la idea de
/la idea de/from spelling rules
The English phrase "the idea of" is translated into Spanish as la idea de.
A synonym for this phrase is la noción de.
How does it change in a sentence?
When la idea de is followed by a noun, you use the preposition de directly before that noun. However, if you want to say "the idea that" and follow it with a clause containing a subject and a verb, you must use la idea de que instead of just la idea de.
How do you pronounce it?
/la idea de/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, if someone says ni idea (literally 'not even an idea'), it is a very common way to say 'I have no clue' or 'I don't know at all'.
- The word idea is derived from the Ancient Greek word εἴδω, which means 'to see'. This links the mental concept of an 'idea' to the physical act of seeing.
- Because idea comes from the Greek 'eidos', the word shares a deep linguistic DNA with the English word 'idolatry', which concerns the worship of images or forms.
Examples in context
- Abandoné la idea de comprar una casa.I have abandoned the idea of buying a house.Tatoeba #582301 by Leono, translation #256508 by CK
- He abandonado la idea de comprar una casa.I gave up on the idea of buying a house.Tatoeba #1173675 by Shishir, translation #1157266 by belgavox
- La idea de ver a mi madre me ilusiona mucho.The idea of seeing my mother thrills me very much.Tatoeba #2268354 by cueyayotl, translation #2268353 by _undertoad
- La idea de la libertad es fundamental para una sociedad democrática.The idea of freedom is fundamental for a democratic society.
- Me gustaría hablar sobre la idea del amor en la poesía moderna.I would like to talk about the idea of love in modern poetry.
- El concepto del bienestar abarca mucho más que la salud física.The concept of well-being encompasses much more than physical health.
- La idea de ir al cine suena genial, ¿no?The idea of going to the movies sounds great, doesn't it?
- Me encanta la idea de escaparnos el próximo fin de semana.I love the idea of escaping next weekend.
- ¡No entiendo el concepto de no salir los viernes por la noche!I don't understand the idea of not going out on Friday nights!
- El concepto de tiempo libre ha cambiado mucho en los últimos años.The idea of free time has changed a lot in recent years.
- 26 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are discussing weekend plans.
- Mateo¿Te gusta la idea de ir a la playa?Do you like the idea of going to the beach?
- LucíaSí, me encanta la idea de tomar el sol.Yes, I love the idea of sunbathing.
- MateoEntonces, podemos preparar todo mañana.Then, we can prepare everything tomorrow.
- LucíaPerfecto, me parece un plan excelente.Perfect, it sounds like an excellent plan.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, idea, la, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
