
139 Useful Spanish Medical Terms for Travelers and Medical Professionals Alike
Learning Spanish medical terms is a prescription for success.
Yes, that applies to you, even if you’re not a doctor.
Medical Spanish is useful for medical professionals, travelers, everyday folks and anyone who wants to be equipped to help people out in an emergency.
So, let’s get you started off right with 139 useful medical Spanish terms.
Contents
- Why You Should Learn Medical Spanish
- 139 Spanish Medical Terms All Learners Should Know
-
- 1. Dolor
- 2. Enfermo/enferma
- 3. Enfermedad
- 4. ¿Cuál es el problema?
- 5. Me duele/duelen la/el/las/los…
- 6. Tengo dolor de…
- 7. Estoy enfermo/enferma.
- 8. Siéntese aquí, por favor.
- 9. ¿Tiene seguro médico?
- 10. Necesito ver su…
- 11. Tarjeta de seguro médico
- 12. ¿Cuál es su…?
- 13. Nombre
- 14. Apellido
- 15. Nombre completo
- 16. Número de seguro social
- 17. Número de teléfono
- 18. Dirección
- 19. ¿En qué trabaja?
- 20. ¿Quién es su contacto de emergencia?
- 21. Signos vitales
- 22. Peso
- 23. Temperatura
- 24. Presión
- 25. Pulso
- 26. Síntoma
- 27. Fiebre/calentura
- 28. Pérdida de peso
- 29. Mal apetito/poco apetito
- 30. Malestar en el estómago/trastorno estomacal
- 31. Náusea
- 32. Vómito
- 33. Diarrea
- 34. Estreñimiento
- 35. Fatiga
- 36. Palpitaciones
- 37. Falta de aire
- 38. Mareo
- 39. Debilidad
- 40. Insomnio
- 41. Hinchazón
- 42. Roncha
- 43. Sarpullido/Salpullido
- 44. Picazón/comezón/picor
- 45. Presión baja
- 46. Presión alta
- 47. Doctor/doctora/médico/médica
- 48. Enfermero/enfermera
- 49. Internista
- 50. Cirujano/cirujana
- 51. Ayudante
- 52. Técnico/técnica
- 53. Paciente
- 54. Hospital
- 55. Clínica
- 56. Farmacia
- 57. Consultorio
- 58. Sala de espera
- 59. Sala de emergencia
- 60. Sala de cuidados intensivos
- 61. Sala de maternidad
- 62. Sala de operaciones
- 63. Sala de recuperación
- 64. Laboratorio
- 65. Examen
- 66. Análisis de sangre
- 67. Tomografía
- 68. Biopsia
- 69. Radiografía
- 70. Medicina
- 71. Medicamento
- 72. Prescripción/Receta
- 73. Pastilla
- 74. Píldora
- 75. Cápsula
- 76. Tableta
- 77. Ungüento
- 78. Crema
- 79. Terapia
- 80. Cirugía
- 81. Espalda
- 82. Espina/Columna vertebral
- 83. Cara
- 84. Pulmón
- 85. Músculo
- 86. Piel
- 87. Hueso
- 88. Sangre
- 89. Arteria
- 90. Vena
- 91. Corazón
- 92. Cerebro
- 93. Lengua
- 94. Esófago
- 95. Estómago
- 96. Hígado
- 97. Vesícula biliar
- 98. Páncreas
- 99. Apéndice
- 100. Riñón
- 101. Vejiga
- 102. Abdomen
- 103. Ingle
- 104. Intestino
- 105. Colon
- 106. Ojos
- 107. Oreja
- 108. Oído
- 109. Boca
- 110. Nariz
- 111. Mandíbula
- 112. Cuello
- 113. Diente
- 114. Brazo
- 115. Hombro
- 116. Muñeca
- 117. Mano
- 118. Dedo
- 119. Pierna
- 120. Cadera
- 121. Rodilla
- 122. Tobillo
- 123. Pie
- 124. Diabetes
- 125. Hepatitis
- 126. Conmoción cerebral
- 127. Depresión
- 128. Enfermedad cardíaca
- 129. Ataque al corazón/Infarto/Paro cardíaco
- 130. Artritis
- 131. Cáncer
- 132. Apoplejía/Derrame cerebral
- 133. Asma
- 134. Alergia
- 135. Virus
- 136. Catarro/resfriado
- 137. Gripe
- 138. Faringitis estreptocócica
- 139. Intoxicación alimenticia
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Why You Should Learn Medical Spanish
One reason why many people learn medical Spanish is to prepare to work in a medical field. Plenty of jobs require Spanish, including some great ones in the medical field.
Even if a job doesn’t require Spanish, there are still economic advantages to learning it. Learning proper medical terms is a good way to work towards better Spanish for business, particularly if you’re working in any healthcare or medical field. Learning medical Spanish will definitely open up your job options if you’re looking for work in the medical field.
Another reason to learn medical Spanish is to prepare you to assist a Spanish-speaker in a medical emergency. You’re just that good of a person.
