How to Say "theory" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “theory” is “teoría” — use 'teoría' when referring to a well-developed explanation or set of principles, especially in academic, scientific, or formal contexts..
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teoría
nounB1formal
Use 'teoría' when referring to a well-developed explanation or set of principles, especially in academic, scientific, or formal contexts.
Examples
La teoría de la relatividad revolucionó la física.
The theory of relativity revolutionized physics.
hipótesis
nounB2informal
Use 'hipótesis' when you want to express a guess, a tentative explanation, or an unproven idea, often in a more informal or preliminary way.
Examples
Tengo la hipótesis de que el retraso se debe al tráfico.
I have a theory that the delay is due to traffic.
Teoría vs. Hipótesis
Learners often confuse 'teoría' and 'hipótesis' by using 'teoría' for simple guesses. Remember that 'teoría' implies a more structured and often scientifically supported explanation, while 'hipótesis' is a preliminary guess or assumption.
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