criado
/ˈkɾjado/
The Spanish word for raised, when describing how a person was cared for and brought up from childhood, is criado.
criado is used to describe a person who was brought up or nurtured during their childhood. While criado is the past participle, the reflexive verb criarse is frequently used to express the process of growing up or being raised in a certain place.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form must agree in gender with the person being raised, so use criada for a female. The plural form criados is used when referring to a group of people being raised, including mixed-gender groups. The plural form criadas is used when referring to a group consisting only of females.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkɾjado/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use levantado (which means to lift something physically) instead of criado when talking about being raised in a certain environment.
Did you know?
- If a Spanish speaker says they were criado a pecho, they are saying they were breastfed. This uses the concept of being 'raised' to specifically describe an infant's early nourishment.
- While criado describes a person who was raised, it also refers to a domestic servant or manservant in many Spanish-speaking cultures.
- In some Latin American cultures, criollo is a term derived from the same root as criado. It historically describes people of European descent born in the colonies, emphasizing that they were 'raised' in the Americas.
Examples in context
- Fui criado en un orfanato en Boston.I was raised in an orphanage in Boston.This sentence shows how to use criado to describe being raised in an orphanage.Tatoeba #1251971 by hayastan, translation #953711 by CK
- Pensé que eras criado en Los Ángeles.I thought you were raised in L.A.This sentence uses criado to express a thought about where someone was raised.Tatoeba #1702612 by marcelostockle, translation #29360 by CN
- Ella se ha criado en una familia rica.She was raised in a wealthy family.This sentence shows the use of the verb to describe a female being raised in a wealthy family.Tatoeba #1122754 by ildefonk, translation #1126748 by AlanF_US
- Fui criado/a en un ambiente familiar agradableI was raised in a pleasant family environment
- Me educaron con principios sólidosI was raised with solid principles
- Me he criado en un barrio humildeI was raised in a humble neighborhood
- Soy de crianza urbanaI come from an urban upbringing
- Me criaron en una granja en el campoI was raised on a farm in the countryside
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their childhood backgrounds at a cafe.
- Lucía¿Tú fuiste criado en el campo?Were you raised in the countryside?
- AlejandroSí, fui criado allí hasta los diez años.Yes, I was raised there until I was ten.
- LucíaQué suerte que fuiste criado con tanta naturaleza.How lucky that you were raised with so much nature.
- AlejandroFue una etapa muy bonita para mí.It was a very beautiful stage for me.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry criado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
