Grandir Examples, Sentences & Quiz in French

grandir — “to grow” — is one of the verbs you will use every day in French. On this page you will find grandir in real sentences, grouped by meaning and tense, two short dialogues that show it in context, the mistakes learners actually make with it, and a ten-question quiz with explained answers. Start with the examples, say them aloud, and then test yourself. A first sentence to fix the verb in your memory: “Je grandis vite cette année.” — “I grow fast this year.”

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for grandir, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one.

Example sentences with grandir

In the present tense

  • “Je grandis vite cette année tous les jours.” — “I grow fast this year.”
  • “Tu grandis vite cette année souvent.” — “You grow fast this year.”
  • “Il grandit vite cette année chaque matin.” — “He grows fast this year.”
  • “Nous grandissons vite cette année le week-end.” — “We grow fast this year.”

In the passé composé

  • “J'ai grandi vite cette année hier.” — “I have grown fast this year.”
  • “Tu as grandi vite cette année ce matin.” — “You have grown fast this year.”
  • “Il a grandi vite cette année la semaine dernière.” — “He has grown fast this year.”

In the imperfect and the future

  • “Je grandissais vite cette année quand j’étais jeune.” — “When I was young, I used to grow fast this year.”
  • “Nous grandissions vite cette année quand j’étais jeune.” — “We used to grow fast this year.”
  • “Tu grandiras vite cette année demain.” — “You will grow fast this year tomorrow.”
  • “Ils grandiront vite cette année demain.” — “They will grow fast this year tomorrow.”

In other tenses

  • “Je grandirais vite cette année si je pouvais.” — “I would grow fast this year if I could.”
  • “Il faut que je grandisse vite cette année.” — “It is important that I grow fast this year.”
  • “Grandis vite cette année !” — “Grow fast this year!” The same verb in the pluperfect: “J'avais grandi vite cette année avant la fête.” — “I had grown fast this year before the party.”

All forms above come from the verified tables. The gerund is en grandissant and the past participle is grandi; the perfect tenses use avoir + grandi, as in ai grandi.

Grandir in context

Dialogue 1: every day

Marie and Paul talk about what they do every day. Notice how grandir changes with the person, and how the passé composé appears when they talk about yesterday.

Marie: “Tu grandis vite cette année tous les jours ?” — “You grow fast this year.” Paul: “Je grandis vite cette année tous les jours.” — “I grow fast this year.” Marie: “Tu as grandi vite cette année hier ?” — “You have grown fast this year.” Paul: “J'ai grandi vite cette année hier.” — “I have grown fast this year.” Marie: “Nous grandirons vite cette année demain ?” — “We will grow fast this year tomorrow.” Paul: “Nous grandirons vite cette année demain.” — “We will grow fast this year tomorrow.”

Dialogue 2: making plans

Paul and Marie make plans for the weekend. The conditional appears for polite suggestions, and the imperative for a direct request.

Paul: “Je grandirais vite cette année si je pouvais.” — “I would grow fast this year if I could.” Marie: “Tu grandis vite cette année souvent ?” — “You grow fast this year.” Paul: “Je grandis vite cette année souvent.” — “I grow fast this year.” Marie: “Grandis vite cette année !” — “Grow fast this year!” Paul: “Il faut que je grandisse vite cette année.” — “It is important that I grow fast this year.” Marie: “Nous avons grandi vite cette année hier.” — “We have grown fast this year.”

Read both dialogues aloud, changing the person each time: grandis becomes grandis, grandis becomes grandit, and so on. That is the fastest way to fix the six present forms — grandis*, grandis, grandit, grandissons, grandissez, *grandissent — in memory.

Common mistakes with grandir

Mistake 1: Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form

Wrong: “Je grandir vite cette année.”

Right: “Je grandis vite cette année.”

The infinitive grandir never takes a subject. After je you need the conjugated present form grandis.

Mistake 2: Confusing grandir with vieillir

Wrong: “Je grandis avec le temps.” (meant as “vieillir”)

Right: “Je grandis vite cette année.”

grandir means “to grow” and vieillir means “to grow old”. They appear in similar situations, but they are different actions — check the meaning before you choose the verb.

