How to Say "natural sciences" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “natural sciences” is “ciencias” — use 'ciencias' when referring to scientific fields in a general or academic context, like university studies, encompassing biology, chemistry, physics, etc.
Use 'ciencias' when referring to scientific fields in a general or academic context, like university studies, encompassing biology, chemistry, physics, etc.
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Use 'naturales' as a shortened, informal term for 'natural sciences' when referring to a specific school subject or academic exam.
Learn more →see-EHN-seeahs (or thee-EHN-seeahs)ˈsjen.sjas
Examples
Mi hermano estudia las ciencias en la universidad.
My brother studies the sciences at the university.
Las ciencias sociales analizan el comportamiento humano.
The social sciences analyze human behavior.
Debemos invertir más en investigación de ciencias básicas.
We must invest more in basic science research.
Always Plural, Always Feminine
Even though 'ciencias' refers to a big field, it is always treated as a plural, feminine noun. This means any words describing it must also be plural and feminine: 'las ciencias nuevas' (the new sciences).
Using the Singular for the Field
Mistake: “La ciencia son importantes.”
Correction: Las ciencias son importantes.
nah-too-RAH-lesna.tuˈɾa.les
Examples
Mañana tenemos examen de naturales a primera hora.
Tomorrow we have a natural sciences exam first thing.
Mi hermana es muy buena en naturales.
My sister is very good at natural sciences.
Implied Feminine
Even though 'naturales' itself ends in '-es', this noun usage is actually short for 'las ciencias naturales' (the natural sciences). Therefore, if you use an article, it should be feminine, like 'la clase de naturales'.
Using the wrong article
Mistake: “El naturales es difícil.”
Correction: Las naturales (or La clase de naturales) es difícil. Remember the core noun 'ciencias' is feminine.
General vs. Specific Use
Learners often mistakenly use the broad term 'ciencias' when they mean the specific school subject 'naturales'. Remember that 'naturales' is a common shorthand for the academic subject, while 'ciencias' is a more general term for science disciplines.
Related Translations
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