French · Everyday Verbs
"to grow" in French: grandir
grandir
Note: plants: pousser
To grow (up) in French is grandir. Elle grandit, nous grandissons, elle a grandi. For plants, pousser is the usual note — not this headword.
Family reunion
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How to pronounce grandir
Say it
grahn-DEER
/ɡʁɑ̃.diʁ/
Grandir: grahn-DEER. Grandit: grahn-DEE. Grandi: grahn-DEE. Soft nasal an.
"to grow" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| grandir | to grow / grow up Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| je grandis / elle grandit | I grow / she grows Present. | Present. |
| elle a grandi | she has grown Passé composé. | Passé composé. |
| faire grandir | to help grow / raise Cause growth. | Cause growth. |
How to use grandir in real life
- 1Family reunion
Tes cousins ont tellement grandi !
Your cousins have grown so much!
Grandí past.
- 2Teen years
Je grandis trop vite selon ma mère.
I'm growing too fast according to my mom.
Je grandis.
- 3Career talk
Dans ce poste on grandit vite.
In this role you grow fast.
Figurative grow.
Mistakes English speakers make with grandir
Incorrect: La plante grandit bien — wait, plants.
Correct: La plante pousse bien. / L'enfant grandit.
Plants usually pousser; people grandir.
Incorrect: Il est grand hier.
Correct: Il a grandi.
Grand is an adjective; use grandir forms for this verb.
Good to know
Grandir covers physical growth and maturing. Parents say comme tu as grandi after months apart. Workplace French uses grandir for skills too.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Looking at childhood photos
ChatPal
Regarde — tu as tellement grandi.
Look—you've grown so much.
You
Oui, j'ai grandi depuis la primaire.
Yes, I've grown since elementary school.
ChatPal
On grandit tous, même les parents.
We all grow, even parents.
You
C'est vrai.
That's true.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to grow" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to grow" in French
How do you say to grow in French?
Grandir (people); pousser for plants.
Does grand count?
No — that's the adjective tall/big.
Passé composé?
J'ai grandi / elle a grandi.
How do you pronounce grandir?
grahn-DEER.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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