nací
nah-SEE
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Yo nací en 1995.
A1I was born in 1995.
Nací en Madrid, pero crecí en Barcelona.
A2I was born in Madrid, but I grew up in Barcelona.
Cuando nací, mis padres vivían en una casa pequeña.
B1When I was born, my parents lived in a small house.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Yo' Form of the Simple Past
This is the 'yo' (I) form of the verb 'nacer' (to be born) in the simple past tense (Preterite). It describes a single, completed action that happened at a specific time: the moment you were born.
Nacer's 'C' to 'Z' Shift
Notice how the base verb 'nacer' has a 'c' sound, but in the present tense 'yo' form (nazco) and the Subjunctive, it changes to 'z'. This helps keep the sound consistent, like the 'ce' in 'nacer'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the Wrong Past Tense
Mistake: "Using the descriptive past tense, 'Yo nacía' (I used to be born), instead of 'Yo nací'."
Correction: 'Nací' is correct because being born is a single, non-repeated event in the past. Use the simple past (Preterite) for definite, completed actions.
⭐ Usage Tips
Telling Your Origin Story
Always use 'nací en' followed by the place, or 'nací el' followed by the date, to talk about your origin. Remember the simple past is used for this specific life event.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: nací
Question 1 of 1
Which of these sentences correctly uses 'nací'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it 'nací' and not 'soy nacido'?
In Spanish, the verb 'nacer' (to be born) is usually used in the active voice, like 'I was born,' which translates to the simple past tense 'nací.' We don't typically use the passive structure (like 'I am born') to state our origin.
What is the difference between 'nací' and 'nacía'?
'Nací' is the simple past (Preterite) and describes the single, specific moment you were born. 'Nacía' is the descriptive past (Imperfect) and would mean 'I used to be born' or 'I was being born,' which doesn't make sense for this verb.