Stop Rote-Learning Spanish! Mastering Verbs Is As Simple As Learning to Cook

When you're learning a foreign language, do you find your head spinning the moment you see those daunting pages of verb conjugation tables? Especially with irregular verbs like hacer (to do/make) in Spanish – past tense, present tense, future tense... it feels like there are dozens of different forms, and you'll never get through them all.

Many people believe that learning a language simply involves enduring this painful process. But what if I told you that the problem isn't how difficult verbs are, but rather that our learning method has been fundamentally flawed from the outset?

Are You Memorising Recipes, or Learning to Cook?

Imagine learning to cook.

A terrible teacher would probably hand you a hefty tome titled 'The Encyclopaedia of Culinary Chemistry', making you memorise the molecular structure changes of every ingredient at different temperatures. You might know it inside out, but in the end, you still wouldn't be able to rustle up even a simple omelette.

This is exactly like how we approach language learning, clinging to verb conjugation tables and rote-learning hago, haces, hace, hiciste, hizo... We treat language like a dry academic subject, forgetting its fundamental purpose: communication.

A good chef doesn't simply memorise recipes; they truly understand the fundamental principles of cooking. They start with the simplest dishes, like frying a perfect egg. By getting hands-on, they get a feel for the heat, master the techniques, and then gradually challenge themselves with more complex dishes.

Learning hacer in Spanish should be approached in the same way. You don't need to memorise dozens of variations on day one. You just need to learn how to 'cook' a few of the most common and practical 'staple dishes'.

Forget the Grammar Books, Remember These 'Staple Dishes'

Hacer means 'to do' or 'to make', and it's one of the most frequently used verbs in Spanish. Rather than getting overwhelmed by its dozens of forms, it's far better to first master a few core, most useful 'sentence structures'.

'Dish' One: Talking About What You're Doing Right Now

• Hago la cena.
  • Meaning: "I'm making dinner."
  • Context: Your friend calls and asks, "What are you up to?" You can easily reply. Here, Hago means "I make/do".

'Dish' Two: Talking About Others

• Él hace un buen trabajo.
  • Meaning: "He does a good job."
  • Context: Praising a colleague or friend. Here, Hace means "he/she does/makes".

'Dish' Three: Organising Activities/Events

• Hacemos una fiesta.
  • Meaning: "We're having a party."
  • Context: Planning weekend activities with friends. Here, Hacemos means "we do/make".

'Dish' Four: Talking About the Past

• Hice la tarea.
  • Meaning: "I did the homework."
  • Context: Telling someone you've completed something. Here, Hice means "I did/made".

See? You don't need to memorise complex grammatical terms like "present indicative" or "past imperfect". You just need to remember these few simple and practical sentences, like 'recipes'.

When you integrate these sentences into your daily conversations and use them repeatedly, they'll become second nature, just like your signature dish. That's what it truly means to 'learn' a language.

Language is About Connection, Not Perfection

The reason we often hesitate to speak is our fear of making mistakes, of using verbs imperfectly. But this is just like a novice chef who's reluctant to even turn on the hob for fear of adding too much or too little salt.

Remember: communication trumps perfection.

A sentence with a slight grammatical error, but delivered with sincerity, is far more valuable than a mind paralysed by fear. Even if you say Yo hacer la cena (which is grammatically imperfect but perfectly understandable), it's a million times better than saying nothing at all.

True progress comes from bravely 'getting cooking' – to communicate, to use the language, to make mistakes, and to correct them.

So, how can you find a safe environment where you can practise without worrying about 'messing up'?

In the past, this might have required an incredibly patient language partner. But now, technology offers a better solution. Chat apps like Intent have built-in AI real-time translation. You can confidently chat with friends using your newly learned, even imperfect Spanish, and they'll instantly grasp your meaning. What's more, you'll instantly comprehend your friend's replies.

It's like an 'AI culinary maestro' quietly guiding you right by your side, helping you break down communication barriers and letting you focus on the joy of 'cooking', rather than the drudgery of rote-learning recipes.

So, from today, close that hefty grammar book.

Pick a 'dish' you want to 'master', for example, use hago to talk about your plans for today. Then, find a friend, or use a tool like Intent, and bravely 'serve up' that 'dish'.

Because the real magic of language isn't in perfect adherence to rules, but in the moment of connection between people.