Live vs Life: What's the Difference?

The words live and life are often confused because they have a similar spelling. In this article, we explain the difference between them.

Life means the state that follows birth, and precedes death; the state of being alive and living when used as a noun.

Live means to be alive; to have life when used as a verb.

Live is also used as an adjective. It means having life; that is alive.

A good way to remember the difference is Live is the simple present form of living.

The Difference Between Live vs Life

It's easy to confuse words with similar spellings like live and life.

Life is a noun that means "the state that follows birth and precedes death."

Live can be used as a verb to mean "to be alive." When it's used as a verb, it is pronounced with a short "i" sound.

Live can also be used as an adject to mean "alive, living." When it's used as an adjective, it is pronounced with a long "i" sound (rhymes with "hive."

Should I use 'live and learn' or 'life and learn'?

The right expression is 'live and learn'. These phrases are often confused because they look similar.

Is the correct expression 'live and let live' or 'life and let life'?

You should use 'live and let live'. These phrases are often confused because they appear similar.

Which is right 'you only live once' or 'you only life once'?

The correct phrase is 'you only live once'. These phrases are often confused because they have a similar spelling.

Is the expression 'big as life' or 'big as live'?

The right phrase is 'big as life'. These phrases are often confused because they look similar.

What's the right phrase 'dog's life' or 'dog's live'?

The right expression is 'dog's life'. These phrases are often confused because of their similar spelling.

Should I use 'get a life' or 'get a live'?

The right phrase is 'get a life'. These phrases are often confused because they look similar.

What's the correct phrase 'life's a bitch' or 'live's a bitch'?

The correct expression is 'life's a bitch'. These phrases are often confused because they look similar.

Some synonyms of live are: alive, exist, and inhabit.

Some synonyms of life are: sprightliness, animation, liveliness, and lifespan.