sobrevivir
“sobrevivir” means “to survive” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to survive, to outlive
Also: to weather
📝 In Action
Sobrevivió al accidente de avión milagrosamente.
B1He miraculously survived the plane crash.
Ella sobrevivió a todos sus hermanos.
B2She outlived all her brothers and sisters.
Necesitas agua para sobrevivir en el desierto.
A2You need water to survive in the desert.
to scrape by, to get by
Also: to subsist
📝 In Action
Con ese sueldo, apenas puede sobrevivir.
B2With that salary, he can barely scrape by.
La empresa logró sobrevivir a la crisis económica.
C1The company managed to survive (get through) the economic crisis.
Sobreviven a base de arroz y frijoles.
B2They survive on a diet of rice and beans.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: sobrevivir
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'sobrevivir' in the sense of 'to scrape by financially'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the prefix *sobre-* (meaning 'over' or 'beyond') combined with the verb *vivir* ('to live'). The idea is literally 'to live beyond' a certain point or event.
First recorded: Medieval Spanish
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'sobrevivir' a stem-changing verb?
'Sobrevivir' is a completely regular -ir verb. Unlike verbs like *dormir* or *sentir*, its stem ('sobreviv-') does not change when you conjugate it in the present tense or other forms. It follows the standard pattern for -ir verbs.
Do I need a preposition after 'sobrevivir'?
Yes, usually. When you specify the thing you survived (a disaster, a crisis, or a person you outlived), you typically use the preposition 'a': 'sobrevivir *al* terremoto' (to survive the earthquake).