How to Say "to survive" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to survive” is “sobrevivir” — use this word when the primary meaning is to remain alive after a dangerous event or situation.
Use this word when the primary meaning is to remain alive after a dangerous event or situation.
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Use this word to express that something, like a battery or a person's life, continues for a long time, often implying endurance under specific conditions.
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Employ this word when someone is barely managing to stay alive, typically with very limited resources or facing significant hardship.
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Use this word to indicate a state of being or continuing to live, often when life is monotonous, difficult, or focused on a single aspect, like work.
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This reflexive verb is used when referring to the effort of supporting oneself or staying afloat financially and physically in challenging circumstances.
Learn more →so-bre-vi-'virsoβɾeβiˈβiɾ
Examples
Sobrevivió al accidente de avión milagrosamente.
He miraculously survived the plane crash.
Ella sobrevivió a todos sus hermanos.
She outlived all her brothers and sisters.
Necesitas agua para sobrevivir en el desierto.
You need water to survive in the desert.
Using 'a' after sobrevivir
When you survive an event or disaster, Spanish often uses the preposition 'a' (to/at) right before the thing you survived: 'Sobrevivió al fuego' (He survived the fire).
Forgetting the Preposition
Mistake: “Sobrevivimos el huracán.”
Correction: Sobrevivimos *al* huracán. (Remember the 'a' when surviving an event or person.)
doo-RAHRduˈɾaɾ
Examples
Este tipo de batería dura más que el modelo anterior.
This type of battery lasts longer than the previous model.
Queremos comprar muebles que duren.
We want to buy furniture that holds up (lasts).
No creo que mi viejo coche dure otro invierno.
I don't think my old car will survive another winter.
Use with Negatives
When you say something won't last or don't think it will last, Spanish often uses the special form (subjunctive) in the second part of the sentence: 'No creo que dure' (I don't believe it will last).
sub-sees-TEERsuβsisˈtiɾ
Examples
Ellos subsisten con solo diez euros al día.
They subsist on only ten euros a day.
En el desierto es difícil subsistir sin agua.
In the desert, it is difficult to survive without water.
Muchos artistas tienen que buscar otros trabajos para subsistir.
Many artists have to look for other jobs to get by.
Using 'Con' vs 'De'
To explain what someone is surviving on, you can use 'con' (with) or 'de' (of/from). For example: 'subsistir con poco' or 'subsistir de la pesca'.
Difference from Vivir
While 'vivir' simply means to live, 'subsistir' specifically focuses on the struggle or the minimum requirements to stay alive.
Subsistir vs Sobrevivir in accidents
Mistake: “Using 'subsistir' for surviving a car crash.”
Correction: Use 'sobrevivir' for specific life-threatening events; 'subsistir' is for ongoing survival through time with limited resources.
ehk-sees-TEEReɣ.sisˈtiɾ
Examples
Ella solo existe para su trabajo; no tiene vida social.
She only lives for her work; she has no social life.
En ese pueblo, la gente existe con muy pocos recursos.
In that town, people subsist on very few resources.
Existimos en un mundo lleno de contradicciones.
We live in a world full of contradictions.
Existir vs. Vivir
While both mean 'to live,' 'vivir' usually refers to the act of being alive or residing somewhere. 'Existir' in this sense often carries a deeper, more reflective tone about the quality or purpose of life.
mahn-teh-NEHR-sehman.teˈneɾ.se
Examples
Es difícil mantenerse en esta ciudad sin un buen trabajo.
It is difficult to support oneself in this city without a good job.
¿Cómo se mantiene con solo medio tiempo?
How does she make a living with only part-time work?
Decidió mantenerse por su cuenta y mudarse.
He decided to support himself independently and move out.
Context is Key
When 'mantenerse' is used with phrases like 'con poco dinero' (with little money) or 'trabajando' (working), it almost always means financial self-sufficiency.
Sobrevivir vs. Subsistir
Learners often confuse 'sobrevivir' and 'subsistir'. Remember that 'sobrevivir' is about remaining alive after a threat, like an accident. 'Subsistir' implies a continuous, difficult struggle to merely exist with minimal resources.
Related Translations
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