Japanese verbs: growing up with 育つ

The idea

育つ is an intransitive godan verb: the person or plant that grows is marked by が, or by は as the topic. Place of upbringing takes で. 育っています describes growth in progress; 育ちました can describe where someone grew up.

Examples

• 私わたしは大阪おおさかで育そだちました。I grew up in Osaka.
• この町まちで子こどもたちが元気げんきに育そだっています。Children are growing up healthy in this town.
• この花はなは日ひの当あたる場所ばしょでよく育そだちます。This flower grows well in a sunny place.
• 弟おとうとは祖父母そふぼといっしょに育そだちました。My younger brother grew up with our grandparents.
• 水みずが足たりないと、野菜やさいは育そだちません。Vegetables do not grow if there is not enough water.
• あの木きは大おおきく育そだちました。That tree has grown big.

Watch out

Do not confuse 育つ with transitive 育てる, meaning to raise someone or grow something. The て form of 育つ is 育って, with a small っ.

Try it yourself

1. Write the polite non-past form： ＿。（育そだつ→ます）

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   育ちます

   育ちます is the polite non-past form; つ changes to ち before ます.

2. Write the て form： ＿。（育そだつ→て）

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   育って

   育って is the て form: final つ becomes って.

3. Choose the verb that completes the sentence： 子こどもが＿。（育そだちます／育そだてます）

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   育ちます

   育ちます fits because the child is growing; 育てます means someone raises a child.

Use it today

Describe where you grew up, then make a sentence about a plant growing now.