viva
/ˈbiba/
The Spanish phrase viva.
viva is used as an interjection to express praise or to wish long life upon a person, a country or a concept. It is almost always used with exclamation marks to cheer for the subject of the praise.
What does it mean word for word?
The word viva is the third-person singular present subjunctive form of the verb vivir, which means "to live."
How does it change in a sentence?
The form changes from viva to vivan if the person or thing being praised is plural.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbiba/
Did you know?
- In some contexts, viva is used sarcastically to mock an idea or person, effectively meaning 'long live' in a way that implies the opposite of praise.
- The phrase viva is often paired with the rhythmic response ¡viva! from a crowd, creating a call-and-response pattern used in traditional festivals and protests.
- The word viva can be used with intense, almost aggressive energy to show enthusiasm for something as simple as a food or a drink, like ¡Viva la cerveza!
Examples in context
- ¡Viva Ucrania!Viva Ukraine!This sentence is useful for seeing how to use viva to cheer for a country.Tatoeba #10689137 by Johannes_S, translation #10632623 by shekitten
- ¡Vivan los campeones!Long live the champions!
- ¡Vivan los héroes!Long live the heroes!
- ¡Viva la música!Long live music!
- ¡Viva la libertad!Long live liberty!
Example conversation
At a birthday party for a beloved grandmother.
- Elena¡Viva la abuela!Long live grandma!
- Alejandro¡Sí, viva ella!Yes, long live her!
- Elena¡Es la mejor!She is the best!
- Alejandro¡Es verdad!It's true!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry viva, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
