Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Physics in Spanish: How to Say Física and Avoid the Físico Trap
Física · noun · FEE-see-kah
Physics in Spanish is física, a feminine noun referring to the natural science. Be careful not to confuse it with físico, which means physical (adjective) or physique (noun). Context and the accent mark make all the difference.
Three syllables: FEE-see-kah. The accent on the í confirms the stress is on the first syllable. This is an esdrújula word (stressed on the third-to-last syllable), which always carries a written accent in Spanish.
La física es mi materia favorita.
Physics is my favorite subject.
Physics in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for physics, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| física | physics | FEE-see-kah | Default, widely understood |
| la física | physics | with article, refers to the field or school subject |
How Native Speakers Use Física
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Talking about a school subject
Este semestre estoy tomando física y química.
This semester I'm taking physics and chemistry.
Física as a school subject is used without a capital letter in Spanish.
Describing a physics concept
La física cuántica estudia el comportamiento de las partículas subatómicas.
Quantum physics studies the behavior of subatomic particles.
Física cuántica is the standard term for quantum physics; mecánica cuántica is also used.
Referring to a physics teacher
Mi profesora de física explica todo con experimentos.
My physics teacher explains everything with experiments.
Profesora de física (physics teacher) is how you link the subject to a person.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Física
Confusing física with físico
Incorrect: Estudio físico en la universidad. (intending 'I study physics')
Correct: Estudio física en la universidad.
Físico means physical (adjective) or physique/physicist (noun). Física is the science. Saying 'estudio físico' would mean 'I study the physical' or 'I study a physique,' which makes no sense.
Dropping the accent mark
Incorrect: La fisica es difícil.
Correct: La física es difícil.
Without the accent, fisica is not correctly written and could be misread as a different stress pattern. The accent on the í is mandatory because it is an esdrújula word.
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Why word lists alone don't stick
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See Física used by native speakers
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Common Questions About Physics in Spanish
- How do you say physics in Spanish?
- Physics is física (FEE-see-kah). It is a feminine noun: la física. When referring to the school subject, it is not capitalized unless it starts a sentence.
- What is the difference between física and físico?
- Física (with the accent on the i) is the noun meaning physics. Físico can be an adjective meaning physical (e.g., ejercicio físico = physical exercise) or a noun meaning physique or physicist, depending on context.
- How do you say 'physicist' in Spanish?
- A physicist is un físico (male) or una física (female). Yes, the female form of physicist is identical to the word for the science itself — context and articles make the meaning clear.