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viven

VEE-vehn/ˈbiβen/

they live, you all live

Also: 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 practice

Also: 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 subsist

Also: 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)

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

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

imperfect

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

preterite

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

subjunctive

present

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

imperfect

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

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✏️ 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▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 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).