The French word "vivre" means "to live," and is basically synonymous with the English verb "live." "Vivre" can also mean "to be full of life" ("Cette ville vie !" -- "This city is full of life!") or "to last" (as in, to continue for a duration of time).
It is important to learn the forms of the verb "vivre," as some of them are irregular and thus do not follow a predictable pattern. "Vivre" is the infinitive form of the verb, while the present participle and past participle are "vivant" and "vécu," respectively.
The present tense forms of "vivre" are as follows:
first person singular / plural -- je vis / nous vivons
second person singular / plural -- tu vis / vous vivez
third person singular / plural -- il, elle vit / ils vivent
The future tense forms of "vivre" are:
first person singular / plural -- je vivrai / nous vivrons
second person singular / plural -- tu vivras / vous vivrez
third person singular / plural -- il, elle vivra / ils vivront
The imperfect tense forms of "vivre" are:
first person singular / plural -- je vivais / nous vivions
second person singular / plural -- tu vivais / vous viviez
third person singular / plural -- il, elle vivait / ils vivaient
"Vivre" is a common word in French that appears also in many idioms. Perhaps the most popular of these idioms among English speakers is "joie de vivre," the "joy of life," a French phrase that even English speakers use because of all it representsn its conciseness. Here are a few more French idioms that employ the word "vivre":
Je vais t'apprendre à vivre! -- I'll teach you a thing or two!
savoir vivre -- to know how to live the good life, or how to behave
le savoir-vivre -- manners
se laisser vivre -- to take life as it comes
vivre sur un grand pied -- to live in great style
Il me fait vivre -- It's a living
Laissez-moi vivre! -- Let me be!
vivre de -- to make a living from
Qui vivra verra -- What will be will be
le vivre et le couvert -- bed and board
le vivre et le logement -- room and board
C'est la vie! -- That's life!
être sur le qui-vive -- to be on the alert
l'art de vivre -- way of life
The "r" sound is different in French than in English; in French, it is a somewhat guttural sound, almost like the clearing of the throat. So "vivre" is pronounced "vee-vruh" with the "r" being a throaty "h-ish" sound. The first person present, "je vis," is pronounced, "zhuh vee." The phrase "joie de vivre" is pronounced "zhwa duh vee-vruh."