nacer
“nacer” means “to be born” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to be born
Also: to come into the world
📝 In Action
Mi hermana nació en 1995.
A1My sister was born in 1995.
¿Dónde naciste tú?
A1Where were you born?
Ella está a punto de nacer.
A2She is about to be born.
to be born, to arise
Also: to begin
📝 In Action
La idea de la aplicación nació en una cafetería.
B1The idea for the app was born in a coffee shop.
Una nueva esperanza nació después de la victoria.
B2A new hope arose after the victory.
to originate
Also: to spring forth
📝 In Action
El río Amazonas nace en los Andes peruanos.
B2The Amazon River originates in the Peruvian Andes.
Esta tradición nació de una antigua leyenda.
C1This tradition originated from an ancient legend.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: nacer
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'nacer' in its most literal sense?
📚 More Resources
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb *nāscī*, meaning 'to be born' or 'to arise.' It is related to the word 'nature,' as birth is the natural beginning of things.
First recorded: 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'nacer' mean 'to be born' or 'to give birth'?
'Nacer' strictly means 'to be born.' It describes the beginning of life for the subject. To say 'to give birth,' you would use the verb 'dar a luz' (literally, 'to give to light').
Why does 'nacer' use the preterite tense (nací) when talking about birth dates?
Birth is viewed as a single, completed action in the past with a definite date, so Spanish uses the preterite tense (nací, naciste) instead of the imperfect tense.