Italian · Everyday Verbs
"to live" in Italian: vivere
vivere
Note: to reside: abitare
To live in Italian is vivere (VEE-veh-reh). Io vivo, tu vivi, lui/lei vive, noi viviamo. For your address, Italians often prefer abitare: abito a Roma, while vivere also covers being alive and how you live.
Talking about your city
Vivo a Firenze da tre anni.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce vivere
Say it
VEE-veh-reh
/ˈvi.ve.re/
Vivere stresses VEE: VEE-veh-reh. Vivo is VEE-voh.
"to live" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| vivere | to live Life in general or lifestyle. | Life in general or lifestyle. |
| vivo / vivi / vive | I live / you live / he-she lives Present singular. | Present singular. |
| viviamo | we live Shared life or city. | Shared life or city. |
| abitare | to reside Where your home is: abito a Milano. | Where your home is: abito a Milano. |
How to use vivere in real life
- 1Talking about your city
Vivo a Firenze da tre anni.
I've been living in Florence for three years.
Vivo + a + city.
- 2Lifestyle chat
Preferisco vivere vicino al mare.
I prefer to live near the sea.
Infinitive after preferisco.
- 3Family plans
Noi viviamo ancora con i miei genitori.
We still live with my parents.
Viviamo for we.
Mistakes English speakers make with vivere
Incorrect: Io vivere a Roma.
Correct: Vivo a Roma.
Conjugate: io vivo, not io vivere.
Incorrect: Vivo in Roma.
Correct: Vivo a Roma.
Cities usually take a, not in.
Good to know
Vivere covers more than an address: vivere bene, vivere in fretta. When someone only asks where you live, abito a… often sounds more precise than vivo a…, but both are understood.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Catching up about where you live now
ChatPal
Dove vivi adesso?
Where do you live now?
You
Vivo in centro, vicino al mercato.
I live downtown, near the market.
ChatPal
Che bello. Io vivo ancora fuori città.
Nice. I still live outside the city.
You
Un giorno forse viviamo più vicini.
One day maybe we'll live closer.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to live" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to live" in Italian
What is the difference between vivere and abitare?
Abitare focuses on residing somewhere. Vivere is broader: life, lifestyle, and also where you live.
How do I say I live in Rome?
Vivo a Roma or abito a Roma.
What is viviamo?
We live—and sometimes let's live when suggesting a lifestyle change.
Is vissuto the past participle?
Yes: ho vissuto un anno a Napoli.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
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- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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