vivía

Vivía is the imperfect indicative form of the Spanish verb vivir, meaning to live. It is used to describe ongoing actions, states, or repeated past actions, providing background context in narratives. It contrasts with the preterite, which marks completed past actions.

Conjugation and forms: The imperfect is regular for -ir verbs. The forms of vivir are: yo vivía, tú vivías, él/ella/usted vivía, nosotros vivíamos, vosotros vivíais, ellos/ellas/ustedes vivían. The endings are -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían, with the accent on the í in all forms.

Usage and nuance: Vivía indicates that the action of living or the state of being living lasted for some time in the past or occurred habitually. It can set the scene, describe a background situation, or refer to repeated past actions. It is commonly used in indirect speech and in descriptions of past circumstances. Examples: Cuando era niño, vivía en Madrid. Ella vivía con su familia en esa casa. Siempre vivía cerca del trabajo, antes de mudarse.

Relation to other tenses: The imperfect vivía often appears alongside the preterite to distinguish background from completed events, e.g., "Vivía en la ciudad cuando conoció el río" versus "Viajó a la ciudad ayer." It does not denote a specific moment of completion, which is typical of the imperfect tense across Spanish verbs.

Etymology: Vivir derives from Latin vivere, meaning to live. Cognates appear in other Romance languages, such as French vivre and Italian vivere.