existir

Senses

1. 1.

   to exist

   to have real being or presence; to be real

2. 2.

   to be present

   to be found or available in a particular place or situation

3. 3.

   to live

   to have life or consciousness; to subsist

Examples

• "Será que existe vida em outros planetas?"

  Could there be life on other planets?

• "Ainda existem pessoas que acreditam nisso."

  There are still people who believe that.

• "Ela só existe para o trabalho, não tem tempo para mais nada."

  She only lives for work, she has no time for anything else.

Usage

A regular -ir verb. Commonly used impersonally in the third person (existe/existem) to mean "there is/are." Often confused by learners with "estar" or "ter," but "existir" emphasizes the fact of being real or present rather than location or possession. Collocation: "deixar de existir" (to cease to exist).