Je vis
The English phrase "I live" is translated into French as Je vis.
Je vis is a statement used to express that one is alive or that one resides in a certain place. While it is a valid way to say one lives somewhere, other verbs like J'habite are often more common when specifically talking about a residential address or a city.
Which one should you use?
While Je vis can mean "I live" in the sense of being alive, J'habite is the more common verb used specifically to denote one's residential address or city.
How does it change in a sentence?
Je vis is the first-person singular present indicative of the verb vivre.
Did you know?
- The word vis in Je vis looks exactly like the French word for a 'screw', although they are pronounced differently and come from entirely different Latin roots.
- The verb vivre is used in the common expression vivre d'amour et d'eau fraîche, which literally means 'to live on love and fresh water'.
- If you tell a French speaker Je vis à Paris, they might wonder if you are simply surviving there rather than residing there, as vivre often implies the experience of life rather than just a mailing address.
Examples in context
- Je vis à Tokyo.I live in Tokyo.This sentence is useful for stating that you live in Tokyo using Je vis.Tatoeba #14429 by Aiji, translation #279745 by CK
- Je vis à Hyogo.I live in Hyogo.This sentence is useful for stating that you live in Hyogo using Je vis.Tatoeba #505962 by qdii, translation #261623 by CN
- Je vis à Milan.I live in Milan.This sentence is useful for stating that you live in Milan using Je vis.Tatoeba #559239 by sacredceltic, translation #500293 by FeuDRenais
- J'habite à Paris.I live in Paris.
- Je réside à Lyon.I reside in Lyon.
- Je vis à Bordeaux.I live in Bordeaux.
- J'habite à Nice.I live in Nice.
- Je loge à Marseille.I'm staying in Marseille/I'm living in Marseille.
- J'habite à Toulouse.I live in Toulouse.
- Je réside à Strasbourg depuis trois ans.I have been residing in Strasbourg for three years.
- Je vis en banlieue parisienne.I live in the Paris suburbs.
- 135 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Hugo are talking about their hometowns.
- ManonJe vis à Paris depuis dix ans.I have lived in Paris for ten years.
- HugoC'est super ! Et tu aimes la ville ?That's great! And do you like the city?
- ManonOui, je vis très heureuse ici.Yes, I live very happily here.
- HugoMoi, je vis encore chez mes parents.Me, I still live with my parents.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, vis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
