Inklingo

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.

sobrevivir🔊B1

Use this word when the primary meaning is to remain alive after a dangerous event or situation.

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durar🔊B1

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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subsistir🔊B1

Employ this word when someone is barely managing to stay alive, typically with very limited resources or facing significant hardship.

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existir🔊B1

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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mantenerse🔊B2

This reflexive verb is used when referring to the effort of supporting oneself or staying afloat financially and physically in challenging circumstances.

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English → Spanish

sobrevivir

so-bre-vi-'virsoβɾeβiˈβiɾ

verbB1general
Use this word when the primary meaning is to remain alive after a dangerous event or situation.
A vibrant green sprout pushing up through dry, cracked earth, symbolizing remaining alive against odds.

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.)

durar

doo-RAHRduˈɾaɾ

verbB1general
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.
A durable, sturdy brown leather boot that looks old but is still completely intact and in excellent, usable condition.

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).

subsistir

sub-sees-TEERsuβsisˈtiɾ

verbB1general
Employ this word when someone is barely managing to stay alive, typically with very limited resources or facing significant hardship.
A small bowl containing a few grains of rice and a single glass of water on a plain wooden table.

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.

existir

ehk-sees-TEEReɣ.sisˈtiɾ

verbB1general
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.
A tiny, healthy green sprout pushes up vigorously from dark brown soil toward a bright sun, illustrating the act of living and subsisting.

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.

mantenerse

mahn-teh-NEHR-sehman.teˈneɾ.se

verbB2general
This reflexive verb is used when referring to the effort of supporting oneself or staying afloat financially and physically in challenging circumstances.
A cheerful person harvesting vegetables from their small, well-tended garden, symbolizing self-sufficiency and supporting oneself.

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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