vivir a lo grande
Lemma Details
Translation: to live large; to live luxuriously; to live extravagantly; to live the high life
Part of Speech: phrase
Etymology: This Spanish phrase combines 'vivir' (to live) with the prepositional phrase 'a lo grande' where 'grande' means 'big/large' and 'a lo' is a construction that transforms the adjective into an adverbial expression. The phrase literally translates to 'to live in the big way' and conceptually parallels the English expression 'to live large'.
Commonality: 70%
Guessability: 50%
Register: informal
Example Usage
Después de ganar la lotería, empezó a vivir a lo grande.
After winning the lottery, he started to live large.
Los futbolistas famosos suelen vivir a lo grande con sus millones.
Famous soccer players tend to live extravagantly with their millions.
No puedes seguir viviendo a lo grande si no tienes los ingresos para mantenerlo.
You can't continue living the high life if you don't have the income to maintain it.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'grande' (big) as in 'grand lifestyle' in English
- Visualize someone living in a grand mansion with luxury cars and expensive clothes
- Connect 'a lo grande' with the English phrase 'living large'
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
This phrase is commonly used in Spanish-speaking countries to describe someone who enjoys an extravagant lifestyle, often with connotations of spending freely on luxuries and entertainment. It can be used both admiringly and critically, depending on context and tone.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'vivir en grande' might seem similar, 'vivir a lo grande' is the correct idiomatic expression for living luxuriously. 'Vivir en grande' is less common and might be interpreted more literally as 'living in something big'.
Notes: The construction 'a lo + adjective' is common in Spanish to form adverbial expressions describing manner.
Mnemonic: Remember 'a lo grande' has the article 'lo' which makes it an expression about manner (how one lives), while 'en grande' would be about location (where one lives).