The model -ir verb
Vivir is the textbook example of a regular -ir verb. Most endings are the same as -er verbs (vivo, vives, vive), except nosotros and vosotros in the present: vivimos, vivís (vs. comemos, coméis). And ¡viva! = long live… / hooray!
Indicative tenses of vivir
Facts and things that happen: the tenses you'll use most.
Present indicative
| yo | vivoI live |
|---|---|
| tú | vivesyou live |
| él/ella/usted | vivehe/she lives |
| nosotros/as | vivimoswe live |
| vosotros/as | vivísyou all live |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | viventhey live |
¿Dónde vives? (where do you live?) is one of the first questions you'll learn.
Preterite indicative
| yo | vivíI lived |
|---|---|
| tú | vivisteyou lived |
| él/ella/usted | vivióhe/she lived |
| nosotros/as | vivimoswe lived |
| vosotros/as | vivisteisyou all lived |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | vivieronthey lived |
Imperfect indicative
| yo | vivíaI used to live |
|---|---|
| tú | vivíasyou used to live |
| él/ella/usted | vivíahe/she used to live |
| nosotros/as | vivíamoswe used to live |
| vosotros/as | vivíaisyou all used to live |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | vivíanthey used to live |
Present continuous indicative
| yo | estoy viviendoI am living |
|---|---|
| tú | estás viviendoyou are living |
| él/ella/usted | está viviendohe/she is living |
| nosotros/as | estamos viviendowe are living |
| vosotros/as | estáis viviendoyou all are living |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | están viviendothey are living |
estar + gerund
Informal future indicative
| yo | voy a vivirI am going to live |
|---|---|
| tú | vas a viviryou are going to live |
| él/ella/usted | va a vivirhe/she is going to live |
| nosotros/as | vamos a vivirwe are going to live |
| vosotros/as | vais a viviryou all are going to live |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | van a vivirthey are going to live |
ir a + infinitive
Future indicative
| yo | viviréI will live |
|---|---|
| tú | vivirásyou will live |
| él/ella/usted | viviráhe/she will live |
| nosotros/as | viviremoswe will live |
| vosotros/as | viviréisyou all will live |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | viviránthey will live |
Conditional indicative
| yo | viviríaI would live |
|---|---|
| tú | viviríasyou would live |
| él/ella/usted | viviríahe/she would live |
| nosotros/as | viviríamoswe would live |
| vosotros/as | viviríaisyou all would live |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | viviríanthey would live |
Present perfect indicative
| yo | he vividoI have lived |
|---|---|
| tú | has vividoyou have lived |
| él/ella/usted | ha vividohe/she has lived |
| nosotros/as | hemos vividowe have lived |
| vosotros/as | habéis vividoyou all have lived |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | han vividothey have lived |
haber (present) + past participle
Past perfect indicative
| yo | había vividoI had lived |
|---|---|
| tú | habías vividoyou had lived |
| él/ella/usted | había vividohe/she had lived |
| nosotros/as | habíamos vividowe had lived |
| vosotros/as | habíais vividoyou all had lived |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | habían vividothey had lived |
haber (imperfect) + past participle
Future perfect indicative
| yo | habré vividoI will have lived |
|---|---|
| tú | habrás vividoyou will have lived |
| él/ella/usted | habrá vividohe/she will have lived |
| nosotros/as | habremos vividowe will have lived |
| vosotros/as | habréis vividoyou all will have lived |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | habrán vividothey will have lived |
haber (future) + past participle
Conditional perfect indicative
| yo | habría vividoI would have lived |
|---|---|
| tú | habrías vividoyou would have lived |
| él/ella/usted | habría vividohe/she would have lived |
| nosotros/as | habríamos vividowe would have lived |
| vosotros/as | habríais vividoyou all would have lived |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | habrían vividothey would have lived |
haber (conditional) + past participle
Subjunctive tenses of vivir
Wishes, doubts, emotions and "if" sentences.
