grandir
/ɡʁɑ̃.diʁ/
The French phrase for "growing up" is grandir.
grandir describes the process of increasing in size or maturing from a child into an adult. Unlike English, which often distinguishes between "growing" in size and "growing up" in maturity, grandir covers both physical growth and emotional or social maturation.
Which one should you use?
While grandir is the standard term, you might encounter other expressions depending on the context. For instance, mûrir is a more formal verb that specifically emphasizes maturing both physically and mentally. In informal settings, you may hear devenir grand, which translates to "to become big" and is used to describe children growing up.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ɡʁɑ̃.diʁ/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- To describe the act of 'growing up' in a way that implies gaining wisdom, French speakers often use mûrir, which is the same verb used to describe fruit ripening.
- When talking about an adult's personal development, using grandir can sometimes sound slightly patronizing, as if you are treating a grown person like a child who is still increasing in size.
- If you want to describe a person who has 'grown up' to be a great person, you might use the expression être devenu quelqu'un, which literally means 'to have become someone'.
Examples in context
- Rien ne lui procurait un plus grand plaisir que de regarder son fils grandir.Nothing gave her greater pleasure than to watch her son growing up.This sentence shows how to use grandir to describe watching someone grow up.Tatoeba #3646666 by sacredceltic, translation #308679 by CK
- Tom est en train de grandir.Tom is growing up.This sentence uses grandir to describe the continuous action of growing up.Tatoeba #3215972 by Dreamk33, translation #2273193 by CK
- Vieillir est obligatoire. Grandir est facultatif.Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.This sentence uses grandir in a philosophical context regarding maturity.Tatoeba #9927192 by carlosalberto, translation #9927043 by DJ_Saidez
- Les enfants grandissent rapidement et acquièrent de nouvelles compétences chaque jour.Children grow up quickly and acquire new skills every day.
- Nos souvenirs d'enfance restent toujours présents, même en grandissant.Our childhood memories always remain, even as we grow up.
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at childhood photos.
- LucasC'est incroyable de te voir grandir sur ces photos.It is incredible to see you growing up in these photos.
- EmmaOui, le temps passe tellement vite.Yes, time flies so fast.
- LucasTu as beaucoup changé en grandissant.You have changed a lot while growing up.
- EmmaC'est vrai, je ne me reconnais presque plus.It's true, I hardly recognize myself anymore.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry grandir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
