Spanish Conversation · Level 41
75 words
Spanish word
sobrevivir
Pronunciation
IPA/soβɾeβiˈβiɾ/
Meaning
- verbsurvive
Example
No sé si voy a sobrevivir hasta mañana.
I don't know whether I am going to survive until tomorrow.
More examples
Después de la tormenta, algunas plantas lograron sobrevivir al frío.
After the storm, some plants managed to survive the cold.
Core concept
Remaining in operation or existence after losses or setbacks.
Common phrases
sobrevivir económicamente
survive financially
sobrevivir a la pandemia
survive the pandemic
sobrevivir al frío
survive the cold
Similar words
resistir: Withstanding external force, pressure, or strain and staying intact.
subsistir: Getting by on the bare minimum of food, money, or resources.
salvarse: Making it out of a risky accident or crisis without serious harm.
aguantar: Putting up with pain or hardship and holding on despite difficulty.
Definition in Spanish
Seguir existiendo o funcionando a pesar de dificultades, pérdidas o crisis.
Word origin
Derived from Latin supervivere (super 'over' + vivere 'to live'), later regularized in Spanish as sobrevivir.
Usage tips
- Commonly used with the preposition 'a' to mark what is overcome (e.g., 'sobrevivir a la guerra') and frequently applied to institutions as well as people.