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Spanish Verbs
There are several different Spanish equivalents for the English verb "to become," depending on several factors.
Note that in English, verbs like "to get" and "to turn" are often more idiomatic than the literal meaning "to become."
Ponerse
Ponerse is followed by an adjective and indicates an involuntary physical or emotional change.
Por ejemplo…
| Me puse enfermo en Madrid. | I got sick in Madrid. | |
| Ana se pone roja cuando habla. | Ana turns red when she talks. |
Volverse
Volverse is followed by an adjective and indicates a sudden, profound change.
Por ejemplo…
| ¡Se volvió loco! | He went crazy! | |
| Julio se ha vuelto imposible. | Julio has become impossible. |
Hacerse | Llegar a ser
Hacerse and llegar a ser are followed by a noun or adjective and indicate a change brought about by effort.
Por ejemplo…
| Me hice médico. | I became a doctor. | |
| ¿Es posible hacerse rico en los EEUU? | Is it possible to get rich in the US? | |
| ¿Llegarás a ser abogado? | Are you going to be a lawyer? | |
| Llegó a ser muy popular. | He became very popular. |
Convertirse en
Convertirse en is followed by a noun and indicates a big change.
Por ejemplo…
| Ella se convirtió en la reina ayer. | She became the queen yesterday. | |
| Finalmente nos convertimos en amigos. | We finally became friends. |
Quedarse
Quedarse is used for permanent physical changes.
Por ejemplo…
| Me quedó sordo el año pasado. | I went deaf last year. | |
| ¿Cuándo se quedó calvo? | When did he go bald? |
Transformarse en
Transformarse en is followed by a noun and usually indicates a change to a thing rather than a person.
Por ejemplo…
| La condición se transformó en una emergencia médica. | The condition turned into a medical emergency. | |
| La leche puede tranformarse en queso. | Milk can be turned into cheese. |
Becoming Special
There are also a number of Spanish verbs which express a specific change and tend to be somewhat more formal.
| adelgazar(se) | to get thin | |
| cansarse | to get tired | |
| ciegarse | to go blind | |
| emocionarse | to get excited | |
| enfadarse | to get angry | |
| enfermar | to get sick | |
| enflaquecer(se) | to get thin | |
| enfurecerse | to become furious | |
| engordar | to get fat | |
| enloquecer(se) | to go mad | |
| enmudecerse | to go mute | |
| enojarse | to get angry | |
| enorgullecerse | to get haughty | |
| enriquecerse | to get rich | |
| enrojecer(se) | to turn red | |
| ensordecerse | to go deaf | |
| ensuciarse | to get dirty | |
| entusiasmarse | to get excited | |
| envejecer(se) | to get old | |
| palidecer | to turn pale |
Note: When (se) is in parentheses, the verb may be used both intransitively and reflexively.
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