filosofía
/fee-loh-soh-FEE-ah/
philosophy
Filosofía, as an academic discipline, involves deep contemplation of fundamental questions and the universe.
📝 In Action
La historia de la filosofía griega es fascinante.
B1The history of Greek philosophy is fascinating.
Mi hermana mayor decidió estudiar filosofía en la universidad.
B1My older sister decided to study philosophy at university.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Check
Words in Spanish that end in -ía (like geografía, biología, or filosofía) are almost always feminine, so you use 'la' before them.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Pronunciation Stress
Mistake: "Pronouncing it without stress on the 'i' (filosofia)."
Correction: The accent mark tells you to stress the 'i': fi-lo-so-FÍ-a. This is crucial for sounding natural.
⭐ Usage Tips
Using 'La'
When talking about the subject in general, Spanish usually requires the article 'la': 'Me interesa la filosofía' (I am interested in philosophy).
A personal filosofía is a guiding principle or outlook that lights the path for one's life and decisions.
filosofía(noun)
philosophy
?personal outlook or approach
,mindset
?way of thinking
motto
?guiding principle
📝 In Action
La filosofía de esta empresa es poner al cliente primero.
B2The philosophy of this company is to put the customer first.
Mi filosofía de vida es simple: ser feliz y ayudar a otros.
B2My life philosophy is simple: be happy and help others.
No estoy de acuerdo con tu filosofía sobre el dinero.
C1I don't agree with your approach/philosophy regarding money.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'Sobre'
To talk about the subject of someone's philosophy or approach, use the preposition 'sobre' (about/concerning): 'Su filosofía sobre el trabajo' (His philosophy about work).
⭐ Usage Tips
Personal vs. Formal
When used in this sense, 'filosofía' often takes a possessive adjective ('mi', 'tu', 'su') or is followed by 'de' ('filosofía de vida', 'filosofía de la empresa').
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: filosofía
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'filosofía' to describe a personal guiding principle, not an academic subject?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
¿Por qué lleva tilde (Why does it have an accent mark)?
The accent mark on the 'í' (filosofía) is necessary to break up the vowel sound and ensure the stress falls on that syllable. If the accent were missing, Spanish grammar rules would put the stress on the 'o' before it, changing the word completely.
Is 'filosofía' always feminine?
Yes, 'filosofía' is a feminine noun. You must always use feminine articles and adjectives with it (la filosofía, una filosofía interesante).