Born

True story to illustrate the frustrations of the language barrier:

Me: Ok class. Do you know what "born" means? As in "a baby is born in a hospital?"
Class: No....what is "born"?
Me: Well, you know what "birthday" means right?
Class: Yes!
Me: Well your birthday is when you were BORN. Understand?
Class: So, "birthday" and "born" are same?
Me: Well, no, not exactly, your birthday is the DAY when you were born. It's WHEN you were born.
Class: So born is year of birthday?
Me: What? No! Ok... being born is the first day you are alive
Class: What is "alive"?
Me: Um...the first day of your life. the day your life started.
Class: What is "life"?
Me: OK. The day your mother had you...She went to the hospital and she had you. When she had you, you were born.
Class: Had me?
Me: Ok, never mind.... How about this: I was BORN on September 4th! that is the day I was born. My birthday is the day I was born. Do you understand what born means?
Class: so born means birthday?
Me: No! Born is what happens ON your First birthday. "born" is when a baby comes.
Class: Comes from where?
Me: what?
Class: A baby comes from where?
Me: Ok, class is over.



Born (bôrn) - a past participle of bear, meaning "brought into life by birth"