sobrevivir
/so-bre-vi-'vir/
to survive
When you sobrevivir (survive), you remain alive, often pushing through difficult circumstances, like this resilient plant.
sobrevivir(verb)
to survive
?to remain alive
,to outlive
?to live longer than someone else
to weather
?to get through a difficult period
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'a' after sobrevivir
When you survive an event or disaster, Spanish often uses the preposition 'a' (to/at) right before the thing you survived: 'Sobrevivió al fuego' (He survived the fire).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Preposition
Mistake: "Sobrevivimos el huracán."
Correction: Sobrevivimos *al* huracán. (Remember the 'a' when surviving an event or person.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Intransitive Use
This verb often doesn't need an object. You can simply say 'Sobrevivieron' (They survived) without specifying what they survived.
To sobrevivir can also mean to scrape by, managing to live frugally with limited financial resources.
sobrevivir(verb)
to scrape by
?financially or materially
,to get by
?to manage with little
to subsist
?to maintain life minimally
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Expressing the Means of Survival
When talking about what you use to barely survive (like food or money), Spanish often uses the preposition 'con' (with) or the phrase 'a base de' (on the basis of): 'Sobrevive con un trabajo' (He survives with one job).
⭐ Usage Tips
Survival of Concepts
This meaning can apply to abstract things too, like traditions, companies, or ideas that manage to continue existing despite challenges: 'La tradición sobrevivió al tiempo.'
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: sobrevivir
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'sobrevivir' in the sense of 'to scrape by financially'?
📚 More Resources
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).