Spanish word

vivir

Pronunciation

IPA/biˈβiɾ/

Meaning

  • verblive

Example

Quiero vivir muchos años.

I want to live for many years.

Illustration for vivir (live)

More examples

Mi abuelo siempre quiso vivir bien.

My grandfather always wanted to live well.

Core concept

A person alive engaged in everyday life.

Common phrases

  • vivir en

    live in

  • vivir solo

    live alone

  • vivir bien

    live well

  • vivir con

    live with

Similar words

mudarse: Move to a new house or residence.
instalarse: Settle into a new place and start living there.
quedarse: Remain in a place for a short or temporary time.
alojarse: Stay temporarily at a hotel or someone's home.

Definition in Spanish

Existir y mantener la propia vida; también emplear para indicar dónde se habita o cómo se lleva la vida.

Word origin

From Latin vivere 'to live', from vivus 'alive', with the root viv- giving the core sense of life and ongoing activity.

Usage tips

  • Vivir typically uses en to indicate where someone lives and de to indicate what someone lives on, while existir usually means mere existence rather than active living.

Other meanings

  • resideverb
  • live one's lifeverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word