Present subjunctive
| yo | viva(that) I live |
|---|---|
| tú | vivas(that) you live |
| él/ella/usted | viva(that) he/she lives |
| nosotros/as | vivamos(that) we live |
| vosotros/as | viváis(that) you all live |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | vivan(that) they live |
Imperfect subjunctive
| yo | viviera(if) I lived |
|---|---|
| tú | vivieras(if) you lived |
| él/ella/usted | viviera(if) he/she lived |
| nosotros/as | viviéramos(if) we lived |
| vosotros/as | vivierais(if) you all lived |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | vivieran(if) they lived |
Future subjunctive
| yo | viviere(if) I live |
|---|---|
| tú | vivieres(if) you live |
| él/ella/usted | viviere(if) he/she lives |
| nosotros/as | viviéremos(if) we live |
| vosotros/as | viviereis(if) you all live |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | vivieren(if) they live |
rarely used: legal & formal texts
Present perfect subjunctive
| yo | haya vivido(that) I have lived |
|---|---|
| tú | hayas vivido(that) you have lived |
| él/ella/usted | haya vivido(that) he/she has lived |
| nosotros/as | hayamos vivido(that) we have lived |
| vosotros/as | hayáis vivido(that) you all have lived |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hayan vivido(that) they have lived |
haber (present subj.) + past participle
Past perfect subjunctive
| yo | hubiera vivido(if) I had lived |
|---|---|
| tú | hubieras vivido(if) you had lived |
| él/ella/usted | hubiera vivido(if) he/she had lived |
| nosotros/as | hubiéramos vivido(if) we had lived |
| vosotros/as | hubierais vivido(if) you all had lived |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hubieran vivido(if) they had lived |
haber (imperfect subj.) + past participle
Future perfect subjunctive
| yo | hubiere vivido(if) I will have lived |
|---|---|
| tú | hubieres vivido(if) you will have lived |
| él/ella/usted | hubiere vivido(if) he/she will have lived |
| nosotros/as | hubiéremos vivido(if) we will have lived |
| vosotros/as | hubiereis vivido(if) you all will have lived |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hubieren vivido(if) they will have lived |
rarely used: legal & formal texts
Imperative tenses of vivir
Commands and instructions.
Affirmative imperative
| tú | vivelive! |
|---|---|
| usted | vivalive! (formal) |
| nosotros/as | vivamoslet's live! |
| vosotros/as | vividlive! (you all) |
| ustedes | vivanlive! (you all, formal) |
Negative imperative
| tú | no vivasdon't live! |
|---|---|
| usted | no vivadon't live! (formal) |
| nosotros/as | no vivamoslet's not live! |
| vosotros/as | no viváisdon't live! (you all) |
| ustedes | no vivandon't live! (you all, formal) |
Practice vivir
Two quick exercises. No sign-up, no app: just you and vivir.
How to use vivir
Vivo en Ámsterdam.
I live in Amsterdam.
Vivo con mi pareja.
I live with my partner.
Vivimos un momento increíble.
We had an incredible moment.
Vivo aquí desde hace dos años.
I've lived here for two years.
¡Viva España!
Long live Spain!
Example sentences with vivir
- ¿Dónde vives?Where do you live?
- Vivimos cerca del mar.We live near the sea.
- Viví tres años en Barcelona.I lived in Barcelona for three years.
- De niño vivía en el campo.As a kid I lived in the countryside.
- Algún día viviré en España.Someday I'll live in Spain.
- ¿Vivirías en otro país?Would you live in another country?
- Ojalá viviéramos más cerca.I wish we lived closer.
- He vivido en cuatro países.I've lived in four countries.
Verbs like vivir
All regular -ir verbs follow exactly the same pattern as vivir. Careful: escribir and abrir have irregular participles (escrito, abierto).
Frequently asked questions about vivir
Is vivir regular or irregular?
Vivir is completely regular. It's the model verb for all regular -ir verbs.
How do you conjugate vivir in the present tense?
vivo, vives, vive, vivimos, vivís, viven.
How do you conjugate vivir in the preterite?
viví, viviste, vivió, vivimos, vivisteis, vivieron.
How do you say "I've lived here for…" in Spanish?
Vivo aquí desde hace + time: vivo aquí desde hace tres años. Spanish uses the present tense here.
What is the difference between -er and -ir verbs?
Most endings are the same. In the present, only nosotros and vosotros differ: comemos/coméis vs. vivimos/vivís.
What is the past participle of vivir?
The past participle is vivido and the gerund is viviendo.
Free cheat sheet
All 18 tenses of vivir, on one page.
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