
- do a job
- do the dishes
- do housework
- do exercise
We use do when we talk about things in general, when we do not say exactly the activity. In this sense, it is widely used with indefinite pronouns “something”, “anything”, “nothing”, …
Examples:
- What are you doing today? I'm not doing anything.
- He's always doing nice things for his girlfriend.
- Are you doing anything important right now?
MAKE
Make is used with the sense of “manufacture”, “produce” or “create”. It is used for activities in which you create something you can touch, an object.
Ejemplos:
- make breakfast
- make a dress
- make furniture
There are many expresions that use make in which you do not the sense is not “manufacture”, “produce” or “create”, and “do” seems more
appropriate, but they are collocations that use “make” and you have to study them.
EXPRESIONS WITH DO
|
For the housework: DO + the + -ing |
|
|
the cleaning |
hacer limpieza |
|
the cooking |
cocinar |
|
the gardening |
arreglar el jardín |
|
(my, your, his...) homework |
hacer los deberes, tareas |
| the housework |
hacer las tareas de la casa |
|
the ironing |
planchar |
| the silver |
limpiar la plata |
| the shopping | hacer las compras |
| the washing [UK]/ the laundry [US] | poner la lavadora |
| the washing-up [UK]/ the dishes [US] | fregar |
| do... | |
| (possessive) best (to) | hacer todo lo que (sujeto) puede (para) |
| (possessive) hair | arreglarse el pelo |
| business (with) | hacer negocios con) |
| a course (in - on) | hacer un curso (de) |
| some damage / harm (to) | hacer daño, perjudicar (a) |
| a deal (with) [UK] | hacer un trato (con) |
| a degree (in) [university] | hacer una carrera [universitaria] (en) |
| some dictation | hacer un dictado |
| drugs | tomar drogas |
| a drawing, a portrait, a sketch | hacer un dibujo, un retrato, un boceto |
| justice | hacer justicia |
| (possessive) duty | cumplir con (posesivo) obligación |
| an exercise | hacer un ejercicio |
| research | investigar |
| an experiment | hacer un experimento |
| someone a favour (for) | hacer un favor a alguien |
| good / evil | hacer (el) bien / (el) mal |
| (possessive) hair / teeth / nails... | arreglarse el pelo / lavarse los dientes / hacerse las uñas... |
| a good / bad job | hacer un buen trabajo |
| an outline, a diagram | hacer un esquema, diagrama |
| an operation (sum, multiplication, division...) | hacer una operación (suma, multiplicación, división...) |
| something over again | volver a hacer algo |
| overtime | hacer horas extra |
| a problem / a puzzle | hacer un problema / puzzle |
| a project | hacer un proyecto |
| research (on) | hacer investigaciones (sobre) |
| the right thing | hacer lo correcto |
| wrong | hacerlo mal, algo incorrecto |
| sport | hacer deporte |
| + studies (Italian, maths...) | hacer + estudios (italiano, mates...) |
| someone (for) | multar a alguien (por) |
| a translation (into) | hacer una traducción, traducir (al) |
| something well / badly | hacer algo bien / mal |
| some work | hacer un trabajo (una tarea) |
| wonders | hacer maravillas |
| that will do it | esto vale |
| to be done | estar acabado (algo) / ser engañado (alguien) |
| to have nothing to do with ... | no tener nada que ver con ... |
| MAKE... | |
| an accusation (against) | hacer una acusación (contra) |
| an agreement (with, about) | hacer un acuerdo (con, sobre) |
| an announcement (to) | hacer un comunicado (a) |
| an appointment / a date (with) | concertar una cita formal / informal (con) |
| arrangements / plans (for) | hacer preparativos / planes (para) |
| an attempt (to + infinitive)) | hacer un intento (de + infinitivo) |
| the bed | hacer la cama |
| believe (that) | hacer creer, fingir (que) |
| breakfast, dinner, a sandwich, ... | hacer el desayuno, la comida, un sandwich, ... |
| a change (in) | hacer un cambio (en) |
| choice | elegir |
| a clean copy | pasar a limpio |
| something clear (to) | dejar algo claro (a) |
| a comment (about) | hacer un comentario (sobre) |
| a complaint (about) | presentar una queja (acerca de, sobre) |
| a confession | hacer una confesión |
| a deal (with) [US] | hacer un trato, negociar (con) |
| a decision (about) | decidir, tomar una decisión (acerca de , sobre) |
| a difference (to) | haber diferencia con) |
| a discovery | hacer un descubrimiento |
| a down payment | dar de entrada, dar una señal |
| an effort (to) | hacer un esfuerzo (para) |
| an estimate (of) | hacer una estimación, cálculo (de) |
| an exception | hacer una excepción |
