nacimiento
/nah-see-MYEN-toh/
birth
This illustration depicts nacimiento (birth), the event of being born.
📝 In Action
La fecha de su nacimiento es el 15 de mayo.
A1The date of his birth is May 15th.
El nacimiento del bebé fue muy rápido.
A2The baby's delivery was very fast.
Celebraron el nacimiento de su primer nieto con una fiesta.
A2They celebrated the birth of their first grandchild with a party.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Masculine
Even though it refers to birth, 'nacimiento' is always a masculine noun. Remember to use 'el' or 'un' before it.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Nacer and Nacimiento
Mistake: "Usar 'Su nacer fue difícil.'"
Correction: Say 'Su nacimiento fue difícil.' ('Nacer' is the verb 'to be born'; 'nacimiento' is the noun 'the birth').
⭐ Usage Tips
Using the Verb
When talking about the action, use the verb 'nacer': 'Yo nací en 1990' (I was born in 1990).
When referring to a river or spring, nacimiento means the source.
nacimiento(noun)
source
?of a river or spring
,origin
?the start of something abstract
spring
?where water comes out of the ground
📝 In Action
El nacimiento del río Amazonas está en los Andes.
B1The source of the Amazon river is in the Andes.
Estudiamos el nacimiento de la civilización moderna.
B2We studied the origin of modern civilization.
💡 Grammar Points
Figurative Use
This meaning extends the core idea of 'being born' to describe where anything begins—rivers, ideas, or movements.
A popular Christmas decoration, a Nativity scene is also called a nacimiento.
📝 In Action
Mi abuela pone un nacimiento muy grande cada diciembre.
B1My grandmother puts up a very large Nativity scene every December.
Fuimos a ver el nacimiento viviente en la plaza.
B2We went to see the living Nativity scene in the square.
💡 Grammar Points
Cultural Note
This meaning refers specifically to the scene depicting the birth of Jesus, often featuring figures of Mary, Joseph, and the baby.
⭐ Usage Tips
Regional Variation
In Spain, 'belén' is often used instead of 'nacimiento' to refer to the Nativity scene.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: nacimiento
Question 1 of 2
Which meaning of 'nacimiento' is used in the following sentence: 'Visitamos el lugar del nacimiento del río.'
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'nacimiento' masculine if it refers to birth?
'Nacimiento' ends in '-miento,' which is a very common ending in Spanish for masculine nouns that describe an action or result (like 'movimiento' or 'conocimiento'). The grammatical gender is based on this structure, not the concept of motherhood.
Is 'nacimiento' used for animals too?
Yes, 'nacimiento' can be used for the birth of any living creature, although sometimes the word 'parto' (delivery/labor) might be used more frequently in specialized contexts for animals.