Definition
To live; to be alive, or to spend one's life in a certain way.
Example
Elle vit dans une petite ville au bord de la mer.
Show translation
She lives in a small town by the sea.
Etymology
From Latin *vivere* ("to live"), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷih₃weti* ("to live"). Related to Spanish *vivir*, Italian *vivere*, and English "vivid" and "survive." The Latin root also gives French words like *vie* (life) and *vivant* (living).
Cultural note
*Vivre* carries strong cultural weight in French. The phrase *vive la France!* (literally "long live France!") uses a related subjunctive form. *Laissez vivre* ("let live") echoes the famous liberal motto *laissez faire*. In everyday speech, French people also use *vivre* to distinguish truly experiencing life (*vivre sa vie* — to live one's life fully) from merely existing (*exister*). Note: do not confuse *vivre* with *habiter* — both can mean "to live somewhere," but *vivre* emphasises the act of being alive or a lifestyle, while *habiter* focuses purely on residence.