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L'hypothèse était fausse, alors nous analysons les données.

L'hypothèse était fausse, alors nous analysons les données.
The hypothesis was false, so we are analyzing the data.
From Lesson 146:Connectors of consequence (alors, donc)·French

Questions & Answers about L'hypothèse était fausse, alors nous analysons les données.

Could I use donc instead of alors in this sentence?
Yes, you absolutely can! Both alors and donc express a consequence. alors is very common in everyday speech and translates perfectly to 'so'. donc is slightly more formal, closer to 'therefore'. They are often interchangeable when linking a cause and a result.
Why do we use the imperfect tense (était) in the first half, but the present tense (analysons) in the second?
The imperfect tense (était) describes a past state or situation: the hypothesis was false. The present tense (analysons) shows the action we are taking right now as a result. Mixing tenses like this is common to show how a past fact affects a current action.
Why is the word for false spelled fausse here instead of faux?
Adjectives in French must match the gender of the noun they describe. faux is the masculine form, but because hypothèse is a feminine noun, we must use the feminine form, which is fausse.
Is the word données (data) always plural?
Usually, yes! While the singular form une donnée (a piece of data) exists, when talking about data in research or computing, French uses the plural les données, just like we do in this sentence.

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