doctor visit in spanish

Learn Spanish with free, communicative lessons

At the Doctor in Spanish: Illnesses, Phrases and Listening Practice

¡Hola nuevamente! Today’s lesson will cover some very useful phrases and questions for having a basic doctor and patient conversation in Spanish. To do so, we have included the names of some common illnesses in Spanish, as well as a dialogue (listening activity) resembling a real visit to the doctor in Spanish. We will also introduce the basics about the present perfect in Spanish. Let’s start…

Vocabulary Introduction: A list of Common illnesses in Spanish

First, please take a look at the picture showing how to say some common illnesses in Spanish – enfermedades comunes. As you may notice, some of them are very similar in both languages, while others are totally different. You may listen to the pronunciation of these words in the podcast below the image.

Some useful questions and phrases at the doctor in Spanish

How to reply to “what’s the matter” in spanish.

The doctor will often ask you the following questions meaning “what’s the matter in Spanish” : ¿Cómo te sientes?, ¿Cuál es el problema? or ¿Cómo puedo ayudarte? . In order to reply, we will generally use the phrases “ Me siento con + síntoma”, e.g. “ Me siento con fiebre ”, or even better with “ Tengo + síntoma ” as in “ Tengo fiebre ” and “ Tengo dolor de cabeza ”. Since being sick is a state, we will need the irregular verb ESTAR , not the verb SER, so we will say “ Yo estoy enfermo ”, “Él está enfermo” and so on. ESTAR can also be used to talk about symptoms to tell how you are feeling, e.g. “ Estoy con dolor de cabeza ” and “ Estoy con dolor de estómago ”.

Saying “It hurts” in Spanish

First of all, the stem-changing verb DOLER  will be used to indicate where people feel pain, for example: “Me duele el pecho” (I have chest pain) and “Me duele” (It hurts). We will also use the phrase “Dolor de + a part of the body ” to tell where we feel pain. A variation of this phrase would be “Dolor en …” as in “ Dolor en la espalda ” and “ Dolor en el pecho ”. Unlike English, Spanish does not have a word for the suffix “-ache” so it will always be translated as “DOLOR”(pain). The image presented below incorporates a large part of these essential expressions and questions in Spanish when consulting a doctor. Keep in mind that some of them could be a little different from country to country.

The basics about the present perfect in Spanish

The present perfect in Spanish can be a really useful tense when having a doctor – patient conversation in Spanish. It is really helpful to say the symptoms you have experienced and explain why you may feel sick. It is formed by using the verb HABER plus a verb in participle (estado, comido, viajado, etc.). Basically, HABER will be conjugated like this for the present tense in Spanish: “Yo he”, “Tú has”, “Él/Ella/Usted ha”, “Nosotros hemos” and “Ellos/Ustedes han”.  After any of these conjugations, we will add the main activity in participle, e.g. “Yo he sentido dolor de cabeza” and “Nosotros hemos estado con diarrea”. 

When talking about symptoms and illnesses in Spanish, you can use these forms of the present perfect in Spanish: “Me he sentido + un síntoma” (I have felt…), “He tenido + un síntoma” (I have had…), “He tomado + algo” (I have taken…), “He comido + algo” (I have eaten…) and “He estado con + un síntoma” (I have been with…). When talking about yourself, you can use “He” (I have), but when talking about another person use “Ha”(he/she/you have), for instance: “ Él ha estado con dolor de cabeza ”. 

Common questions and phrases in a doctor and patient conversation in Spanish

Listen to some examples using the present tense  as well as common questions and phrases that will be very useful for a productive doctor and patient conversation in Spanish.

Listening Activity No. 1: A visit to the doctor in Spanish

Key phrases in the conversation:.

• “No me he sentido muy bien” means “I haven’t felt well lately”
• “Un poco” means “a little…”
• “¿Ha tenido + síntoma?” means “Have you had + a symptom?”

Listening Activity No. 2: Receiving medical attention in Spanish

Key questions in the conversation:.

• “¿Hace cuánto tiene este problema?” means “how long have you had this problem?”
• “¿Le duele si…?” means “Does it hurt if…?”
• “ ¿Qué tratamiento debería seguir? ” means “What treatment should I follow?”

