como si la vida le fuera en ello

está escribiendo la vida de Quevedo — he is writing the life o a life o a biography of Quevedo

• con vida — alive

escapar o salir con vida — to escape o come out alive

•en vida de, en vida de mi marido — when my husband was alive, during my husband's lifetime

¡en la o mi vida! — never (in all my life)!

• vida o muerte, una operación a vida o muerte — a life-or-death operation

• la otra vida — the next life

• perder la vida — to lose one's life

• de por vida — for life

• quitar la vida a algn — to take sb's life

• quitarse la vida — to take one's own life

• rehacer la vida — to start a new life

• sin vida — lifeless

• toda la vida, un amigo de toda la vida — a lifelong friend

• la vida airada — (=modo de vida) the criminal life; (=hampa) the underworld

• mujer de vida alegre — loose woman

• vida arrastrada — wretched life

• la vida cotidiana — everyday life

• doble vida — double life

llevar una doble vida — to lead o live a double life

• hacer vida marital — to live together (as man and wife)

• mala vida, echarse a la mala vida — to go astray

• coste de la vida — cost of living

• ganarse la vida — to earn o make one's living

se gana la vida haciendo traducciones — he earns o makes his living doing translations

• nivel de vida — standard of living

vida útil — (Com) lifespan; (Téc) useful life

pasar la vida a tragos — *to have a miserable life

lleno de vida — [ojos] lively; [persona] full of life

• dar vida a, la música le da vida a estas imágenes — the music brings these images to life

echarse a la vida — to go on the game *

hacer la vida — to be on the game *

140 personas perdieron la vida — (period) 140 people lost their lives (journ)

quitarse la vida — to take one's (own) life (frml)

eso le costó la vida — (period) that cost him his life

dieron la vida por la patria — they gave o sacrificed their lives for their country

en la/mi vida: en la or en mi vida he visto cosa igual! I've never seen anything like it in my life!; en la or mi vida haría una cosa así! I'd never dream of doing something like that!; hacerle la vida imposible a alguien to make somebody's life impossible; tener siete vidas — to have nine lives

hace or vive su vida — he gets on with o lives his own life

darse la gran vida — to live the life of Riley (colloq)

estar encantado de la vida — to be thrilled, to be over the moon (colloq)

estar/quedar loco de la vida — (CS fam) to be over the moon (colloq)

la vida y milagros de alguien — (CS fam) somebody's life story

pasar a mejor vida — (hum) persona to kick the bucket (colloq); traje/botas to bite the dust (colloq)

pegarse la vida padre — (fam) to live the life of Riley (colloq)

ganarse la vida — to earn one's o a living

buscarse la vida — (fam) to make a living

140 personas perdieron la vida — (period) 140 people lost their lives (journ)

quitarse la vida — to take one's (own) life (frml)

eso le costó la vida — (period) that cost him his life

dieron la vida por la patria — they gave o sacrificed their lives for their country

en la/mi vida: en la or en mi vida he visto cosa igual! I've never seen anything like it in my life!; en la or mi vida haría una cosa así! I'd never dream of doing something like that!; hacerle la vida imposible a alguien to make somebody's life impossible; tener siete vidas — to have nine lives

hace or vive su vida — he gets on with o lives his own life

darse la gran vida — to live the life of Riley (colloq)

estar encantado de la vida — to be thrilled, to be over the moon (colloq)

estar/quedar loco de la vida — (CS fam) to be over the moon (colloq)

la vida y milagros de alguien — (CS fam) somebody's life story

pasar a mejor vida — (hum) persona to kick the bucket (colloq); traje/botas to bite the dust (colloq)

pegarse la vida padre — (fam) to live the life of Riley (colloq)

ganarse la vida — to earn one's o a living

buscarse la vida — (fam) to make a living

Ex: We are comfortable with the things we know and can do because they give us a sense of control over our lives.

juega como yo — he plays like me o like I do

como este hay pocos — there are few like this o him

tiene ventajas, como son la resistencia y durabilidad — it has advantages, such as o like strength and durability

hazlo como te dijo ella — do it like * o the way she told you

toca como canta — she plays like * o the same way as she sings

no es como me lo imaginaba — it isn't as o like * I imagined it

• tal como, tal como lo había planeado — just as o the way I had planned it

hazlo como quieras — do it however you want o like

• como sea — at all costs

había como cincuenta — there were about o around fifty

vino como a las dos — he came at about o around two

sentía como tristeza — she felt a sort o kind of sadness

como no tenía dinero — as o since I had no money

• tal (y) como están las cosas — the way things are, as things stand

• de tanto como, tienen las manos doloridas de tanto como aplaudieron — they clapped so much their hands hurt

• como no, como no lo haga en seguida... — if he doesn't do it at once..., unless he does it at once...

siguió leyendo, como si no hubiera oído nada — he kept on reading, as if o as though he hadn't heard

sentí como si fuera a caerme — I felt as if o as though I was about to fall

como si no hubiera pasado nada — as if o as though nothing had happened

se comporta como si me odiara — he behaves as if o as though he hated me

como si fuera a llover — as if o as though it was going to rain

a como dé o diera lugar — at any cost

en algunos lugares como Londres — in some places such as o like London

bailó como nunca — she danced as o like she'd never danced before

así como — (frml) as well as

como él solo/ella sola: es egoísta como él solo he's so o he's incredibly selfish!; como mucho/poco at (the) most/at least; como nadie: cocina como nadie nobody cooks like her; como que...: conduce muy bien - como que es piloto de carreras he drives very well - well, he is a racing driver, after all; y no me lo dijiste - como que no lo sabía! and you didn't tell me about it - that's because I didn't know about it!; como ser (CS) such as, for example; como si (+ subj) as if, as though; ella está grave y él como si nada or como si tal cosa — she's seriously ill and he doesn't seem at all o in the least worried

no voy - como quieras — I'm not going - please yourself o as you like

como era temprano, nos fuimos a dar una vuelta — since o as it was early, we went for a walk

cansado como estaba, me ayudó — tired though o tired as he was, he helped me

en algunos lugares como Londres — in some places such as o like London

bailó como nunca — she danced as o like she'd never danced before

así como — (frml) as well as

como él solo/ella sola: es egoísta como él solo he's so o he's incredibly selfish!; como mucho/poco at (the) most/at least; como nadie: cocina como nadie nobody cooks like her; como que...: conduce muy bien - como que es piloto de carreras he drives very well - well, he is a racing driver, after all; y no me lo dijiste - como que no lo sabía! and you didn't tell me about it - that's because I didn't know about it!; como ser (CS) such as, for example; como si (+ subj) as if, as though; ella está grave y él como si nada or como si tal cosa — she's seriously ill and he doesn't seem at all o in the least worried

no voy - como quieras — I'm not going - please yourself o as you like

como era temprano, nos fuimos a dar una vuelta — since o as it was early, we went for a walk

cansado como estaba, me ayudó — tired though o tired as he was, he helped me

Ex: This scheme aims for a more helpful order than the major schemes, by following the groupings of subjects as they are taught in schools.