Mistake 3: Using être for the passé composé

Wrong: “Je suis grandi vite cette année.”

Right: “J'ai grandi vite cette année.”

With grandir the passé composé is formed with avoir: ai grandi.

Mistake 4: Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger

Wrong: “Il faut que je grandis vite cette année.”

Right: “Il faut que je grandisse vite cette année.”

After il faut que French needs the subjunctive: grandisse, not the indicative grandis.

Mistake 5: Mixing up the persons

Wrong: “Tu grandis vite cette année.”

Right: “Tu grandis vite cette année.”

After tu you need grandis, not the je form grandis.

Quiz: grandir in everyday use

  1. What is the je form of grandir in the Present indicative?

    • A) grandis
    • B) grandissez
    • C) grandissons
    • D) grandit

  2. What is the ils/elles form of grandir in the Present indicative?

    • A) grandis
    • B) grandissent
    • C) grandissons
    • D) grandissez

  3. What is the tu form of grandir in the Present perfect (passé composé)?

    • A) avons grandi
    • B) ont grandi
    • C) ai grandi
    • D) as grandi

  4. What is the nous form of grandir in the Imperfect?

    • A) grandissions
    • B) grandissais
    • C) grandissait
    • D) grandissaient

  5. What is the il/elle form of grandir in the Future?

    • A) grandirons
    • B) grandiront
    • C) grandira
    • D) grandirai

  6. What is the je form of grandir in the Conditional?

    • A) grandirais
    • B) grandiriez
    • C) grandirions
    • D) grandirait

  7. What is the tu form of grandir in the Present subjunctive?

    • A) grandissions
    • B) grandissent
    • C) grandisses
    • D) grandissiez

  8. What is the tu form of grandir in the Imperative (affirmative)?

    • A) grandissons
    • B) grandis
    • C) aurez grandi
    • D) grandissez

  9. What is the past participle of grandir?

    • A) grandissais
    • B) grandi
    • C) grandis
    • D) en grandissant

  10. What does grandir mean in English?

  • A) to grow
  • B) to have
  • C) to be
  • D) to go

Answer key

  1. A) grandis — the je form of grandir in the present indicative is grandis.
  2. B) grandissent — the ils/elles form of grandir in the present indicative is grandissent.
  3. D) as grandi — the tu form of grandir in the present perfect (passé composé) is as grandi.
  4. A) grandissions — the nous form of grandir in the imperfect is grandissions.
  5. C) grandira — the il/elle form of grandir in the future is grandira.
  6. A) grandirais — the je form of grandir in the conditional is grandirais.
  7. C) grandisses — the tu form of grandir in the present subjunctive is grandisses.
  8. B) grandis — the tu form of grandir in the imperative (affirmative) is grandis.
  9. B) grandi — the past participle of grandir is grandi; perfect tenses use avoir + grandi.
  10. A) to grow — grandir means “to grow” in English.

Frequently asked questions

What does grandir mean in English?

grandir means “to grow”. You use it in everyday situations like the examples on this page — for example, “Je grandis vite cette année.” (“I grow fast this year.”).

Which auxiliary does grandir take in the passé composé?

grandir takes avoir: ai grandi. Because the auxiliary is avoir, the participle normally stays invariable.

What is the hardest form of grandir to remember?

Most learners struggle with keeping the six persons apart — grandis*, grandis, grandit, grandissons, grandissez, *grandissent. Say them in order every day, and use the dialogues above to practise them in real sentences.

Where can I see the full conjugation of grandir?

On the full conjugation page for grandir, which has every tense, and on the grandir present page, which goes deep on one tense.

Say it yourself

Cover the French sentences above and translate the English back into French. Start with the present tense: “I grow fast this year.” should become “Je grandis vite cette année”. Then try the passé composé: “I have grown fast this year.” should become “J'ai grandi vite cette année”. Finally, try the future: “I will grow fast this year tomorrow.” should become “Je grandirai vite cette année”. If you get a form wrong, check it against the full conjugation page and say the correct form aloud three times before moving on.

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