Related Spanish worksheets:

• Parts of the Body in Spanish – PDF Crossword Puzzle
• The Vocabulary for Illnesses in Spanish – PDF Worksheet

SICK IN LATIN AMERICA? All Spanish you need for a DOCTOR’S VISIT!

Did you get ill in Latin America, and the thought of going to the doctor and explaining everything in Spanish makes you even more sick? 

Learn all the Spanish you need to communicate with doctors, and get healthy soon! 

I’m Spring Spanish teacher, Maura, and let’s start with calling for an appointment.

1. The phone call

The most important thing in this lesson are the categories. Inside each, we’ll cover examples within the most common contexts.

Let’s start with a typical phone call:

ACTOR 1 Hola, buenas tardes. Necesito hacer una cita para revisión. (Hello, good afternoon. I need to make an appointment for a checkup.)

ACTOR 2 Buenas tardes. Dígame su nombre, por favor . (Good afternoon. Tell me your name, please.)

ACTOR 1 Claudia Torani. Soy turista y no hablo español fluidamente. Agradecería si pudiese hablarme despacio.  (Claudia Torani. I am a tourist and do not speak Spanish fluently. I would appreciate it if you could speak slowly.)

ACTOR 2 Seguro. Dígame el motivo de su llamada. (Sure. Tell me the reason for your call.)

ACTOR 1 Me he estado sintiendo mal del estómago por varios días. (I have been feeling sick from my stomach for several days.)

ACTOR 2 Entendido. Le haré una cita con la Doctora Gutierrez. ¿Tiene seguro médico? (Got it. I will make an appointment for you with Dr. Gutierrez. Do you have medical insurance?)

ACTOR 1 Sí.  (Yes.)

ACTOR 2 Genial. La cita más cercana que tenemos es para mañana a las dos de la tarde. (Great. The closest appointment we have is for tomorrow at 2 in the afternoon.)

ACTOR 1 Perfecto. ¡Muchas gracias ! (Perfect. Thank you very much!)

2. Symptoms

One of the most relevant variations of the phone call would be your symptoms. So, let’s go over a few other typical health issues. For things that hurt, use: me duele (it hurts). After that, you can add any body part that hurts. Maria Fernanda made a great video about body parts that can help you out with that. You can watch it here. 

Other typical ailments could be:

• Tengo tos. (I have a cough.)
• Tengo flema. (I have phlegm.)
• Me arde: la garganta, el pecho, el estómago. (It burns: my throat, my chest, my stomach.)
• Me pica: la espalda, la cabeza, todo el cuerpo. (It itches: my back, my head, the entire body.) 

Remember, you can add any body part after the chunk. You could also need to say there are abnormal things you can’t do. For that use: no puedo (I can’t). Then add the verb. For example:

• No puedo tragar. (I can’t swallow.)
• No puedo respirar. (I can’t breathe.)
• No puedo mover : la pierna, el brazo, el cuello. (I can’t move: the leg, the arm, the neck.)

Another thing that could happen that I want to go through with you is if your answer to: ¿Tienes seguro médico? (Do you have medical insurance?). In this case, you should ask:

• ¿Cuánto cuesta la consulta? (How much does the consultation cost?)
• ¿Cómo puedo pagar? (How can I pay?)

To which they could answer an amount of money, so check your numbers. Things like:

• Cincuenta dólares o cuatrocientos pesos. (50 dollars or 400 pesos.)
• Con efectivo o tarjeta. (With cash or card.)

Lastly, make sure to confirm details at the end by saying something like: Le repito la información para que me confirme. (I will repeat the information for you to confirm.) Doctora Gutierrez, mañana a las dos de la tarde. (Dr. Gutierrez, tomorrow at 2 in the afternoon.)

Also, watch until the end if you want to make sure you won’t mistake instructions given by your doctor, and end up undressing yourself when you don’t have to!

3. At the reception

As soon as you walk through the door and find the receptionist, this is what could happen:

ACTOR 1 Hola. Tengo cita con la Doctora Gutierrez a las dos. (Hi. I have an appointment with Dr. Gutierrez at 2.)

