Turn this distinction into automatic recall
Falando teaches Brazilian Portuguese through grammar, vocabulary, audio, examples, and spaced review, so confusing pairs stop feeling like guesses.
Quick answer
Hipótese is a possibility framed for analysis or testing; suposição is a provisional belief or guess.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
What each word does
hipótese
hypothesis or possible explanation
Use hipótese for a structured possibility proposed for analysis, testing, or argument.
suposição
assumption or guess
Use suposição for an idea accepted provisionally without enough confirmation.
How to choose
- hipótese: Choose hipótese if the sentence points to a structured possibility proposed for analysis, testing, or argument.
- suposição: Choose suposição if the sentence points to an idea accepted provisionally without enough confirmation.
Examples
A pesquisa testou duas hipóteses.
The study tested two hypotheses.
Isso é apenas uma suposição.
That is only an assumption.
Common trap
Calling an idea hipótese does not make it true, but it usually gives it a clearer analytical role than a casual suposição.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with hipótese, then once with suposição. If both versions feel possible, name the meaning shift.
Turn this distinction into automatic recall
Falando teaches Brazilian Portuguese through grammar, vocabulary, audio, examples, and spaced review, so confusing pairs stop feeling like guesses.