vida real
/ˌbida reˈal/feminine
The English phrase "real life" is translated into Spanish as vida real.
vida real refers to life outside of a contrived or fantastical environment.
Meaning: life outside of a contrived or fantastical environment (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the feminine noun vida (life) and the adjective real (real).
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to real life as a general concept or subject, it is almost always preceded by the definite article la, resulting in la vida real. To express the plural "real lives", both the noun and the adjective must be pluralized to vidas reales.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌbida reˈal/
Did you know?
- Because real also means 'royal', the phrase la vida real can be interpreted as 'the royal life' depending on the context.
- If you want to say 'real life' in the sense of 'actual life' as opposed to 'imaginary life', you might use the word actual in Spanish, which is a false friend. In Spanish, actual means 'current' or 'present-day', not 'real'.
- In Spanish, the word real is also used to describe a specific former currency unit of Spain.
Examples in context
- También son pareja en la vida real.They're also a couple in real life.This sentence shows how to say people are a couple in vida real.Tatoeba #10086903 by saverius, translation #7298630 by Hybrid
- No tiene nada que ver con la vida real.It has nothing to do with real life.This sentence describes something that has nothing to do with vida real.Tatoeba #1569401 by marcelostockle, translation #1491667 by fanty
- ¡Fue asombroso conocerte en la vida real!It was awesome to meet you in real life!This sentence is useful for expressing the excitement of meeting someone in vida real.Tatoeba #1612540 by marcelostockle, translation #991683 by pandark
- La teoría es interesante, pero debemos considerar la aplicabilidad en la vida real.The theory is interesting, but we must consider its applicability in real life.
- Las habilidades prácticas son necesarias para enfrentar los desafíos del mundo real.Practical skills are necessary to face the challenges of the real world.
- Los programas de televisión pueden alejarnos de los problemas de la vida cotidiana.TV shows can distract us from the problems of everyday life.
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a fictional character from a series.
- LucíaMe gustaría que este personaje existiera en la vida real.I wish this character existed in real life.
- AlejandroSería genial, pero es demasiado perfecto.That would be great, but he is too perfect.
- LucíaEs verdad, nadie es así en la vida real.That's true, nobody is like that in real life.
- AlejandroPor eso las historias son tan divertidas.That is why stories are so fun.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “real life” translations and entries vida real, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
