¿Estás vivo?
The English phrase "are you alive?" is translated into Spanish as ¿Estás vivo?
This question is used to ask if someone is still living or if they have survived a dangerous event.
Which one should you use?
The form ¿Estás vivo/a? is used informally, while ¿Está usted vivo/a? and ¿Se encuentra vivo/a? are formal ways to ask the same question. Additionally, if you are addressing a female, you must use the feminine version of the adjective.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, you may hear the informal phrase ¿Estás vivo/a o qué pedo? to mean "Are you alive or what's up?"
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing someone formally or using the usted pronoun, use ¿Está vivo? instead of ¿Estás vivo? If the person you are addressing is female, the adjective must change from vivo to viva, resulting in ¿Estás viva?
Did you know?
- While 'living' is the primary meaning, the adjective vivo can also be used in Spanish to mean 'clever' or 'sharp', depending on the context.
- In certain Spanish-speaking cultures, asking ¿Estás vivo? in a joking way can be a sarcastic response to someone who has been silent or absent for a long time, similar to saying 'Welcome back from the dead'.
- The Spanish word vivo shares a distant ancestor with the English word 'quick' in its archaic sense of 'living'. Both derive from the Proto-Indo-European root *gʷeyh₃-, which means 'to live'.
Examples in context
- Por favor, disculpe mi pregunta pero ¿está usted vivo?Excuse me, but are you alive?
- Perdone mi intrusión, pero ¿se encuentra vivo?Excuse my intrusion, but are you alive?
- Oye, ¿estás vivo? ¡Hace mucho que no te veo!Hey, are you alive? It's been a while since I last saw you!
- ¿Sigues vivo? Esa fiesta fue salvaje anoche.Are you still alive? That party was wild last night.
- ¡No puedo creer que estés vivo!I can't believe you are alive!
- ¡No contestas! ¿Estás vivo?You're not answering! Are you alive?
