creció
/kreh-SEE-oh/
grew (up)
The tree creció (grew) from a sapling to a mature tree.
creció(verb)
grew (up)
?physical size, height, or age
,got bigger
?size or volume
developed
?matured
📝 In Action
Mi hijo creció mucho este verano. Ahora es más alto que yo.
A2My son grew a lot this summer. Now he is taller than me.
La planta creció rápidamente bajo el sol.
A2The plant grew quickly under the sun.
¿Dónde creció tu abuela?
A2Where did your grandmother grow up?
💡 Grammar Points
Who used 'creció'?
'Creció' means 'he/she/it grew' or 'you (formal) grew.' It describes an action completed in the past, like finishing a race.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the accent
Mistake: "Escribiendo 'crecio' sin acento."
Correction: The accent on the 'o' (creció) is necessary to show that this is the simple past tense (preterite). Without it, the pronunciation is wrong.
⭐ Usage Tips
Talking about childhood
Use 'creció' when talking about someone's origin or where they spent their childhood: 'Ella creció en Madrid' (She grew up in Madrid).
The volume of marbles creció (increased) dramatically.
creció(verb)
increased
?quantity, number, or volume
,expanded
?business or scope
intensified
?feelings or problems
,developed
?a project or concept
📝 In Action
La deuda nacional creció un 10% el año pasado.
B1The national debt increased by 10% last year.
Su influencia en la empresa creció después de la fusión.
B2His influence in the company expanded after the merger.
El rumor creció hasta convertirse en noticia de primera plana.
C1The rumor grew until it became front-page news.
💡 Grammar Points
Past Action, Specific Time
Since 'creció' is the simple past (preterite), it describes an increase that started and finished at a specific point in the past, often marked by phrases like 'el año pasado' (last year).
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with abstract nouns
This form is frequently used with non-physical subjects like 'el interés' (interest), 'la presión' (pressure), or 'la economía' (the economy).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: creció
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'creció' to mean 'increased in quantity'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'creció' have an accent mark?
The accent on the 'o' in 'creció' is crucial! It tells you that the action happened in the simple past (preterite tense) and that the stress falls on the last syllable. This is standard for almost all regular Spanish verbs ending in -ar, -er, and -ir in the third-person simple past.
When should I use 'creció' versus 'crecía'?
'Creció' (simple past) is for a completed action: 'La compañía creció 5% el martes' (The company grew 5% on Tuesday). 'Crecía' (imperfect past) is for ongoing, habitual, or descriptive actions in the past: 'Cuando era joven, crecía muy rápido' (When I was young, I was growing very fast).