ACTOR 2 Muy bien . Su nombre, identificación y la documentación del seguro, por favor. (Very good. Your name, ID, and insurance documentation, please.)

ACTOR 1 Claudia Torani. Aquí tiene.  (Claudia Torani. Here you go.)

ACTOR 2 Tome asiento, por favor. Le llamarán para ser atendida. (Have a seat, please. You will be called to be attended.)

Maybe this is a bigger place, and they tell you to go somewhere else. In this case, you could hear things like:

• Primera planta (First floor) or any number floor for that matter.
• A la izquierda o a la derecha. (To the left or to the right.)
• Al final del pasillo. (At the end of the hallway.)
• Subiendo o bajando las escaleras. (Up or down the stairs.)

Once you’re done with the doctor, which we’ll go over in a second, you may have to talk to the receptionist again. Probably to pay, in case you don’t have insurance and the like:

ACTOR 2 ¿Todo listo? (All set?)

ACTOR 1 Si, gracias. Quería pagar, por favor. (Yes, thank you. I would like to pay, please.)

ACTOR 2 Por supuesto. ¿Efectivo o tarjeta? (Of course. Cash or card?)

ACTOR 1 Tarjeta. También, la doctora me dijo que hiciera una cita para un examen de sangre. (Card. Also, the doctor told me to make an appointment for a blood test.)

ACTOR 2 Muy bien. Tiene que estar en ayunas, así que sería para mañana. ¿A las siete de la mañana le viene bien?  (All right. You have to be fasting, so it would be for tomorrow. Seven in the morning works for you?)

ACTOR 1 Sí. ¿Se hace aquí mismo? (Yes. Is it done right here?)

ACTOR 2 Sí, en la planta de abajo. Aquí tiene la orden que deberá presentar. (Yes, downstairs. Here is the form you will need to submit.)

These doctor’s procedures are generally standardized in Latin America. Sobre todo si vas a un centro privado, que es lo más habitual para nosotros. (Especially if you go to a private center, which is the most common for us.) So, just make sure to say all the typical things you’d guess they need to know. That way you’ll be able to avoid part of the questioning, which is always a good idea if you don’t feel super comfortable with the language. 

Chunk alert!

Estar en ayunas (To be fasting) is the type of chunk you will hardly hear outside a medical context, but that is so common within it. If there are other ways to refer to this, they are certainly not usual, and estar en ayunas is definitely the quintessential way to talk about this in Spanish. 

Down below, you can find the link to our free Essential Spanish Chunking kit , with chunks far more common but just as important as this one. 

4. With the doctor

Now, during your visit with the doctor, you’ll have to repeat the symptoms you talked about during your phone call, adding as much detail as you can. Además, el médico te hará preguntas específicas sobre el contexto de tus síntomas. (Also, the doctor will ask specific questions regarding the context of your symptoms.) Let’s use a COVID scenario as an example, and go through a typical conversation:

ACTOR 1 Buenos días. Tome asiento, por favor. Dígame, ¿qué le sucede? (Good morning. Have a seat, please. Tell me, what’s wrong?)

ACTOR 2 Buenos días, doctora. Llevo una semana de vacaciones aquí y hace dos días empecé a sentir malestar general y he tenido un poco de fiebre. (Good morning, doctor. I have been on vacation here for a week and two days ago I started to feel general discomfort and have had a slight fever.)

ACTOR 1 Entiendo. ¿Ha estado en contacto con algún caso positivo de covid? (I see. Have you been in contact with any covid positive cases?)

ACTOR 2 No que yo sepa. (Not that I know of.)

ACTOR 1 ¿Sufre de alguna condición especial o toma algún medicamento? (Do you suffer from any special condition or take any medication?)

ACTOR 1 No. (No.)

ACTOR 1 Dígame, ¿qué más siente? (Tell me, what else do you feel?)

ACTOR 2 Presión en el pecho y mucha molestia en la garganta. (Chest pressure and a lot of discomfort in the throat.)

ACTOR 1 Bien. Le dejo una orden para que pida cita en recepción para hacerse el test de antígenos. Mientras esperamos resultados, le daré un récipe para que compre acetaminofén en la farmacia.  (Good. I’ll leave an order for you to make an appointment at the front desk for an antigen test. While we wait for the results, I will give you a prescription to buy acetaminophen at the pharmacy.)

