Is there anything more important than living? Well, probably not, but learning how to use and conjugate the verb vivir in Spanish comes close to it. Vivir often translates as ‘‘to live’’ in English. Also, it can be used to refer to actions such as ‘‘to subsist,’’ ‘‘to reside,’’ and ‘‘to spend one’s life doing something,’’ among others. The good thing about learning how to use this regular ir-ending verb is that it allows any Spanish learner to conjugate other verbs with the same ending. Here is how the conjugation for vivir goes:
Present Conjugation for Vivir
|
Yo |
vivo |
Nosotros |
vivimos |
|
Tú |
vives |
Vosotros |
vivís |
|
Él/Ella/Ud. |
vive |
Ellos/Ellas/Uds. |
viven |
Example sentence:
No entiendo porqué no te levantas temprano, tú vives muy lejos de tu trabajo. -- I don’t understand why you don’t get up early; you live far away from your workplace.
Imperfect
|
Yo |
vivía |
Nosotros |
vivíamos |
|
Tú |
vivías |
Vosotros |
vivíais |
|
Él/Ella/Ud. |
vivía |
Ellos/Ellas/Uds. |
vivían |
Example sentence:
Era muy difícil visitar a nuestros amigos porque vivíamos muy lejos de ellos. -- It was really hard for us to visit our friends because we used live far from them.
Preterite
|
Yo |
viví |
Nosotros |
vivimos |
|
Tú |
viviste |
Vosotros |
vivisteis |
|
Él/Ella/Ud. |
vivió |
Ellos/Ellas/Uds. |
vivieron |
Example sentence:
Samantha vivió un año en Londres. -- Samantha lived in London for a year.
Future
|
Yo |
viviré |
Nosotros |
viviremos |
|
Tú |
vivirás |
Vosotros |
viviréis |
|
Él/Ella/Ud. |
vivirá |
Ellos/Ellas/Uds. |
vivirán |
Example sentence:
Su recuerdo siempre vivirá en nuestras memorias. -- His memory will always be with us.
Conditional
|
Yo |
viviría |
Nosotros |
viviríamos |
|
Tú |
vivirías |
Vosotros |
viviríais |
|
Él/Ella/Ud. |
viviría |
Ellos/Ellas/Uds. |
vivirían |
Example sentence:
Tu mamá no viviría cerca de tu primo. Él es una persona bastante problemática. -- Your mom wouldn’t live near your cousin. He is a very problematic person.
Additional Examples with Vivir
No me malinterpretes, tú me caes muy bien. Pero creo que estás viviendo fuera de tus posibilidades. -- Don’t get me wrong; I like you a lot, but I think you are living beyond your means.
Él solo vive para la música. -- Music is his whole life.
No puedo vivir de la enseñanza. -- I can’t make a living from teaching.
Vivieron felices para siempre. -- They lived happily ever after.
Sonia vivió momentos de verdadera agonía. -- Sonia went through moments of real agony.
Idiomatic Expressions with Vivir
Vivir is also used in several idioms in Spanish, some of which are very commonly said by native speakers all the time. For example:
- Vivir al límite. -- Live on the edge. While self-explanatory, this idiomatic expression is used when talking about people who are constantly exposed to physical, psychological, and other types of dangers.
- Vivir como perros y gatos. -- To be at each other’s throats. This one is used when talking about people who are arguing angrily.
Final Notes on Vivir
The importance of this verb cannot be understated. In Spanish, vivir is a very common word, not to mention easy to use. Just remember the conjugation of ir-ending verbs and you are set. Live on!