me crié
/me kɾje/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for "I was raised" is me crié.
This phrase is used to describe the place or environment where someone grew up as a child.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, me crié translates to "I raised myself" because it uses the reflexive pronoun me with the verb criar.
How does it change in a sentence?
me crié is the first-person singular preterite indicative of the reflexive verb criarse. While English uses the passive voice "I was raised", Spanish uses this reflexive construction to express the same idea. To specify a location, use the preposition en immediately after the verb, such as me crié en [place].
How do you pronounce it?
/me kɾje/
Did you know?
- While me crié focuses on the process of growing up, Spanish uses a different verb, educar, specifically for the moral and academic instruction received. A person can be criado in one city but educado in another.
- In some Latin American regions, criollo is a term derived from criar used to describe people of mixed Spanish and indigenous descent born in the Americas.
- In an agricultural context, a farmer uses criar to describe raising livestock, such as cattle or poultry, using the same word a person uses to describe their own childhood.
Examples in context
- Me crié en Yokohama.I was raised in Yokohama.This sentence is useful for stating the specific city where you grew up using the form me crié.Tatoeba #1628391 by Alba, translation #256308 by CN
- Soy de México, pero fui criado en España.I am from Mexico, but I was raised in Spain.
- Fui educado en una familia con fuertes valores familiares.I was raised in a family with strong family values.
- Recibí mi crianza en una pequeña localidad del interior.I received my upbringing in a small town inland.
- Me criaron en un pequeño pueblo costero.I was raised in a small coastal town.
- Crecí en una familia muy unida.I grew up in a close-knit family.
- Me formé en un entorno multicultural, lo cual me enriqueció mucho.I was raised in a multicultural environment, which enriched me greatly.
- Me crié en la ciudad de Buenos Aires.I was raised in Buenos Aires.
- Me crié cerca del mar.I was raised near the sea.
- Me crié en un pueblo pequeño.I was raised in a small town.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their childhood during a coffee break.
- Javier¿En qué ciudad creciste tú?In which city did you grow up?
- LucíaMe crié en Madrid, ¿y tú?I was raised in Madrid, and you?
- JavierYo me crié en Sevilla.I was raised in Seville.
- Lucía¡Qué bien! Es una ciudad hermosa.That's great! It is a beautiful city.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
