en la vida real
/en la bida ɾeal/from spelling rules
The English phrase "in real life" is translated into Spanish as en la vida real.
This phrase is used to describe events or experiences that happen in the physical world rather than in a virtual or imagined setting. It is a common way to distinguish between digital or virtual interactions and physical, face-to-face interactions.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the preposition en (in), the feminine article la (the), the noun vida (life) and the adjective real (real).
Is it said differently in some regions?
en la vida real is the most common expression for "in real life" in both Latin America and Spain.
Did you know?
- Despite the common phrase en la vida real, Spanish speakers often use the phrase en carne y hueso to emphasize that someone is physically present.
- The word real in en la vida real is a homonym with two distinct origins. One comes from the Latin word for 'thing' and the other from the Latin word for 'king'.
- In some Spanish dialects, saying en la vida without adding real is a common way to say 'never in my life' when followed by a negative verb.
Examples in context
- También son pareja en la vida real.They're also a couple in real life.This sentence is useful for describing the real-world relationship status of a couple using en la vida real.Tatoeba #10086903 by saverius, translation #7298630 by Hybrid
- ¡Fue asombroso conocerte en la vida real!It was awesome to meet you in real life!This sentence shows how to express the excitement of meeting someone en la vida real.Tatoeba #1612540 by marcelostockle, translation #991683 by pandark
- Nunca había visto un elefante en la vida real.I had never seen an elephant in real life.This sentence illustrates using en la vida real when discussing seeing an animal in person rather than in media.Tatoeba #1589235 by wallebot, translation #1813617 by marcelostockle
- Los personajes de la película son muy diferentes en la vida real.The characters in the movie are very different in real life.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a popular social media influencer.
- AlejandroEsa persona parece muy amable en sus videos.That person seems very kind in their videos.
- LucíaNo sé cómo es en la vida real.I don't know how they are in real life.
- AlejandroEspero que sea igual de simpática.I hope she is just as friendly.
- LucíaA veces las redes sociales engañan.Sometimes social media is deceiving.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries en, la, real, vida, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
