vive para ti mismo
/bibe paɾa ti mismo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "live for yourself" is translated into Spanish as vive para ti mismo.
This phrase is used to express the idea of prioritizing your own happiness and needs over the desires of others.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of vive (live/imperative), para (for) and ti mismo (yourself).
Which one should you use?
The form changes depending on who you are addressing: use vive para ti mismo for a male friend, vive para ti misma for a female friend and vivan para sí mismos to address a group of people. For a general statement about the concept itself rather than a direct command, use the infinitive vivir para uno mismo.
How does it change in a sentence?
The default form vive para ti mismo uses the informal imperative (tú). If you want to address a group (plural you), use vivan para sí mismos. To make a general statement about the concept of living for oneself, use the infinitive vivir para uno mismo.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, telling someone to vive para ti mismo might be perceived as a critique of their lack of social or familial duty rather than a positive affirmation of autonomy.
- The word mismo in the phrase is a linguistic 'hybrid' that evolved from a combination of an emphatic suffix and the Latin word for 'the very same'.
- While vive para ti mismo is common, the word vivir is also used in the phrase vivir la vida, which is a redundant but popular way to say 'live life'.
Examples in context
- Vive para ti mismoLive for yourself
- Vive para ti mismo y cuídateLive for yourself and take care of yourself
- No complazcas a todo el mundo, vive para ti mismo.Don't please everyone, live for yourself.
Example conversation
Elena is giving life advice to Alejandro.
- ElenaAlejandro, siempre piensas en los demás.Alejandro, you always think about others.
- AlejandroSí, pero a veces me canso.Yes, but sometimes I get tired.
- ElenaEntonces, vive para ti mismo por una vez.Then, live for yourself for once.
- AlejandroTienes razón, voy a intentarlo.You are right, I am going to try it.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mismo, para, ti, CC BY-SA 4.0.
