How to Say "lives" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “lives” is “vidas” — use 'vidas' when referring to the existence or life of multiple people, animals, or even abstract concepts..
vidas
/BEE-dahs//'bi.ðas/
Examples
Los bomberos arriesgan sus vidas para salvar a otros.
Firefighters risk their lives to save others.
Las vidas de nuestros abuelos eran muy diferentes a las nuestras.
Our grandparents' lives were very different from ours.
El huracán destruyó casas y vidas.
The hurricane destroyed homes and livelihoods.
It's the Plural of 'Vida'
'Vidas' is simply the plural form of 'vida' (life). To make most Spanish nouns that end in a vowel plural, you just add an -s. Easy!
Always Feminine: 'Las Vidas'
Because 'vida' is a feminine word, its plural form 'vidas' is also feminine. That's why you'll always see it with feminine words like 'las', 'muchas', or 'unas'.
One Life vs. Many Lives
Mistake: “Sometimes learners use the singular 'vida' when talking about multiple people's lives: 'La vida de los jugadores es corta.'”
Correction: When each person has their own distinct life, use the plural: 'Las vidas de los jugadores son cortas.' Use the singular 'la vida' to talk about 'life' as a general concept: 'La vida es corta.'
vive
/bee-beh//ˈbi.be/
Examples
Mi hermana vive en Barcelona.
My sister lives in Barcelona.
Él vive una vida muy interesante.
He lives a very interesting life.
La reina vive en el palacio.
The queen lives in the palace.
Talking About 'He', 'She', or 'You (Formal)'
The '-e' ending on 'vive' tells you the action is being done by 'él' (he), 'ella' (she), or 'usted' (the formal 'you'). It's the go-to form for talking about one other person.
'Live' vs. 'Alive'
Mistake: “Using 'está vivo' when you mean 'vive'.”
Correction: Use 'vive en...' for where someone lives ('Mi tío vive en Perú'). Use 'está vivo/a' to emphasize that someone is alive ('¡El paciente está vivo!'). While 'vive' can also mean 'is alive,' it's less common and emphatic in that sense.
Noun vs. Verb Confusion
Related Translations
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