The correct phrase in the English language is “to bear children.” The phrase “to bare children” is incorrect and should not be used.
The reason “to bear children” is correct is because the verb to bear means to support or to carry, which is the case when a woman is pregnant. She carries her children. “To bear a child” actually relates to the entire process of being pregnant and subsequently giving birth.
The phrase is somewhat old and is not as common in daily conversation as it once was. It is more often found in religious language and is used to avoid thinking about the specific details of pregnancy.
- Example 1: To bear children is to take part in the miracle of life.
- Example 2: “The devastating injuries treated by Dr. Mukwege at his hospital can all but stun the imagination. There is no need to detail them further here. AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases are commonplace. Often the ability to bear children is destroyed. In many other cases, women end up giving birth to the children of their rapists.” – The New York Times, The Invisible War
Meaning of the Phrase “Bore a Child”
“Bore” is just the past simple form of the verb “to bear.”
- Example: They were married in the summer, and by the late Spring, she bore her first child.
Check out our related article: Is it “Bear with me” or “Bare with me?”
