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How to Say "realism" in Spanish

English → Spanish

realismo

/re-ah-LEES-moh//re.a.ˈlis.mo/

nounB1general
Use 'realismo' when referring to a practical, unvarnished view of life or a situation, accepting things as they truly are.
A person choosing a sturdy pair of boots over a pair of fancy dress shoes for a long walk.

Examples

Hay que mirar la situación con realismo.

We have to look at the situation with realism.

Su realismo le ayudó a tomar una decisión difícil.

Her practicality helped her make a difficult decision.

El realismo político a veces es criticado por ser cínico.

Political realism is sometimes criticized for being cynical.

Always Masculine

Words in Spanish that end in '-ismo' are almost always masculine, so you will always use 'el' or 'un' with them.

Realismo vs. Realidad

Mistake: “La realidad de este plan es baja.”

Correction: El realismo de este plan es bajo. Use 'realismo' for the quality of being realistic, and 'realidad' for the state of being real.

naturalidad

/nah-too-rah-lee-DAHD//natuaɾaliˈðað/

nounB2general
Use 'naturalidad' when describing how closely something, like art or photography, resembles reality or appears lifelike and unforced.
A wooden carving of a bird that looks very realistic.

Examples

La naturalidad de los colores en esta foto es impresionante.

The lifelikeness of the colors in this photo is impressive.

Buscamos naturalidad en el diseño de los jardines.

We are looking for a natural look in the design of the gardens.

Describing Appearance

When talking about objects or art, this word describes the quality of not looking man-made or fake.

Realismo vs. Naturalidad

The most common mistake is using 'realismo' to describe artistic lifelikeness. Remember, 'realismo' is about a practical mindset towards life's difficulties, while 'naturalidad' refers to how genuinely something appears or behaves.

Related Translations

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