Meaning and Usage
The verb vivre means to live in English. It is often used to express the state of living, existence, or experiencing life. It can describe where someone lives, how they live their life, or general existence.
Verb Type
Vivre is an irregular French verb, meaning it does not follow the regular conjugation patterns of -er, -ir, or -re verbs. It is most commonly used in present, past, and future tenses, with some irregular conjugations.
Present Tense Conjugation
The present tense of vivre expresses ongoing or habitual living.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | vis | I live | Je vis à Paris. | I live in Paris. |
| tu | vis | you live | Tu vis près de la mer. | You live near the sea. |
| il/elle/on | vit | he/she/one lives | Elle vit heureuse. | She lives happily. |
| nous | vivons | we live | Nous vivons ensemble. | We live together. |
| vous | vivez | you (formal/pl) live | Vous vivez en ville. | You live in the city. |
| ils/elles | vivent | they live | Ils vivent à la campagne. | They live in the countryside. |
Past Tense (Passé Composé)
The passé composé of vivre uses the auxiliary verb avoir and the past participle vécu.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | ai vécu | I lived/have lived | J'ai vécu en France pendant un an. | I lived in France for a year. |
| tu | as vécu | you lived/have lived | Tu as vécu des moments difficiles. | You lived through tough times. |
| il/elle/on | a vécu | he/she/one lived | Il a vécu une expérience unique. | He lived a unique experience. |
| nous | avons vécu | we lived/have lived | Nous avons vécu ensemble. | We lived together. |
| vous | avez vécu | you lived/have lived | Vous avez vécu à Londres. | You lived in London. |
| ils/elles | ont vécu | they lived/have lived | Elles ont vécu une belle aventure. | They lived a beautiful adventure. |
Future Tense
The future tense of vivre expresses what will happen regarding living in the future.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | vivrai | I will live | Je vivrai en Italie un jour. | I will live in Italy one day. |
| tu | vivras | you will live | Tu vivras mieux bientôt. | You will live better soon. |
| il/elle/on | vivra | he/she/one will live | Elle vivra heureuse. | She will live happily. |
| nous | vivrons | we will live | Nous vivrons longtemps. | We will live a long time. |
| vous | vivrez | you will live | Vous vivrez ensemble. | You will live together. |
| ils/elles | vivront | they will live | Ils vivront en paix. | They will live in peace. |
Common Expressions with Vivre
- vivre sa vie – to live one's life
- vivre heureux – to live happily
- vivre ensemble – to live together
- vivre l'instant présent – to live in the moment
Understanding how to conjugate and use vivre will help express various ideas related to life and living in French.
