[Answered] waht's the past form of born?

[kite]

Hi teachers,

What's the past form of the verb "born". I know it is usually used as an adjective most of the time. But when it comes to a verb, what the past form will be?

Thanks.

 

[Raymott]

Hi teachers,

What's the past form of the verb "born". I know it is usually used as an adjective most of the time. But when it comes to a verb, what the past form will be?

Thanks.

There is no verb "to born". "Born" comes from "to bear". bear/bore/born. The simple past tense of 'bear' is 'bore'. The past participle is 'born', and it is this form that makes adjectives.

 

[kite]

This is what makes me confused.

 

[Barb_D]

How does it make you confused?

 

[kite]

My dictionary clearly says that there is a verb "born". I personally have never seen the word "born" used as a verb.

 

[engee30]

Yes, it can be a little confusing - this is what Cambridge says in its First Edition:

 

[Barb_D]

There is no verb "to born". "Born" comes from "to bear". bear/bore/born. The simple past tense of 'bear' is 'bore'. The past participle is 'born', and it is this form that makes adjectives.

My dictionary clearly says that there is a verb "born". I personally have never seen the word "born" used as a verb.

There is no verb "to born."

The verb, as Raymott says, is "to bear" and one of the forms of the verb is "born."

We rarely use "to bear" in the active voice, but it would be something like "She bore a son whlie she was living in England."
We almost always she "Her son was born while she was living in England."

We do not say "My mother bore me in California." We say "I was born in California."

 

[Raymott]

Actually, I think we use 'to bear' more often than Barb implies.
"I can't bear it any longer!"; "How much more can I bear?"; "I don't bear any grudges."
"I bore no ill-will towards him."; "I didn't like his treatment of me, but I bore it."

That is, uses of 'bear' not meaning 'to have a child' are common.

kite, yes you are right in saying that your dictionary entry is confusing, saying "born, v"

 

[konungursvia]

But there is a verb to be born.

 

[Barb_D]

I was referring to the "giving birth" type of "bear" as not being used in the active.

 

[Tdol]

My dictionary clearly says that there is a verb "born". I personally have never seen the word "born" used as a verb.

They use it in the learner's dictionary:
born (BEGAN TO EXIST) - definition in the American English Dictionary - Cambridge Dictionaries Online (US)

But the regular dictionary is different:
born verb - definition in the Learner's Dictionary - Cambridge Dictionaries Online (US)

I think it's an attempt to make things simpler for learners, one that has backfired in your case.