Inklingo
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psicología

/see-ko-lo-HEE-ah/

psychology

A colorful storybook illustration of a person sitting in a comfortable chair talking to a professional with a clipboard, symbolizing the study of behavior.

Psicología can refer to the professional study of the mind and human behavior.

psicología(noun)

fB1

psychology

?

The study of the mind and behavior

Also:

counseling

?

Informal use referring to a therapy session

📝 In Action

Ella decidió estudiar psicología porque le gusta ayudar a la gente.

B1

She decided to study psychology because she likes helping people.

La psicología moderna utiliza muchos métodos diferentes.

B2

Modern psychology uses many different methods.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • psicología clínica – clinical psychology
  • psicología infantil – child psychology
  • licenciado en psicología – psychology graduate

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Clue

This word is feminine because it ends in '-ía'. You should always use 'la' or 'una' with it.

Silent 'P'

Even though it is spelled with a 'p' at the start, many Spanish speakers don't pronounce it. Saying 'sicología' is common and accepted.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Missing the Accent

Mistake: "psicologia"

Correction: psicología

⭐ Usage Tips

Professional Titles

If you are talking about the person who practices this, use 'psicólogo' for a man and 'psicóloga' for a woman.

A colorful storybook illustration of a person's head with various colorful gears and lightbulbs inside, representing their mindset.

Psicología also describes the unique mindset or mental makeup of an individual.

psicología(noun)

fB2

psychology

?

The mental makeup or mindset of a person

Also:

mindset

?

How someone thinks or reacts

📝 In Action

No entiendo la psicología de los villanos en esta película.

B2

I don't understand the psychology of the villains in this movie.

Para ganar el partido, hay que entender la psicología del rival.

C1

To win the game, you have to understand the opponent's mindset.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • mentalidad (mentality)
  • psique (psyche)

Common Collocations

  • psicología de masas – crowd psychology
  • psicología del consumidor – consumer psychology

💡 Grammar Points

Describing Mindsets

When using the word this way, it often appears with 'de' to show who the mindset belongs to (e.g., 'la psicología de los niños').

⭐ Usage Tips

Use it like 'Mindset'

You can use this word just like you use 'mindset' in English to describe why someone behaves a certain way.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: psicología

Question 1 of 2

Which of these is the correct way to write the word?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

psicólogo(psychologist (male)) - noun
psicóloga(psychologist (female)) - noun
psicológico(psychological) - adjective
psicoterapia(psychotherapy) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to pronounce the 'P' at the beginning?

No, you don't have to. Most native speakers pronounce it as if it started with an 'S' (sicología). Both are correct, but skipping the 'P' is more common in casual speech.

Is there a difference between 'psicología' and 'psiquiatría'?

Yes. 'Psicología' (psychology) focuses on behavior and mental processes through therapy, while 'psiquiatría' (psychiatry) is a medical branch that can prescribe medication.