Inklingo

How to Say "lived" in Spanish

English → Spanish

vivió

/bee-bee-OH//biˈβjo/

VerbA1General
Use 'vivió' when referring to a completed action of living or residing in a specific place or state, typically in the past tense for he/she/you (formal).
A colorful storybook illustration showing an elderly woman sitting peacefully in a rocking chair inside a small, cozy wooden house, suggesting a settled life.

Examples

Ella vivió en Barcelona durante la guerra.

She lived in Barcelona during the war.

¿Dónde vivió usted antes de mudarse aquí?

Where did you (formal) live before moving here?

El perro vivió diecisiete años.

The dog lived seventeen years.

Preterite Tense

This form ('vivió') tells you about an action that started and finished completely in the past, like a single event or a defined period of time.

Preterite vs. Imperfect

Mistake: “Using 'vivía' when describing a specific, completed time period: 'Él vivía allí diez años.'”

Correction: Use 'vivió' for definite durations: 'Él vivió allí diez años.' Use 'vivía' only for ongoing background actions or habits.

vivido

vee-VEE-doh/biˈβi.ðo/

Past ParticipleA1General
Use 'vivido' as part of a compound verb tense (like the present perfect) to describe an experience or state that has continued up to the present, or has happened at an unspecified time in the past.
A colorful illustration depicting a long, winding dirt path leading through diverse environments: a grassy field, a river, and distant mountains, symbolizing the journey of life.

Examples

Nunca he vivido en una ciudad tan grande.

I have never lived in such a big city.

¿Ya habías vivido esto antes?

Had you experienced this before?

Perfect Tenses Helper

'Vivido' is the special form of 'vivir' that teams up with the verb 'haber' (to have) to describe actions completed in the past: 'Hemos vivido' (We have lived).

Don't use 'tener'

Mistake: “Using 'tener' instead of 'haber' to form perfect tenses: 'Tengo vivido...'”

Correction: Always use a form of 'haber' (he, has, ha, hemos, han) before 'vivido' when talking about past actions: 'He vivido...'

Past Tense vs. Present Perfect

The most common mistake is using 'vivido' (the past participle) as a standalone past tense verb. Remember, 'vivió' is the simple past for he/she/you (formal), while 'vivido' needs an auxiliary verb like 'haber' (e.g., 'he vivido') to form perfect tenses.

Related Translations

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