How to Say "getting by" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “getting by” is “tirando” — B1 level.
English → SpanishB1
Continous Verb Form (Gerund)B1informal
financially or in life, surviving
Examples
La vida es difícil, pero vamos tirando.
Life is hard, but we are getting by (managing).
Con el sueldo de mi esposa, estamos tirando hasta que encuentre un trabajo.
With my wife's salary, we are managing until I find a job.
— ¿Cómo te va con la renta? — Ahí, tirando.
— How are you doing with the rent? — Hanging in there (getting by).
Idiomatic Use with 'Ir'
When used figuratively, 'tirando' is almost always paired with 'ir' (to go) in the progressive form ('voy tirando', 'vamos tirando') to mean 'we are moving forward, but barely'.
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