cuando naciste
/kwando naθiste/from spelling rules
The English phrase "when you were born" is translated into Spanish as cuando naciste.
This phrase is used to refer to the time or date of a person's birth.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of cuando (when) and naciste (you were born), which is the preterite indicative form of the verb nacer.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the informal question ¿Cuándo naciste tú? is commonly used to ask when someone was born.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase changes depending on whom you are addressing. It becomes cuando nació when using the formal usted instead of the informal tú, and it becomes cuando nacieron when addressing a group of people (plural "you").
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly try to translate "were born" literally as fuiste nacido, but in Spanish, the verb nacer is used intransitively in the preterite to express this.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, asking ¿Cuándo naciste? might be seen as an odd way to ask for a birthday, as people more commonly ask ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños?
- Because naciste is the second person singular, omitting the pronoun 'tú' is standard, but adding it can actually add a subtle sense of emphasis or even confrontation.
- The phrase naciste is often used in the expression naciste para esto, meaning 'you were born for this', to describe a natural talent.
Example conversation
Sofía is looking at an old photo album with Daniel.
- SofíaMira esta foto de tu abuelo cuando naciste.Look at this photo of your grandfather when you were born.
- DanielNo sabía que él estaba allí.I didn't know he was there.
- SofíaSí, él viajó mucho para verte.Yes, he traveled a lot to see you.
- DanielQué detalle tan bonito.What a lovely gesture.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
