subsistir

to subsist

verb soob-sees-TEER Rare

Origin: Latin subsistere (to stand firm, remain)

Also means

to survive

Usage Note

Subsistir implies enduring or continuing to exist despite adverse conditions — it is slightly more formal than sobrevivir (to survive) and often appears in discussions of ecosystems, economies, or cultures. The key distinction: sobrevivir stresses living through danger, while subsistir stresses ongoing maintenance of existence. The noun is subsistencia, and medios de subsistencia (means of subsistence) is a fixed phrase.

Examples

"Muchas familias subsisten con menos de un salario mínimo."

Natural Translation

Many families subsist on less than one minimum wage.

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