Many EMTs don’t speak Spanish, and some hospitals and clinics lack sufficient Spanish-speaking staff. While they have professional translators they can call, there isn’t always time in an emergency. Being able to pitch in and help with your Spanish skills could literally save a life.
That being said, you could always use your knowledge to become one of those on-call translators, too!
We’re sure you’ll want to learn medical Spanish in order to communicate in a medical emergency abroad. It’s not an ideal situation, of course, but something could happen while you’re traveling. Hopefully you’ve followed the advice of NBC News and prepared ahead of time for this possibility, but learning some medical terms is still good backup.
Learning medical Spanish is also valuable in order to communicate an underlying medical condition while abroad.
If you have any chronic conditions, it’s important to know the terms to describe your condition and associated symptoms. This way, if your condition flares up abroad, you can still get help. Putting together your own advanced Spanish vocabulary list will help you keep track of all the terms related to your condition. You might even keep it in your suitcase when you travel.
You should also learn some medical Spanish in case you need medication abroad. Try to bring your own medications whenever possible, and make sure you follow the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers’ guidelines so that hopefully you’ll have all the medications you need.
Still, you never know when you’ll have a terrible headache and need help finding the right over-the-counter medication to fix it. Being able to describe what’s happening is key to getting the assistance you need.
Luckily, there are lots of great resources like MedicalSpanish.com and PracticingSpanish.com to help prepare you with more useful medical terms. Medical students or others looking for the full treatment, so to speak, can check out the Medical Spanish Series at ed2go, a set of online courses that specifically teach you Spanish for use in medical situations.
If you want to practice these terms further, you can create flashcards on a program like FluentU. This app and website also lets you watch native speakers using these words in authentic Spanish videos with interactive subtitles, so you can learn them in context.
Ready to learn medical Spanish? Get started with this list!
139 Spanish Medical Terms All Learners Should Know
1. Dolor
Dolor means “pain.” It can refer to either physical or mental pain.
2. Enfermo/enferma
Enfermo/enferma often acts as an adjective meaning “sick.” However, it can also act as a noun meaning “sick person” or “patient.”
As is standard with Spanish-language adjectives and nouns, we use the masculine –o ending when referring to boys and men and the feminine –a ending when referring to girls and women.
3. Enfermedad
Enfermedad can refer to an illness, sickness or disease.
4. ¿Cuál es el problema?
What is the problem?
5. Me duele/duelen la/el/las/los…
Me duele/duelen la/el/las/los… is like saying “My ______ hurt/hurts.” For instance, me duele la cabeza means “my head hurts.” Me duelen los pies means “my feet hurt.”
6. Tengo dolor de…
Tengo dolor de… means “I have a pain/ache of…”
So, for instance, you might say tengo dolor de cabeza to mean the equivalent of “I have a headache.”
7. Estoy enfermo/enferma.
Estoy enfermo/enferma means “I am sick.” Following standard grammar rules, a man would use enfermo while a woman would use enferma.
8. Siéntese aquí, por favor.
Sit here, please.
You’ll notice in this and the following phrases that, when speaking to patients, medical personnel will generally use the formal usted form of “you.”
9. ¿Tiene seguro médico?
Do you have medical/health insurance?
10. Necesito ver su…
I need to see your…
11. Tarjeta de seguro médico
Medical/health insurance card
12. ¿Cuál es su…?
What is your…?
13. Nombre
First name
14. Apellido
Last name
15. Nombre completo
Complete name (first and last)
16. Número de seguro social
Social security number
17. Número de teléfono
Telephone number
18. Dirección
When they ask for your dirección at check-in, it means “address.” However, the same word can also mean “direction,” “steering” (for a car) or “management.”
19. ¿En qué trabaja?
¿En qué trabaja? is the equivalent of “What field do you work in?”
20. ¿Quién es su contacto de emergencia?
Who is your emergency contact?
21. Signos vitales
Vital signs
22. Peso
Weight
23. Temperatura
Temperature
24. Presión
Presión means “pressure,” but in medicine, it’s also used to mean “blood pressure.”
25. Pulso
Pulse
26. Síntoma
Symptom
27. Fiebre/calentura
Fever
28. Pérdida de peso
Weight loss
29. Mal apetito/poco apetito
Mal apetito means “bad appetite” while poco apetito means “poor appetite.”
30. Malestar en el estómago/trastorno estomacal
Both malestar en el estómago and trastorno estomacal are used to refer to an upset stomach. Malestar en el estómago literally means “discomfort in the stomach” while trastorno estomacal more literally means “upset stomach.”
31. Náusea
Nausea
32. Vómito
Vómito can refer to the act of vomiting or the vomit itself.
33. Diarrea
Diarrhea
34. Estreñimiento
Constipation
35. Fatiga
Fatigue
36. Palpitaciones
Palpitations
37. Falta de aire
Shortness of breath
38. Mareo
Mareo can mean nausea, motion sickness or dizziness.
39. Debilidad
Weakness
40. Insomnio
Insomnia
41. Hinchazón
Hinchazón can refer to swelling, bloating or a bump/lump.
