Spanish Conversation · Level 124
60 words
Spanish word
malvivir
Pronunciation
IPA/malβiˈβiɾ/
Meaning
- verblive in poverty
Example
No quiero malvivir, prefiero buscar un trabajo estable.
I don't want to live in poverty, I prefer to look for a steady job.
More examples
Los ancianos tuvieron que malvivir con pensiones muy bajas.
The elderly had to live in poverty on very low pensions.
Core concept
Subsistence-level living.
Common phrases
malvivir de limosnas
live off handouts
malvivir con lo mínimo
live on the bare minimum
Similar words
subsistir: Living on barely enough income to cover basic needs, maintaining only the essentials.
sobrevivir: Surviving a dangerous or crisis situation, managing to stay alive through hardship.
Definition in Spanish
Vivir en situación de pobreza, con recursos muy limitados y apenas cubriendo lo esencial.
Word origin
From Spanish mal- 'bad' plus vivir 'to live', originally 'to live badly' and now used to describe living in poverty with very limited resources.
Usage tips
- A strong, somewhat judgmental term in Spanish, so speakers often prefer softer phrases like tener dificultades económicas in polite conversation.
Other meanings
- live on littleverb
- barely get byverb
Opposites
- prosperarprosperverb
- enriquecersebecome wealthyverb