ACTOR 2 ¿Cómo debo tomarlo? (How should I take it?)

ACTOR 1 Cada ocho horas. Preferiblemente con el estómago lleno.  (Every 8 hours. Preferably on a full stomach.)

Again, there are many more symptoms and instructions that can be involved in this. First, let’s add a couple of particular situations you should definitely warn your doctor about if it applies to you. Things like:

• Estoy embarazada. (I am pregnant.)
• Soy diabética. (I am diabetic.)
• Soy alérgica a: la penicilina, las nueces, los mariscos . (I am allergic to: penicillin, nuts, seafood.)

Also, your doctor could give you certain instructions to check you up. Among them, could be:

• Túmbese boca arriba o boca abajo. (Lie on your back or stomach.)
• Respire profundo. (Take a deep breath.)
• Desvístase y póngase la bata. (Undress and put on the gown.)
• Tosa. (Cough.)
• Siga mi dedo. (Follow my finger.)
• Abra la boca. (Open your mouth.)

Now, I’ll leave a few questions for you to test what you learned today. Also, leave a nauseated emoji in the comments if you’ve ever been sick in a foreign country! This way, I’ll also know that you have stuck with me to the end. 

Before I test you on today’s topic, though, I hope this was useful, and I really hope you don’t need it, but I’m glad we did this in case you ever do. If you are already feeling sick in a foreign country and that’s why you’re here, my heart goes out to you. Stay strong and positive and all will be over soon!

Time for that quiz! What phrase would you use to say something hurts in Spanish?

What’s the expression for fasting they’ll use to instruct you?

• No puede comer
• Tiene que estar en ayunas

How do you say you’ve been feeling general discomfort in Spanish?

• Me siento mal
• Tengo malestar general

I'm a Venezuelan actress, writer, filmmaker, editor, translator, immigrant and refugee working as a freelancer in Madrid on everything I love (including teaching and learning English, Spanish and French). I grew up on a small island in the Caribbean, which I love to death, but this is the fourth country I've lived in, and it's not going to be the last. I am a proud nineties human and a fighting Millennial. I'm obsessed with animals, people, physics, representation and anything with cinnamon on it.

Similar Posts

Day of the Dead in Spanish: 7 Facts on El Día de Los Muertos

¿Te gusta celebrar Halloween? (Do you like to celebrate Halloween?) I like it, but as a good Mexican, what I love the most is El Día de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead in Spanish), a tradition originated in central and southern Mexico. Many people from abroad confuse this day with the American Halloween,…

Teach Yourself Spanish: Ultimate Learning Guide (Resources + Study Plan)

I’m Juan, from Spring Spanish, and in this video I’m going to show you exactly how to teach yourself Spanish… through the power of Conversation Based Chunking.  Anyone can do this, regardless of past experiences — as long as you have some good resources and a solid plan. And I actually do have a 5…

How to get to a NATIVE-like level in Spanish

1Oye, ¿qué piensas del presidente de México?(Hey, what do you think of the Mexican president?) 3Yo pienso que…  él…  mmm… está bien.(I think that… he’s… umm… he’s alright.) If your Spanish is good enough to have simple conversations but you get frustrated because you still can’t convey complex opinions… ¡Este video es para ti! (This…

Get corrected in Spanish to reach perfect Spanish

Actor 1Hoy quiero comer tamalis.(Today, I want to have _______.) Actor 2TamalES.(TamalES.) Actor 1Eso, salsa verde tamales.(That, green salsa tamales.) Actor 2De hecho, no se dice “salsa verde tamales”, sino “tamales de salsa verde”.(Actually, it’s not _____________, but “tamales de salsa verde.”) Actor 1Digo todo mal. ¡Ya no quiero hablar español!(I say everything wrong. I…

Thank you in Spanish: Don’t say gracias, say this instead (8 alternatives)

Mis amigos, if you want to sound more like a native speaker while speaking Spanish, it’s time for you to STOP saying the same old gracias in Spanish when thanking somebody. Use one of these 8 much more conversational alternatives instead!  I’m teacher María Fernanda from Spring Spanish, and THIS is your first alternative:  1….

