You use live to say where your house is. For example, 'I live in Paris.' It is a very basic word. You use it to talk about your home and your life.
At this level, you start using live with prepositions like 'in' or 'with.' You might say, 'I live with my parents' or 'I live in a big apartment.' It is essential for describing your daily life.
You can now use live in more complex sentences. You might discuss 'living conditions' or 'living standards.' You also learn to use it in phrasal verbs like 'live on' (surviving with a certain amount of money).
Here, you explore the nuance of live versus 'reside' or 'inhabit.' You also start using idioms like 'live up to expectations,' which means meeting a standard that others have set for you.
At the advanced level, you see live used in abstract ways. We talk about 'living' experiences or 'living' history. It becomes a tool for describing active engagement with the world rather than just physical location.
Mastery involves understanding the etymological depth of live. You might analyze literary texts where 'living' is contrasted with 'existing' or 'surviving.' You use it to paint vivid pictures of human experience and philosophical states of being.
Mot en 30 secondes
- It means to reside.
- It means to be alive.
- Rhymes with give.
- Regular verb.
When we talk about living, we are usually describing two main ideas. First, it is about where you call home. You might say, 'I live in London,' which tells people about your residence.
Second, it describes the act of existing. All animals, plants, and humans live because they are part of the biological world. It is one of the most common verbs you will use every single day!
The word live comes from the Old English word 'libban.' It has deep roots in Germanic languages, sharing a history with the German word 'leben.'
Historically, it was used to describe the act of staying alive or surviving. Over centuries, the meaning expanded to include the concept of having a permanent home or 'dwelling' in a specific location.
You use live in casual conversation to talk about your neighborhood or city. For example, 'Where do you live?' is a standard question.
In more formal contexts, we often use 'reside' instead of live, though live is perfectly acceptable in almost every situation. It is a very versatile verb that fits into both professional and social settings.
Live and let live means to accept others as they are. Live it up means to enjoy yourself in an exciting way. Live to tell the tale means surviving a dangerous event. Live on the edge means taking risks. Live down means to overcome the shame of a past mistake.
As a verb, live is regular in its past tense form: 'lived.' Note that the pronunciation changes if you use it as an adjective (like 'a live concert'), where it rhymes with 'hive.'
In the verb form, it rhymes with 'give.' The stress is always on the single syllable, making it a very short, punchy word in English speech.
Le savais-tu ?
Related to the word 'life'.
Guide de prononciation
- Confusing with 'leave'
- Mispronouncing as 'lie-ve'
- Stress on wrong syllable
Niveau de difficulté
easy
easy
easy
easy
Quoi apprendre ensuite
Prérequis
Apprends ensuite
Avancé
Grammaire à connaître
Present Simple
I live here.
Exemples par niveau
I live in a house.
I reside in a house.
Verb + preposition in.
Do you live here?
Is this your home?
Question form.
They live in Spain.
Their home is in Spain.
Subject-verb agreement.
We live together.
We share a home.
Adverb usage.
Cats live for many years.
Cats have a long life.
Biological context.
Where do you live?
Asking for location.
Wh- question.
I live near the park.
My home is close to the park.
Preposition of place.
Plants live in soil.
Plants need soil to exist.
Biological fact.
I live with my brother.
She lives in a small town.
Do you live near the school?
They don't live here anymore.
I want to live in the city.
He lives a healthy life.
We live on the second floor.
Do they live in that apartment?
I have lived here for five years.
She is learning to live independently.
They live on a very small budget.
He lives for his music.
We live in challenging times.
I could never live without my phone.
They live in a remote village.
She lives life to the fullest.
He struggled to live up to his father's reputation.
They live in fear of the unknown.
I hope to live to see the day.
She lives by a strict code of ethics.
It is hard to live down such a mistake.
They live in a state of constant change.
We live in a globalized society.
He lives on the edge of town.
The memory will live on forever.
She lives and breathes her profession.
They live in a bubble of luxury.
He lives in the past.
The legend lives on in our stories.
We must live within our means.
She lives in hope of a better future.
They live in a world of their own.
He lives the life of a hermit.
The spirit of the movement lives on.
She lives in a state of grace.
They live in total isolation.
He lives in the shadow of his brother.
She lives in a world of make-believe.
The tradition lives on in the village.
They live in harmony with nature.
Collocations courantes
Expressions idiomatiques
"live and let live"
tolerate others
Just live and let live.
casual"live it up"
have fun
We went out to live it up.
casual"live to tell the tale"
survive
It was scary, but he lived to tell the tale.
neutral"live on the edge"
take risks
He loves to live on the edge.
casual"live down"
forget a mistake
He couldn't live down the embarrassment.
neutral"live up to"
meet expectations
The movie didn't live up to the hype.
neutralFacile à confondre
similar spelling
leave means to go away
I live here, I don't leave.
related meaning
alive is an adjective
The plant is alive.
Structures de phrases
Subject + live + in + place
I live in Spain.
Subject + live + with + person
I live with my mom.
Famille de mots
Noms
Verbes
Adjectifs
Apparenté
Comment l'utiliser
10
-
I live to Paris.
→
I live in Paris.
Live requires 'in' for cities.
-
I live at the house.
→
I live in the house.
We use 'in' for buildings.
-
He live in London.
→
He lives in London.
Third person singular requires -s.
-
I am living here since 2010.
→
I have lived here since 2010.
Use present perfect for duration.
-
She lives a life happy.
→
She lives a happy life.
Adjective before noun.
Astuces
Say It Right
Make sure it rhymes with 'give'.
Grammar Shortcut
Always use 'in' for cities and countries.
Study Smart
Use it in sentences about yourself.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Live is the opposite of die.
Association visuelle
A house with a heart inside.
Word Web
Défi
Write 3 sentences about your home.
Origine du mot
Old English
Sens originel : to remain alive
Contexte culturel
None.
Used in casual greetings like 'Where do you live?'
Pratique dans la vie réelle
Contextes réels
Moving
- I moved here.
- I live in a new place.
Amorces de conversation
"Where do you live?"
"Do you like living in your city?"
Sujets d'écriture
Describe where you live.
What does it mean to live well?
Questions fréquentes
8 questionsLive rhymes with give; leave rhymes with see.
No, use 'in' for cities.
Lived.
Yes.
Yes, but reside is formal.
Yes, they are living things.
It means to survive using a resource.
Yes, when pronounced like 'hive'.
Teste-toi
I ___ in London.
Subject-verb agreement.
Which means to stay in a place?
Definition check.
You can live on money.
Phrasal verb 'live on'.
Word
Signification
Idiom match.
Word order.
Score : /5
Summary
Live is a fundamental verb used to describe your home and your existence.
- It means to reside.
- It means to be alive.
- Rhymes with give.
- Regular verb.
Say It Right
Make sure it rhymes with 'give'.
Grammar Shortcut
Always use 'in' for cities and countries.
Study Smart
Use it in sentences about yourself.
Exemple
I live in a small apartment with my cat.
Contenu associé
Apprendre en contexte
Ce mot dans d'autres langues
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