| an excuse (for) | poner una excusa(para) |
| a fire | encender un fuego |
| a fool of oneself | hacer el tonto |
| friends | hacer amigos |
| friends (with) | hacer amistad (con) |
| fun of | hacer burla de , ridicularizar |
| a fuss (about, over something) | armar jaleo (por algo) |
| a fuss (over someone) | mimar, consentir (a alguien) |
| gestures / faces (at) | hacer muecas (a) |
| a good/bad impression (on) | causar buena / mala impresión (a / en) |
| a guess (at) [UK] | intentar adivinar |
| an impression | causar una impresión |
| some inquiries (into) | pedir información, informarse (sobre) |
| an investment (in) | invertir, hacer una inversión (en) |
| an interview (to) | hacer una entrevista (a) |
| a journey, a trip, a voyage | un viaje, un viaje corto, un viaje por mar |
| a list (of ) | hacer una lista de |
| a living (with / doing) | ganarse la vida (con /haciendo) |
| love (to) | hacer el amor (con) |
| a mess | hacer un lío |
| mistakes (in) | cometer errores |
| money / a fortune | ganar dinero / hacer una fortuna |
| a movement | hacer un movimiento |
| noise / a sound | hacer ruido / un ruido |
| an offer (for) | hacer una oferta (por) |
| oneself at home | ponerse cómodo |
| a payment (for /of) | hacer un pago (por / de) |
| peace | firmar la paz |
| a phone call (to) | hacer una llamada (a / para) |
| a plan | hacer un plan |
| a profit (on / out of) | obtener una ganancia, unos beneficios (de) |
| progress (in) | hacer progresos (en) |
| a promise (to) | hacer una promesa |
| public | hacer público |
| a recommendation (to) | hacer una recomendación, sugerencia |
| a remark (about someone / on something) | hacer un comentario, una observación (sobre, acerca de alguien /algo) |
| a request (for) | pedir algo |
| a reservation (for) | hacer una reserva |
| a resolution | tomar una decisión |
| room (for) | hacer sitio (para) |
| a scene | hacer una escena |
| sense (to) | tener sentido (para) / terner significado |
| a speech (to) | hacer un discurso (para) |
| a statement (to) | hacer una declaración (a), una afirmación |
| a suggestion | hacer una sugerencia |
| sure (about) | asegurarse |
| make time | encontrar tiempo |
| trouble | crear problemas |
| up a story, an excuse | inventarse una historia, una excusa |
| up one's mind | decidirse |
| war | hacer la guerra |
| way | abrirse camino, progresar |
| a wish | pedir un deseo |
| make someone + adjetivo | hacer / poner a alguien + adjetivo |
|
make someone + verb (in infinitive) |
PLAY, GO and DO
Go + sport means there's movement (locomotion) in the sport, that it's not done all in one place. Sports verbs where the actual activity is the verb also take
"go".
cycle / go cycling
ski / go skiing
swim / go swimming
surf / go surfing
sail / go sailing
Even with non-sport activities done in one place, there is the feeling that you must go somewhere to do them, like,
go fishing
go hunting
Note, in general, these are "singular" sports, although they can be competitive, but not so much on a team level.
do + sport is for sports done in one place,
do boxing*
do body-building*
do archery
*As you can see, the go + ~ing rule mentioned normally isn't entirely accurate.
"Do" is also normally used for particular recreational activities, especilly those of a singular nature, and not so much for sports.
I do (practice) yoga.
Mr. Smith does crossword puzzles
play + sports normally involve a ball or some such object (puck, birdie, disc etc.). Also take "play" the names of sports that do not describe the particular "action" of
the sport.
play tennis
play soccer/football
play basketball
play lacrosse
play rugby
Note, in these sports, there is a sense of competitiveness, that at the end of the day, there will be a winner and a loser in the match and/or game.
Tiger Woods plays golf.
My brother-in-law goes golfing on the weekends.
I go swimming to keep fit*
I swim competitively*
* Be careful
One notable exception is golf, which can use several forms.
Mr. Jones golfs every Friday afternoon.
My husband plays golf when the weather is nice. In fact, he is going golfing with his friends this weekend.
ACTIVITIES:
http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-85753.php
http://esl.about.com/od/vocabularyquizzes/a/sporting_vocabulary_quiz.htm
http://www.learn-english-today.com/lessons/lesson_contents/exercises/play-go-do_quiz1.htm
http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=142
http://www.learn-english-today.com/lessons/lesson_contents/exercises/make-do_quiz1.htm