Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Born in Spanish
Nacido · adjective · nah-SEE-doh
The concept of 'born' is expressed through the verb 'nacer' (to be born). Unlike English which uses 'was born' as a passive construction, Spanish uses the active preterite: 'nací' (I was born), 'nació' (he/she was born). The past participle 'nacido' is used in compound tenses.
For 'nacido,' pronounced nah-SEE-doh. For 'nací,' pronounced nah-SEE. The verb 'nacer' is irregular only in the first person present: nazco.
Nací en una pequeña ciudad del sur de España.
I was born in a small city in southern Spain.
Born in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for born, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| nacido | born | nah-SEE-doh | Default, widely understood |
| nacer | born | verb infinitive, to be born |
How Native Speakers Use Nacido
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Origin story
Mi abuela nació en México pero creció en Texas.
My grandmother was born in Mexico but grew up in Texas.
Telling someone's origin and upbringing.
Natural talent
Es un líder nato; nació para dirigir equipos.
He's a born leader; he was born to lead teams.
Describing innate ability using 'nato.'
Birth date
¿En qué año naciste?
What year were you born?
Common personal question about birth year.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Nacido
Using ser + nacido
Incorrect: Yo fui nacido en Colombia.
Correct: Yo nací en Colombia.
Spanish does not use a passive construction like English 'was born'; it uses the active preterite of 'nacer' directly.
Wrong tense for birth
Incorrect: Yo nací en Colombia en 1990. Yo he nacido en Colombia.
Correct: Yo nací en Colombia en 1990.
For stating when/where you were born, the preterite (nací) is correct since birth is a completed one-time event, not the present perfect.
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Why word lists alone don't stick
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See Nacido used by native speakers
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Common Questions About Born in Spanish
- Why doesn't Spanish use 'was born' like English?
- Spanish conceptualizes birth as an active event rather than a passive one — you 'birthed yourself' into existence (nací) rather than 'being born' by someone else, which reflects a different grammatical tradition.
- What is the difference between nacido and nato?
- While 'nacido' is the past participle of nacer (born in a specific place/time), 'nato' is a literary adjective meaning 'natural-born' describing innate qualities, as in 'líder nato' (born leader) or 'criminal nato.'
- How do I say 'newborn' in Spanish?
- A newborn is 'recién nacido' (literally 'recently born'), which functions as both an adjective and a noun — 'el recién nacido' means the newborn baby.