sobrellevar bien
/sobɾeʝebaɾ bjen/from spelling rules
To cope well in Spanish is sobrellevar bien.
Sobrellevar bien is used when discussing the ability to endure or manage long-term difficult circumstances, such as an illness, grief or a stressful period of life.
Which one should you use?
Do not confuse sobrellevar with sobrepasar, which means to exceed or go beyond a limit.
How does it change in a sentence?
The third-person singular present indicative form is sobrelleva bien (he/she copes well) and the third-person singular preterite form is sobrellevó bien (he/she coped well). You may also use Salir adelante to mean 'to move forward' or 'to overcome'.
Did you know?
- The verb llevar inside sobrellevar literally means 'to carry'. To cope well in Spanish is conceptually described as being able to 'carry over' or 'bear the weight' of a burden.
- While sobrellevar bien describes the process of enduring, the alternative salir adelante literally means 'to come out ahead'.
- The word bien shares a root with the English word 'bonus'. Both derive from the Latin 'bonus' and 'bene' meaning 'good'.
Examples in context
- Mi compañero de trabajo sabe afrontar bien las situaciones difíciles.My coworker knows how to cope well with difficult situations.
- Aquí en casa, sabemos lidiar bien con las situaciones difíciles.Here at home, we know how to cope well with difficult situations.
- Aunque la situación es complicada, me mantengo en control y sigo adelante.Even though the situation is complicated, I stay in control and keep moving forward.
- Después de todos los obstáculos, he logrado salir adelante y alcanzar mis metas.After all the obstacles, I managed to overcome and achieve my goals.
- Ella sabe sobrellevar bien las críticas.She knows how to cope well with criticism.
- Es importante sobrellevar bien el estrés laboral.It is important to cope well with work stress.
- Él intenta sobrellevar bien la situación actual.He tries to cope well with the current situation.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing how to handle a busy week at work.
- Elena¿Cómo haces para sobrellevar bien tanta presión?How do you manage to cope well with so much pressure?
- AlejandroIntento descansar un poco cada tarde, Elena.I try to rest a little every afternoon, Elena.
- ElenaEso es bueno, Alejandro.That is good, Alejandro.
- AlejandroSí, ayuda mucho a no agobiarse.Yes, it helps a lot to not feel overwhelmed.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, sobrellevar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
