Skip to main content

Born or borne?

Born​

We use born in the phrase be born to indicate that a child has entered the world:

  • They say that in China a new baby is born every five minutes.
warning

We use was/were born when we talk about when or where someone started their life:

  • I was born in 1988.
  • Not: I am born in 1988. Or I born in 1988.

Bear, bore, borne​

Bear means to tolerate something, usually something that you dislike. It is most commonly used in the expression can’t bear. The past form is bore and the -ed form is borne:

  • I can’t bear so much football on television.
  • She has borne all her problems with great courage.

The verb bear is sometimes used to describe the act of giving birth. It is most commonly used in the past tense and in rather formal situations. Have is more common when talking about giving birth:

  • She bore twelve children in twenty-two years. (or, more commonly, She had twelve children …)