DON’T Say ENTONCES, say THESE 5 Alternatives Instead!

Y entonces que me toma de la mano y entonces que me le quedo viendo. ¡Y entonces que pasa mi ex! (And so he grabs my hand, and then I stare at him. And then my ex passes by!) Don’t ruin a great story by saying entonces (then) too much! Ponle variedad a tu storytelling…

Request Your Essential Spanish Chunking Kit Here!

54 Essential Spanish Chunks, Bonus Cheat Sheets and a Bonus Spanish Class waiting for you 👇

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

Request Your Essential German Chunking Kit Here!

Cheat Sheets with essential German chunks waiting for you👇

¡Vamos! Start now

Register for the Free Beginner Course, get your companion workbook and start with the first video lesson right away! 👇

¡Vamos! I’m a Serious Spanish Student

Unlock the Conversation Based Chunking Demo Walkthrough With Spanish Dialogue Now 🙂 👇

I want to learn…

Request your free workshop materials here, privacy overview.

Going to the doctor in Spanish

by Maria Inês Teixeira

Published on January 13, 2021 / Updated on November 4, 2022

Going to the doctor is a stressful experience in and of itself. Doing it abroad ? Even worse.

But trying to speak to a doctor or receptionist who isn’t fluent in English and can’t really understand your problem? Awful. That’s why you’ll want to have a basic grasp of health and doctor visit vocabulary in Spanish, just in case you need it (hopefully, you won’t ever!). 

How do you speak Spanish at the doctor, then? Let’s take a look at our list. Make sure you practice this vocabulary out loud with a friend before you ever have to use it in real life. Your appointment will work out better if you know what to say before things take a wrong turn! Of course, culture and context also matter when visiting a doctor in a Spanish-speaking country, so make sure you get informed about local customs and expectations.

1. How to book a doctor’s appointment in Spanish

The keyword here is cita (appointment). Here are some things you can say on the phone when you want to book your visit to the doctor in a Spanish-speaking country:

• Me llamo Sarah Smith / Me llamo John Ellis. – My name’s Sarah Smith. / My name’s John Ellis.
• Me gustaría pedir una cita con el médico. / Me gustaría pedir una cita con el doctor García. / Me gustaría pedir una cita con la doctora García (female). – I’d like to book an appointment with the doctor. / I would like to book an appointment with Dr. García.
• Necesito hacer una cita con el médico. / Necesito hacer una cita con el doctor García. / Necesito hacer una cita con la doctora García. – I need to have an appointment with the doctor. / I need to have an appointment with Dr. García.
• ¿Cuándo es posible pedir una cita? – When is it possible to request/book an appointment?
• Voy a explicar mis síntomas. – I’m going to explain my symptoms. / Estos son mis síntomas . – These are my symptoms.
• ¿Qué documentos debo traer conmigo? – What documents should I bring with me?)
• Tengo seguro médico. / No tengo seguro médico. – I have health insurance. / I don’t have health insurance.
• ¿Mi cita está confirmada? – Is my appointment confirmed?
• ¿Cuánto cuesta la cita? – How much is the appointment?
• ¿Cuánto cuesta el examen? – How much is the exam/examination?

Some time expressions come in handy here. For example, you might want your appointment to take place…

• … hoy – today
• … mañana – tomorrow
• … esta semana – this week
• … la próxima semana – next week
• … lo más pronto posible – as soon as possible
• … por la mañana – in the morning
• … por la tarde – in the afternoon
• … a las tres. – at 3 o’clock
• … al mediodía – at noon

2. Talking to the receptionist  in Spanish

So you’ve managed to book your appointment and show up at the doctor’s office. Now you’re ready to introduce your issue and explain why you came to see Dr. García! Here are some expressions you might hear from the receptionist: 

• ¿Cómo se llama? / ¿Cuál es su nombre completo?  – What’s your name? / What’s your full name?
• ¿En qué podemos ayudarle? – How can we help you?
• Su identificación, por favor. – Your identification, please.
• Por favor, tome asiento. – Please, take a seat.
• Por favor, aguarde en la sala de espera. – