se hizo / se convirtió

Question

The lessin says both are acceptable in this situation but in the quiz only se hizo is accepted.

Lady Gaga se hizo muy famosa en 2008.

Lady Gaga became famous in 2008.

Lady Gaga se convirtió en una cantante famosa en 2008.Lady Gaga became a famous singer in 2008. Ella ________ famosa después del anuncio de la tele.

She became famous after the advert on the TV.se convirtió se quedóse hizose puso

Silvia Piriz · Accepted Answer

Hola Pat B.
Good question — this is a subtle but important distinction.
Both hacerse and convertirse can translate as “to become”, but they are not always interchangeable.
In this specific sentence — “Ella ___ famosa después del anuncio de la tele” — se hizo famosa is the most natural choice in Spanish. Hacerse is commonly used for changes related to status, reputation, or social perception, especially when the change happens as a result of an event or process (in this case, a TV advert).
Convertirse, on the other hand, is typically used when there is a clear transformation from one defined state or role into another and it usually requires en + noun (se convirtió en cantante, se convirtió en estrella). Saying “se convirtió famosa” sounds incomplete unless you specify what she became.
So while the lesson explains that both verbs can express “to become” in general, the quiz focuses on the most idiomatic option for this exact structure, which is why only se hizo is accepted here.
Thanks for raising it — these verbs of change are tricky and noticing these nuances is exactly how you improve.
Hasta pronto
Silvia