crecen
/KREH-sehn/
they grow
The flowers represent how living things grow over time.
crecen(verb)
they grow
?physical growth of living things
you all grow
?referring to a group of people getting taller or older
📝 In Action
Los niños crecen muy rápido.
A1The children grow very fast.
Estas flores crecen en la primavera.
A1These flowers grow in the spring.
Ustedes crecen un poco cada año.
A2You all grow a little every year.
💡 Grammar Points
Who is doing the action?
The ending '-en' tells you that more than one person or thing is doing the growing (like 'they' or 'you all').
The 'Z' Surprise
While 'crecen' looks normal, the 'I' form of this verb adds a 'z' (crezco). This happens to keep the sound consistent.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Grow vs. Raise
Mistake: "Using 'crecen' to mean someone is growing vegetables."
Correction: Use 'cultivar' for plants you take care of. 'Crecen' is for the act of getting bigger by itself.
⭐ Usage Tips
Natural Sound
Use 'crecen' when talking about children getting taller; it's the most natural way to describe it in Spanish.
A growing stack of blocks illustrates a physical increase in height and quantity.
crecen(verb)
they increase
?rising numbers or intensity
they rise
?referring to water levels or prices
📝 In Action
Las deudas crecen si no se pagan.
B1Debts increase if they aren't paid.
Los ríos crecen después de la lluvia.
B1The rivers rise after the rain.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
present
imperfect
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: crecen
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'crecen' to talk about a garden?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'crecen' work for both people and objects?
Yes! You can use it for children getting taller, plants getting bigger, or even abstract things like 'problems' getting worse.