Parir Examples, Sentences & Quiz in Spanish
parir means "to give birth" in English, and this page shows it in everyday use: real example sentences in several tenses, two short dialogues, the mistakes learners actually make, and a quiz to test yourself. You will see parir with her first child at home, twins in hospital, her daughter in spring and complications in the clinic — the situations where Spanish speakers really use it. A good first sentence to learn is: Yo paro a su primer hijo en casa. — "I give birth her first child at home." Read the examples aloud, notice which tense each one uses, and then try the dialogues and the quiz.
parir in everyday sentences
Twelve sentences with parir, grouped by situation. Each one shows the verb in a different tense or person, with its English translation and a note on when to use that form.
Everyday use
- Yo paro a su primer hijo en casa. — "I give birth her first child at home." The present tense fits a habit here.
- Ayer, yo parí a gemelos en el hospital. — "Yesterday, I gave birth twins in hospital." The preterite fits one finished action.
- Antes, yo paría a su hija en primavera. — "In the past, I used to give birth her daughter in spring." The imperfect fits a repeated action in the past.
- Mañana, nosotros pariremos sin complicaciones en la clínica. — "Tomorrow, we will give birth without complications in the clinic." The future tense fits a plan for tomorrow.
- Si pudieras, tú parirías a su primer hijo en casa. — "If you could, you would give birth her first child at home." The conditional fits something that would happen.
- Yo he parido a gemelos en el hospital. — "I have given birth twins in hospital." The present perfect fits an action with present relevance.
More situations
- Normalmente, ella pare a su hija en primavera. — "Normally, she gives birth her daughter in spring." The present tense fits a general truth here.
- Ayer, ella parió sin complicaciones en la clínica. — "Yesterday, she gave birth without complications in the clinic." The preterite fits one finished action.
- Antes, nosotros paríamos a su primer hijo en casa. — "In the past, we used to give birth her first child at home." The imperfect fits a repeated action in the past.
- Mañana, yo pariré a gemelos en el hospital. — "Tomorrow, I will give birth twins in hospital." The future tense fits a plan for tomorrow.
- Espero que ella para a su hija en primavera. — "I hope that she gives birth her daughter in spring." The present subjunctive follows espero que.
- ¡Pare sin complicaciones en la clínica! — "Give birth without complications in the clinic!" The imperative fits a direct order or request.
The verb in context
Two short dialogues using parir naturally. Notice how the verb changes person and tense as the conversation moves, and how the complements stay the same kind of situation: her first child at home, twins in hospital, her daughter in spring and complications in the clinic.
Dialogue 1: talking about her first child at home
Sofía: ¿Tú pares a su primer hijo en casa? — "Do you give birth her first child at home?" Diego: Sí, yo paro a su primer hijo en casa. — "I give birth her first child at home." Sofía: ¿Y ayer? — "And yesterday?" Diego: Ayer, yo parí a gemelos en el hospital. — "Yesterday, I gave birth twins in hospital." Sofía: Mañana, nosotros pariremos a su hija en primavera. — "Tomorrow, we will give birth her daughter in spring." Diego: Si pudiera, yo pariría sin complicaciones en la clínica. — "If I could, I would give birth without complications in the clinic." Sofía: Antes, yo paría a gemelos en el hospital. — "In the past, I used to give birth twins in hospital." Diego: Yo he parido a su primer hijo en casa. — "I have given birth her first child at home." Sofía: ¡Pare a su hija en primavera! — "Give birth her daughter in spring!"
In this dialogue parir appears in the present, the preterite, the imperfect, the future, the conditional and the present perfect. That is the point: one verb, many tenses, and the complement tells you which situation you are in. Try the same dialogue with your own complements.
Dialogue 2: talking about her daughter in spring
Sofía: Ella pare a su hija en primavera. — "she gives birth her daughter in spring." Diego: ¿De verdad? ¿Él pare a su hija en primavera todos los días? — "Really? Does he/she gives birth her daughter in spring every day?" Sofía: Sí, y ellos paren sin complicaciones en la clínica. — "they give birth without complications in the clinic." Diego: Ayer, ellos parieron a su hija en primavera. — "Yesterday, they gave birth her daughter in spring." Sofía: Espero que ella para sin complicaciones en la clínica. — "I hope that she gives birth without complications in the clinic." Diego: Mañana, ella parirá a su hija en primavera. — "Tomorrow, she will give birth her daughter in spring." Sofía: Antes, nosotros paríamos sin complicaciones en la clínica. — "In the past, we used to give birth without complications in the clinic." Diego: Nosotros parimos a su primer hijo en casa también. — "we give birth her first child at home too."
