What Does “Grow’st” from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 Mean in Modern English?
William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 is one of the most famous poems in English literature — it begins with the unforgettable line, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” But among its beautiful words, there’s one that often makes readers stop: “grow’st.”
If you’ve read the sonnet and wondered, “What does grow’st mean in modern English?”, this article will break it down in a simple way so you understand it fully — with examples to make it crystal clear.
Understanding the Word “Grow’st”
In Shakespeare’s time, English had slightly different grammar rules compared to today. The word “grow’st” is simply an old-fashioned form of “growest,” which is the second person singular present tense of “to grow.”
It means “you grow” or “you will continue to grow.” The apostrophe in “grow’st” is just a way to shorten or contract the word to fit the rhythm of the poem.
Why Shakespeare Used “Grow’st”
- Poetic rhythm: Shakespeare wrote sonnets in iambic pentameter, which means each line has ten syllables with alternating unstressed and stressed beats. “Grow’st” fits that rhythm perfectly.
- Grammar of the time: In the 1500s and 1600s, it was common to add “-est” or “-st” to verbs when talking to “you” in the singular form. For example, “thou goest” meant “you go.”
- Style: The older form added elegance and formality to his poetry.
Where “Grow’st” Appears in Sonnet 18
“Grow’st” appears in the lines that talk about the subject’s beauty increasing over time — in the “eternal lines” of the poem, the person described will continue to live and grow in the minds of future readers.
In simple terms, Shakespeare is saying: Your beauty will grow and live on forever in these written words.
Modern English Translation
If we rewrite the part containing “grow’st” in modern English, it becomes:
“… and you will continue to grow in beauty and life through these eternal lines of poetry.”
So “grow’st” is really just “you grow” or “you will grow,” but in Shakespeare’s poetic style.
Real-Life Analogy
Imagine you take a photograph of a friend today, and 100 years later, people still look at that photo and admire how young and beautiful they look. In a way, their beauty has “grown” — not physically, but in the minds of future viewers. That’s exactly what Shakespeare is doing: his poem acts like a timeless photograph, keeping the person’s charm alive forever.
Breaking Down the Meaning Step-by-Step
- Grow: Increase, continue, or develop.
- Grow’st: Old English form meaning “you grow” or “you will grow.”
- In the sonnet’s context: Not physical growth, but the growth of reputation, beauty, and life in literature.
- Modern meaning: “You will live on and be remembered forever in these lines.”
Why This Matters for Readers
Understanding words like “grow’st” helps us connect with Shakespeare’s poetry without feeling lost. Many people get discouraged by older forms of English, but when you break them down, they’re often much simpler than they seem.
Tips for Reading Shakespeare’s Language
- Identify old verb endings like “-est” or “-st” and translate them to simple modern verbs.
- Look at the full sentence for meaning, not just individual words.
- Remember the context — Shakespeare often speaks in metaphor, so growth might mean fame, love, or memory rather than physical change.
Key Takeaways
- Grow’st = “You grow” or “You will grow” in modern English.
- Shakespeare used it to fit poetic meter and grammar of his time.
- In Sonnet 18, it refers to living on forever through his poetry.
- Understanding older forms makes Shakespeare’s work much easier to enjoy.
💡 Final Thought
In modern English, “grow’st” simply means “you grow” or “you will continue to grow.” But in the beautiful world of Sonnet 18, it carries a much deeper meaning — the idea that someone’s beauty, essence, and life will keep flourishing in the lines of a poem forever. So the next time you see a word like “grow’st” in Shakespeare, don’t get stuck on the spelling. Translate it in your mind, and you’ll discover the timeless brilliance hidden within the verse.