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5.2 To Become
‘To Become’ in Spanish has a number of nuances. There are four different ways to become something depending on how it happened. Sounds intriguing? Well let’s look at each case with a couple of examples.
1. 'hacerse'
‘Hacerse’ is used when you become something over a period of time perhaps with a bit of effort.
Ellas se hicieron buenas amigas – They became good friends
Ellos se hicieron viejos juntos – They grew old together
Él se hizo abogado – He became a lawyer
2. 'Ponerse'
‘Ponerse’ is used when you become something unintentionally, not on purpose.
Ella se puso enojada – She became angry
El bebé se puso contento – The baby became happy
Él empezó a ponerse rojo – He started to become red
El niño se puso flaco – The child became thin
3. 'volverse'
Use ‘volverse’ when someone has become something unexpectedly or something completely different.
Empezó a volverse loca – She began to go mad
Él se volvió malo – He became evil
De repente, el sol se volvió azul – Suddenly, the sun turned blue
4. 'llegar a ser'
Use ‘llegar a ser’ when something was achieved after a great deal of effort.
Diez años después, él llegó a ser presidente de la compañía - Ten years later, he became the president of the company