Crescer
to grow
Presente
Current actions, habits, and general truths.
| eu | cresço | Eu cresço um pouco cada vez que enfrento algo difícil. — I grow a little each time I face something difficult. |
| você/ele/ela | cresce | Ela cresce como artista a cada exposição. — She grows as an artist with each exhibition. |
| nós | crescemos | Nós crescemos mais quando somos desafiados. — We grow most when we are challenged. |
| eles/elas | crescem | As crianças crescem rápido demais — a gente não percebe. — Children grow too fast — you don't even notice. |
The balcony vegetable garden has its own plans. I grow with it — learning patience and humility each season. The basil grows without warning and suddenly took over the pot. We grow together, the garden and I, at the rhythm life allows. Plants grow better when left a little in peace — and that goes for people too.
Pret. Perfeito
Completed past actions — what happened.
| eu | cresci | Eu cresci numa cidade pequena do interior. — I grew up in a small city in the countryside. |
| você/ele/ela | cresceu | Ela cresceu muito depois daquela experiência. — She grew a great deal after that experience. |
| nós | crescemos | Nós crescemos juntos e nos tornamos quem somos. — We grew up together and became who we are. |
| eles/elas | cresceram | Eles cresceram sem televisão e são mais criativos por isso. — They grew up without television and are more creative for it. |
The school friends' reunion was a trip through time. I grew up on a street that no longer exists in the same way. My friend Tiago grew up in the United States and came back with a mixed accent and a broader worldview. We have all grown a great deal since that last school photograph. Those who grew most on the inside were the quietest before — it's always like that.
Pret. Imperfeito
Ongoing or habitual past — what used to happen or was happening.
| eu | crescia | Eu crescia dois centímetros por ano quando era adolescente. — I used to grow two centimetres a year as a teenager. |
| você/ele/ela | crescia | A empresa crescia a cada trimestre sem parar. — The company used to grow every quarter without stopping. |
| nós | crescíamos | Nós crescíamos com as histórias que o avô contava. — We used to grow with the stories our grandfather told. |
| eles/elas | cresciam | Eles cresciam juntos como irmãos, mesmo sem ser. — They used to grow up together like siblings, even without being so. |
On my grandparents' farm, everything used to grow in abundance. I used to grow there in summers — in height, in curiosity, in understanding of how things live. My cousin used to grow faster than me and that filled me with healthy envy. We used to grow at the rhythm of the seasons, without hurrying to get anywhere. The trees my grandfather planted used to grow slowly — and today they give shade to the grandchildren.
Futuro Informal
Plans and intentions — "going to."
| eu | vou crescer | Vou crescer muito com esse desafio novo. — I'm going to grow a lot with this new challenge. |
| você/ele/ela | vai crescer | O negócio vai crescer com o novo investimento. — The business is going to grow with the new investment. |
| nós | vamos crescer | Vamos crescer juntos nesse projeto. — We're going to grow together in this project. |
| eles/elas | vão crescer | As crianças vão crescer tão rápido que vai ser difícil acompanhar. — The children are going to grow so fast it'll be hard to keep up. |
The business plan is drawn up and the enthusiasm is high. I'm going to grow as a professional in this new phase — of that I'm certain. My business partner is going to grow in the technical area while I handle the commercial side. We're going to grow sustainably — slowly and well, without skipping steps. The clients who trust us are going to grow with us — and that's the best kind of partnership.
Futuro Formal
Formal future — "shall/will."
| eu | crescerei | Crescerei com cada erro que cometer. — I will grow with each mistake I make. |
| você/ele/ela | crescerá | A economia crescerá se as reformas forem implementadas. — The economy will grow if the reforms are implemented. |
| nós | cresceremos | Cresceremos enquanto houver vontade de aprender. — We will grow as long as there is will to learn. |
| eles/elas | crescerão | Os jovens talentos crescerão com mentoria adequada. — The young talents will grow with adequate mentoring. |
The annual report was presented: "The company will grow fifteen per cent in the next financial year according to our projections. We will grow with environmental responsibility as a central pillar. The teams will grow in number and in competence throughout the year. I will grow personally in this leadership role — and I count on each of you on this journey."
Condicional
Hypotheticals and polite requests — "would."
| eu | cresceria | Eu cresceria mais rápido com um bom mentor. — I would grow faster with a good mentor. |
| você/ele/ela | cresceria | Ela cresceria mais se tivesse apoio da família. — She would grow more if she had family support. |
| nós | cresceríamos | Cresceríamos mais juntos do que separados. — We would grow more together than apart. |
| eles/elas | cresceriam | Eles cresceriam mais numa escola com menos alunos por turma. — They would grow more in a school with fewer students per class. |
If conditions were equal for everyone, how different things would be. I would grow faster without the weight of financial insecurity. My talented friend would grow as a writer if she didn't need three jobs to pay the rent. We would all grow more if there were more space to make mistakes without punishment. Communities would grow with more autonomy if the state listened before deciding.
Crescer across the tenses
A short story using crescer in multiple tenses
Meu avô plantou uma mangueira quando meu pai nasceu. A árvore crescia junto com ele — devagar, firme, sem pressa de dar fruto. Os primos cresciam à sombra dela nos verões, sem saber que estavam crescendo.
Hoje a mangueira tem cinquenta e oito anos e ainda cresce. Ontem ela cresceu mais um galho que eu não tinha notado. Crescemos todos sob ela — três gerações.
Quando minha filha nascer, vai crescer conhecendo essa árvore. "Se depender de mim, crescerá sabendo de onde vem," digo para mim.
Perguntei ao meu pai onde cresceria de novo se pudesse. Ele olhou para a árvore: "Cresceria aqui. Debaixo dessa mesma sombra."
My grandfather planted a mango tree when my dad was born. The tree used to grow alongside him — slowly, firmly, without rushing to bear fruit. The cousins used to grow in its shade in the summers, without knowing they were growing. Today the mango tree is fifty-eight years old and still grows. Yesterday it grew another branch I hadn't noticed. We all grew under it — three generations. When my daughter is born, she's going to grow up knowing that tree. "If it depends on me, she will grow up knowing where she comes from," I say to myself. I asked my dad where he would grow up again if he could. He looked at the tree: "I would grow up here. Under this same shade."
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