How to Say "principle" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “principle” is “principio” — use 'principio' when referring to a fundamental belief, a moral standard, or a basic rule that guides behavior or thought..
principio
/prin-SEE-pee-oh//pɾinˈθi.pjo/
Examples
Es un hombre de principios sólidos.
He is a man of solid principles.
Es una mujer de principios firmes.
She is a woman of firm principles.
No lo haré, va en contra de mis principios.
I won't do it, it goes against my principles.
El principio de la gravedad explica por qué las cosas caen.
The principle of gravity explains why things fall.
regla
RREH-glah/ˈreɣla/
Examples
La primera regla del club es no hablar de él.
The first rule of the club is not to talk about it.
Hay que seguir las reglas del juego si queremos ganar.
We have to follow the rules of the game if we want to win.
Esa es una regla básica de convivencia en este edificio.
That is a basic rule of coexistence in this building.
La regla general es llegar siempre a tiempo.
The general rule is to always arrive on time.
Plural Usage
When talking about guidelines or instructions, 'regla' is very often used in the plural: 'las reglas' (the rules).
Using 'Ley' instead of 'Regla'
Mistake: “Usar 'ley' para las reglas de un juego.”
Correction: Use 'regla' for guidelines or rules of a game; 'ley' (law) is usually reserved for formal, legal statutes enforced by the government.
ley
/ley//ˈlei̯/
Examples
La ley de la oferta y la demanda explica el mercado.
The law of supply and demand explains the market.
La ley de la gravedad es un principio fundamental de la física.
The law of gravity is a fundamental principle of physics.
En los negocios, la ley de la oferta y la demanda determina los precios.
In business, the law of supply and demand determines prices.
Es ley de vida que las cosas cambien con el tiempo.
It's a fact of life that things change over time.
fórmula
Examples
Necesitamos una fórmula para resolver este problema.
We need a formula to solve this problem.
ideal
ee-deh-AHL/iˈðeal/
Examples
Persigue el ideal de la belleza perfecta.
He pursues the ideal of perfect beauty.
Luchar por un ideal de justicia social es importante.
Fighting for an ideal of social justice is important.
Su ideal de vida era simple: paz y tranquilidad.
His life's ideal was simple: peace and quiet.
The Abstract Noun
When used as a noun, 'el ideal' refers to an abstract concept of perfection or a high standard, usually requiring the masculine article 'el' or 'un'.
Principio vs. Regla
Related Translations
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