Inklingo
Dictionary

viven

VEE-vehnˈbiβen

“viven” means “they live” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:

they liveA1Verb

residence or current existence

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they experienceB1Verb

a certain situation

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they make a livingB2Verb

financial survival

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they live, you all liveAlso: they reside

VerbA1regular ir
Two friendly characters sitting together on a couch in the living room of a small, brightly colored house.
infinitivevivir
gerundviviendo
past Participlevivido

📝 In Action

Mis abuelos viven en un pueblo pequeño.

A1

My grandparents live in a small town.

¿Dónde viven ustedes ahora?

A2

Where do you all live now?

Ellos viven felices a pesar de los problemas.

A2

They live happily despite the problems.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • viven cerca – they live nearby
  • viven lejos – they live far away

they experience, they practiceAlso: they go through

VerbB1regular ir
Two figures standing outside, looking up with expressions of wonder as colorful flower petals gently fall around them.
infinitivevivir
gerundviviendo
past Participlevivido

📝 In Action

Los actores viven un momento de mucha fama.

B1

The actors are experiencing a moment of great fame.

Ellos viven de forma muy austera y simple.

B2

They live in a very austere and simple way (lifestyle).

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • viven una aventura – they are living an adventure
  • viven en paz – they live in peace

they make a living, they subsistAlso: they are supported by

VerbB2regular ir
Two cheerful figures harvesting ripe vegetables from a small, colorful garden into a woven basket.
infinitivevivir
gerundviviendo
past Participlevivido

📝 In Action

Viven de la pesca y el turismo local.

B2

They make a living from fishing and local tourism.

Muchos artistas viven al día, sin ahorros.

C1

Many artists live day to day (subsist), without savings.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • viven de algo – they live off something (source of income)

Indicative

Present

yovivo
túvives
él/ella/ustedvive
nosotrosvivimos
vosotrosvivís
ellos/ellas/ustedesviven

Imperfect

yovivía
túvivías
él/ella/ustedvivía
nosotrosvivíamos
vosotrosvivíais
ellos/ellas/ustedesvivían

Preterite

yoviví
túviviste
él/ella/ustedvivió
nosotrosvivimos
vosotrosvivisteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesvivieron

Subjunctive

Present Subjunctive

yoviva
túvivas
él/ella/ustedviva
nosotrosvivamos
vosotrosviváis
ellos/ellas/ustedesvivan

Imperfect Subjunctive

yoviviera
túvivieras
él/ella/ustedviviera
nosotrosviviéramos
vosotrosvivierais
ellos/ellas/ustedesvivieran
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "viven" in Spanish:

they experiencethey livethey practicethey residethey subsist

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: viven

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'viven' to talk about making a living (Sense 3)?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
vivir(to live) — Verb
la vida(life) — Noun
viviente(living being) — Adjective / Noun
🎵 Rhymes
tienenvienen
📚 Etymology

The word *vivir* comes directly from the Latin verb *vīvere*, meaning 'to be alive' or 'to exist,' showing its ancient and fundamental role in the language.

First recorded: Before the 10th century (Old Spanish)

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: vivonoFrench: vivent

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'viven' used for people or things?

'Viven' (from 'vivir') is primarily used for living beings (people, animals, plants). You would use 'están' (from 'estar') or 'quedan' (from 'quedar) for the location of inanimate objects.

How do I say 'They used to live'?

You would use the Imperfect tense: 'vivían'. For example, 'Ellos vivían en Madrid' (They used to live in Madrid).