life
gb/lˈaɪf/ us/lˈaɪf/
A2
English
~ 200
élet, élettartam, élővilág, életerő, élénkség
NOUN
A2
1
élet
A1
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s life
Doctors fought to save his life after the accident.
Az orvosok a baleset után küzdöttek az életéért.
Without water, life on Earth would not exist.
Víz nélkül nem létezne élet a Földön.
She risked her life to rescue the child.
Learner examples
He is fighting for his life in the hospital.
A kórházban az életéért küzd.
Water is important for life.
A víz fontos az élethez.
She saved the man's life.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'life' (noun) with 'live' (verb). For example, 'I life in London' is incorrect; it should be 'I live in London'.
Meaning
State of being alive
Collocations
save a life
|lose one's life
|risk your life
|full of life
|life and death
Synonyms
existence (More general; can refer to non-living things too.)
Antonyms
death (The end of being alive.)
Themes
biology
|daily life
|philosophy
|science
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The state of being alive, not dead.
The state or quality that distinguishes living things from non-living things, including growth, reproduction, and response to stimuli.
NOUN
A2
2
élet
A1
élettartam
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s life
He spent his whole life in the same village.
Egész életét ugyanabban a faluban töltötte.
Her early life was full of hardship.
Élete korai szakasza tele volt nehézségekkel.
In later life, he became a respected teacher.
Learner examples
He lived a long life.
Hosszú életet élt.
Her life began in a small town.
Egy kisvárosban kezdődött az élete.
My grandfather had a happy life.
Meaning
Time from birth to death
Collocations
throughout her life
|early life
|later in life
|life story
Synonyms
lifetime (Refers to the whole span of a person's or thing's existence.)
Antonyms
afterlife (A belief in existence after death, opposite in temporal scope.)
Themes
daily life
|time
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The time from when someone is born until they die.
The period between the birth and death of a person, animal, or other living being.
NOUN
B1
3
élet
A1
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s life
He leads a busy social life.
Mozgalmas társasági életet él.
Travel has always been an important part of her life.
Az utazás mindig is fontos része volt az életének.
They built a new life together in the city.
Learner examples
I have a happy family life.
Boldog családi életet élek.
She has a busy school life.
Mozgalmas az iskolai élete.
He started a new life in another country.
Meaning
Experience and activities of living
Collocations
family life
|social life
|love life
|way of life
Synonyms
lifestyle (Focuses more on habitual way of living rather than the whole experience.)
Antonyms
isolation (A state without social or active engagement.)
Themes
daily life
|society
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
All the things that happen to someone during their time alive.
The sum of personal experiences, activities, and relationships that make up someone's existence.
NOUN
B1
4
Scientists are searching for signs of life on Mars.
A tudósok az élet jeleit keresik a Marson.
Marine life is threatened by pollution.
A tengeri élővilágot veszélyezteti a szennyezés.
Forests support a rich variety of plant and animal life.
Learner examples
There is no life on the moon.
A Holdon nincs élet.
Fish are part of sea life.
A halak a tengeri élővilág részei.
We must protect wild life.
Meaning
All living things collectively
Collocations
marine life
|plant life
|intelligent life
Synonyms
organisms (Scientific term for living things, used in biology.)
Antonyms
inanimate matter (Things without life or biological processes.)
Themes
biology
|environment
|science
|nature
|core_vocabulary
Definition
All plants, animals, and people that are alive.
Living organisms collectively, especially as existing on Earth or potentially elsewhere in the universe.
NOUN
B1
5
She’s full of life and always smiling.
Tele van élettel, és mindig mosolyog.
The music brought the party to life.
A zene életet vitt a buliba.
His paintings seem to have a life of their own.
Learner examples
The baby is full of life.
A baba tele van élettel.
Music brings me to life.
A zenétől életre kelek.
The garden is full of life.
Meaning
Vitality or energy in something
Collocations
full of life
|bring to life
Synonyms
vitality (Formal term for physical or mental energy.)
Antonyms
dullness (Lack of energy or excitement.)
Themes
emotions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Energy and excitement in a person or thing.
A quality of liveliness, energy, or animation in a person, place, or object.
Grammar
Dictionary form
life
IPA
GB/lˈaɪf/
US/lˈaɪf/
Syllables & stress
life (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (life)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: life
- Plural: life, lives
Word family
Expressions
quality of life
1/kwˈɑləti əv lˈaɪf/
fixed phrase
Level of comfort and happiness someone has
How comfortable, happy, and healthy someone is in their life.
Examples
- Good healthcare improves people's quality of life.
- They moved to the countryside for a better quality of life.
real-life
1/ɹˈil lˈaɪf/
fixed phrase
Existing in reality, not fiction
Happening in the real world, not in a book or movie.
Examples
- The movie is based on a real-life story.
- In real-life situations, things aren’t always simple.
risk one's life
1/ɹˈɪsk wˈʌnz lˈaɪf/
fixed phrase
Do something very dangerous that could cause death
To do something that might cause you to die.
Examples
- Firefighters risk their lives every day.
- He risked his life to save the child.
save someone's life
1/sˈeɪv sˈʌmwˌʌnz lˈaɪf/
fixed phrase
Prevent someone from dying
To stop someone from dying by helping them.
Examples
- Quick action saved her life after the accident.
- The doctors saved his life.
bring to life
1/bɹˈɪŋ tə lˈaɪf/
idiom
Make more lively or realistic
To make something more interesting, lively, or realistic.
Examples
- The teacher used pictures to bring the lesson to life.
- The actor's performance brought the character to life.
- Her voice brings the character to life.
- Her descriptions brought the story to life for the children.
bring to life
2/bɹˈɪŋ tə lˈaɪf/
idiom
Make something seem real or lively
To make something feel real, interesting, or full of energy.
Examples
- The director used animation to bring the characters to life.
- Her storytelling really brought the history lesson to life.