crecer
“crecer” means “to grow” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to grow
Also: to get bigger
📝 In Action
Mi sobrina ha crecido mucho este año.
A1My niece has grown a lot this year.
Las flores crecen mejor bajo el sol directo.
A2Flowers grow better under direct sun.
Yo crezco y me hago más fuerte cada día.
A1I grow and become stronger every day.
to grow up
Also: to be raised
📝 In Action
Todavía tiene que crecer y aprender de sus errores.
B1He still has to grow up and learn from his mistakes.
¿Dónde creciste, en la ciudad o en el campo?
A2Where did you grow up, in the city or the countryside?
to increase
Also: to rise, to expand
📝 In Action
La demanda de energía solar ha crecido exponencialmente.
B2The demand for solar energy has grown exponentially.
El nivel del agua creció tras la tormenta.
B2The water level rose after the storm.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: crecer
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses the special 'zc' spelling change?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the Latin verb *crescere*, meaning 'to spring forth' or 'to increase'. It has remained remarkably consistent in its meaning across centuries.
First recorded: Old Spanish records (circa 11th century)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'crecer' sometimes use 'zc' (crezco) and sometimes 'c' (creces)?
This is purely a spelling fix to keep the sound consistent! In Spanish, 'c' before 'a' or 'o' makes a hard 'k' sound (like in *casa*). To keep the soft 's' sound (like in *cebolla* or *creces*) when adding the 'o' ending for 'yo', the 'z' is added: c + z + o = 'crezco'. This ensures the pronunciation stays soft.
Is 'crecer' transitive or intransitive?
'Crecer' is generally an intransitive verb, meaning it doesn't take a direct object. Things 'grow' by themselves (El niño crece). If you want to say you are actively growing something (like a plant), you typically use a different verb like 'cultivar' or 'plantar'.