This dialogue shows parir in the third person and in the plural, which is where learners most often hesitate. Read it aloud with a partner, swapping the names and the complements for your own life, and the forms will start to feel automatic.
Common mistakes with parir
The errors learners actually make with parir in everyday use, each with the wrong form, the right form, and why it is wrong.
Mistake 1: Adding a reflexive pronoun that does not belong
- Wrong: Yo me paro a su primer hijo en casa.
- Right: Yo paro a su primer hijo en casa.
- Why: parir is not reflexive, so there is no pronoun to add: Yo paro a su primer hijo en casa. is the correct sentence.
Mistake 2: Using the infinitive as a conjugated form
- Wrong: Yo parir a su primer hijo en casa.
- Right: Yo paro a su primer hijo en casa.
- Why: The infinitive parir is the dictionary form, not a conjugated form. In a sentence with yo you need the present-tense form paro.
Mistake 3: Using the present tense for yesterday
- Wrong: Ayer, yo paro a gemelos en el hospital.
- Right: Ayer, yo parí a gemelos en el hospital.
- Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite: Ayer, yo parí a gemelos en el hospital. — "Yesterday, I gave birth twins in hospital."
Mistake 4: Mixing up the gerund and the participle
- Wrong: Estoy parido a su hija en primavera.
- Right: Estoy pariendo a su hija en primavera.
- Why: After estar you need the gerund pariendo for the progressive. The participle parido goes with haber in the perfect tenses (he parido), never after estar.
Mistake 5: Using the él form for nosotros
- Wrong: Nosotros pare a su primer hijo en casa.
- Right: Nosotros parimos a su primer hijo en casa.
- Why: The person and the ending must match: nosotros takes parimos, while pare belongs to él and ella.
Quiz: parir in use
Test yourself with ten questions on parir. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.
1. What is the yo form of parir in the present tense?
- (a) paro
- (b) pares
- (c) pare
- (d) parimos
Answer: (a) paro. The yo form is paro.
2. What is the tú form of parir in the present tense?
- (a) paro
- (b) pare
- (c) parimos
- (d) pares
Answer: (d) pares. The tú form is pares.
3. What is the él/ella form of parir in the present tense?
- (a) pares
- (b) parimos
- (c) pare
- (d) paro
Answer: (c) pare. The él/ella form is pare.
4. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ a su primer hijo en casa.
- (a) parimos
- (b) paro
- (c) pares
- (d) pare
Answer: (b) paro. The sentence needs the yo form paro.
5. Complete the sentence: Ayer, yo ___ a gemelos en el hospital.
- (a) parí
- (b) pariste
- (c) parió
- (d) parimos
Answer: (a) parí. Ayer needs the preterite, and the yo form is parí.
6. Complete the sentence: Antes, yo ___ a su hija en primavera.
- (a) parías
- (b) paríamos
- (c) paríais
- (d) paría
Answer: (d) paría. Antes needs the imperfect, and the yo form is paría.
7. Complete the sentence: Mañana, yo ___ sin complicaciones en la clínica.
- (a) parirá
- (b) pariremos
- (c) pariré
- (d) parirás
Answer: (c) pariré. Mañana needs the future, and the yo form is pariré.
8. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ a su primer hijo en casa.
- (a) ha parido
- (b) hemos parido
- (c) he parido
- (d) has parido
Answer: (c) he parido. The present perfect uses haber plus the participle: he parido.
9. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ a su hija en primavera.
- (a) para
- (b) paras
- (c) paramos
- (d) paráis
Answer: (a) para. After espero que Spanish needs the subjunctive, and the él form is para.
10. What does parir mean in English?
- (a) to give birth
- (b) to shine brightly
- (c) to turn green again
- (d) to liven up
Answer: (a) to give birth. parir means "to give birth" in English.
Frequently asked questions about parir
What does parir mean?
parir means "to give birth" in English. Use it when you talk about her first child at home, twins in hospital, her daughter in spring and complications in the clinic — for example: Yo paro a su primer hijo en casa. — "I give birth her first child at home."
Is there a reflexive form of parir?
No. parir is not reflexive, so it is used without a pronoun: Yo paro a su primer hijo en casa. — "I give birth her first child at home."
What is the most common mistake with parir?
The tense, not the form. Learners use the present tense for yesterday, or the preterite for a habit. Remember: Yo paro a su primer hijo en casa. — "I give birth her first child at home." is a habit, while Ayer, yo parí a su primer hijo en casa is one finished action.
How can I practise parir?
Take the quiz above, then make your own sentences: change the person in each example, change the complement to something from your own life, and say the sentence aloud. The verb quiz and the verb translator on this site give you more practice with the same forms.