Spanish vocabulary · Intermediate
Grow in Spanish: Crecer vs. Cultivar — Key Differences
Crecer · verb · kreh-SEHR
Grow in Spanish is primarily crecer, an irregular verb meaning to grow in size, age, or development. When you actively grow plants or crops, the word is cultivar. For abstract growth like revenue or population, aumentar is often used.
kreh-SEHR — two syllables. The 'c' before 'e' sounds like an 's' in Latin America or a 'th' (as in 'think') in Spain.
Los niños crecen muy rápido.
Children grow very fast.
Grow in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for grow, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| crecer | grow | kreh-SEHR | Default, widely understood |
| cultivar | grow | to grow / cultivate (plants, crops) | |
| aumentar | grow | to grow / increase (in size or number) |
How Native Speakers Use Crecer
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
A child growing up
Crecí en un pueblo pequeño cerca de la costa.
I grew up in a small town near the coast.
Crecer is the standard verb for growing up. 'Crecí' is the first-person preterite.
Growing vegetables
Mi abuela cultiva tomates y pimientos en su jardín.
My grandmother grows tomatoes and peppers in her garden.
Cultivar is used when a person actively tends and grows plants.
Business growth
La empresa ha crecido un treinta por ciento este año.
The company has grown thirty percent this year.
Crecer works for abstract growth of organizations, economies, or numbers.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Crecer
Using crecer transitively for plants
Incorrect: Yo crezco tomates en mi jardín.
Correct: Yo cultivo tomates en mi jardín.
Crecer is intransitive — it describes something that grows by itself. When you are the one growing plants, use cultivar.
Wrong irregular form in yo present
Incorrect: Yo creco mucho cada año.
Correct: Yo crezco mucho cada año.
Crecer has a stem change in the first person present: crezco, not creco. This -zco pattern is common in verbs ending in -cer.
Lock in Grow Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Crecer used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using crecer in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Los niños crecen muy rápido. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
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Common Questions About Grow in Spanish
- What is the difference between crecer and cultivar?
- Crecer is intransitive — the subject itself grows (a child grows, a tree grows). Cultivar is transitive — someone actively grows or cultivates something (a farmer cultivates crops). Think of it like 'grow' vs. 'grow something.'
- How do I conjugate crecer in the present tense?
- Yo crezco, tú creces, él/ella crece, nosotros crecemos, ellos crecen. The only irregular form is the first person: crezco.
- How do I say 'grow up' in Spanish?
- Crecer by itself covers 'grow up.' You can say 'Crecí en Madrid' (I grew up in Madrid). For emphasis, 'criarse' also works: 'Me crié en Madrid' focuses on being raised there.