How to Say "plausible" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “plausible” is “creíble” — use 'creíble' when discussing whether something is believable or worthy of trust, often in response to an explanation or story.
creíble
Examples
Tu historia de fantasmas no es muy creíble.
Your ghost story is not very believable.
probable
proh-BAH-blehpɾoˈβaβle
Examples
Es probable que el tren se retrase debido al mal tiempo.
It is probable that the train will be delayed due to bad weather.
Es probable que llueva esta tarde, mejor lleva paraguas.
It is probable that it will rain this afternoon, better take an umbrella.
La causa más probable del accidente fue la velocidad excesiva.
The most probable cause of the accident was excessive speed.
Los resultados probables de la elección se conocerán mañana.
The likely results of the election will be known tomorrow.
Use with Subjunctive
When you use the impersonal phrase 'Es probable que...' (It is likely that...), the next verb must be in the special 'subjunctive' form: 'Es probable que venga' (It is likely that he/she comes).
Gender Agreement
This adjective is one of the handy ones that is the same for both masculine and feminine nouns. It only changes when the noun is plural: 'el resultado probable' and 'la causa probable' become 'los resultados probables'.
Forgetting Subjunctive
Mistake: “Es probable que *viene* mañana.”
Correction: Es probable que *venga* mañana. (The likelihood introduces uncertainty, requiring the special verb form.)
Choosing Between 'Creíble' and 'Probable'
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