42. Roncha
Roncha can refer to a bump, a lump or a hive.
43. Sarpullido/Salpullido
Rash
44. Picazón/comezón/picor
Picazón, comezón and picor can all refer to an itch.
45. Presión baja
Low blood pressure
46. Presión alta
High blood pressure
47. Doctor/doctora/médico/médica
Doctor
48. Enfermero/enfermera
Nurse
49. Internista
Internist
50. Cirujano/cirujana
Surgeon
51. Ayudante
Assistant
52. Técnico/técnica
Technician
53. Paciente
In a medical context, paciente usually means “patient,” as in a sick person. However, paciente can also mean the adjective “patient” which is like “tolerant.”
54. Hospital
Hospital
55. Clínica
Clinic
56. Farmacia
Pharmacy
57. Consultorio
In a medical setting, consultorio can mean “doctor’s office” or “surgery.” In other contexts, it can refer to another office or a consultancy.
58. Sala de espera
Waiting room
59. Sala de emergencia
Emergency room
60. Sala de cuidados intensivos
Intensive care unit
61. Sala de maternidad
Maternity ward
62. Sala de operaciones
Operating room
63. Sala de recuperación
Recovery room
64. Laboratorio
Lab
65. Examen
Examen is very versatile. In a medical context, it can mean “test,” “exam” or “checkup.” In can also refer to “exams” in the academic sense.
66. Análisis de sangre
Análisis de sangre literally means “analysis of blood.” In English, we generally call this “blood test” or “blood work.”
67. Tomografía
Tomografía means “tomography” which includes various imaging techniques like CT scans and MRIs.
68. Biopsia
Biopsy
69. Radiografía
Radiografía means “radiography” which includes imaging techniques like x-rays.
70. Medicina
Medicine
71. Medicamento
Medication/medicine
72. Prescripción/Receta
Prescription
73. Pastilla
In a medical context, pastilla means “pill.” However, it can also mean “microchip,” “bar” (of soap) and a plethora of other things.
74. Píldora
Píldora generally means “pill.” However, it’s also used to refer to the birth control pill in particular.
75. Cápsula
Capsule
76. Tableta
In a medical context, this usually means “tablet.” However, it can also mean “tablet” in a computing context. Additionally, it can refer to a bar of chocolate (which also has curative powers).
77. Ungüento
Ointment/salve
78. Crema
This can refer to a cream or lotion. However, it can also be used to reference another kind of cream—the edible dairy product.
79. Terapia
Therapy
80. Cirugía
Surgery
81. Espalda
Back
82. Espina/Columna vertebral
Spine
83. Cara
Face
84. Pulmón
Lung
85. Músculo
Muscle
86. Piel
Skin
87. Hueso
Hueso means “bone” in a medical context. Otherwise, it can also refer to the pit in a fruit.
88. Sangre
Blood
89. Arteria
Artery
90. Vena
Vein
91. Corazón
Heart
92. Cerebro
Brain
93. Lengua
In anatomy, lengua means “tongue.” Otherwise, it can also mean “language.”
94. Esófago
Esophagus
95. Estómago
Stomach
96. Hígado
Liver
97. Vesícula biliar
Gallbladder
98. Páncreas
Pancreas
99. Apéndice
Apéndice can refer to the appendix in your body or in a book/document.
100. Riñón
Kidney
101. Vejiga
In anatomy, vejiga means “bladder.” However, vejiga can also mean “blister.”
102. Abdomen
Abdomen
103. Ingle
Groin
104. Intestino
Intestine
105. Colon
Colon
106. Ojos
Eyes
107. Oreja
Outer ear
108. Oído
Inner ear
109. Boca
Mouth
110. Nariz
Nose
111. Mandíbula
Jaw
112. Cuello
Neck
113. Diente
Tooth
114. Brazo
Arm
115. Hombro
Shoulder
116. Muñeca
In anatomy, muñeca means “wrist.” However, it can also mean “doll.”
117. Mano
Mano generally means “hand,” but in some contexts it could also mean “pal,” “mitt” or several other things.
118. Dedo
Dedo means “finger.” However, dedo del pie means “toe.”
119. Pierna
Leg
120. Cadera
Hip
121. Rodilla
Knee
122. Tobillo
Ankle
123. Pie
Foot
124. Diabetes
Diabetes
125. Hepatitis
Hepatitis
126. Conmoción cerebral
Concussion
127. Depresión
Depression
128. Enfermedad cardíaca
Heart disease
129. Ataque al corazón/Infarto/Paro cardíaco
Heart attack
130. Artritis
Arthritis
131. Cáncer
Cancer
132. Apoplejía/Derrame cerebral
Stroke
133. Asma
Asthma
134. Alergia
Allergy
135. Virus
Virus
136. Catarro/resfriado
Cold
137. Gripe
Flu
138. Faringitis estreptocócica
Strep throat
139. Intoxicación alimenticia
Food poisoning
These 139 useful medical terms and phrases will prepare you for any situation.
Use them in good health!
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)