sobrevivir
Lemma Details
Translation: to survive; to outlive; to endure; to live on
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: From Latin 'supervivere', composed of 'super' (over, above, beyond) and 'vivere' (to live). The English cognate 'survive' shares the same Latin root. The prefix 'sobre-' in Spanish corresponds to 'super-' in Latin and 'over-' or 'sur-' in English, indicating continuation beyond a normal endpoint or condition.
Commonality: 80%
Guessability: 90%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Muchas especies no pudieron sobrevivir a la era glacial.
Many species couldn't survive the ice age.
Sobrevivió al accidente con solo unos rasguños.
He survived the accident with just a few scratches.
Las tradiciones han sobrevivido por generaciones.
The traditions have survived for generations.
Espero que estas plantas sobrevivan al invierno.
I hope these plants survive the winter.
Mnemonics
- Think 'sobre' (over) + 'vivir' (to live) = to live over or beyond something challenging.
- Sounds like 'survive' in English with a Spanish pronunciation.
- Visualize someone climbing 'sobre' (over) a wall to 'vivir' (live).
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Cultural Context
The concept of 'sobrevivir' is particularly resonant in Spanish-speaking countries that have experienced civil wars, dictatorships, or natural disasters. It often carries emotional weight in literature and personal narratives about overcoming hardship.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'sobrevivir' means 'to survive', 'convivir' means 'to live together' or 'to coexist'.
Confused word:
Es importante aprender a convivir con personas diferentes.
It's important to learn to live together with different people.
Notes: Both are -ir verbs related to living but with very different contexts and implications.
Mnemonic: 'Sobre-' suggests overcoming something (surviving), while 'con-' suggests togetherness (living with).
Explanation: 'Sobrevivir' means to continue living through hardship, while 'revivir' means to bring back to life or to relive.
Confused word:
El médico logró revivir al paciente después del paro cardíaco.
The doctor managed to revive the patient after cardiac arrest.
Notes: Both verbs relate to life, but 'sobrevivir' is about continuing through difficulty, while 'revivir' is about returning to life or reliving experiences.
Mnemonic: 'Sobre-' means over/beyond (surviving beyond), while 're-' means again (living again).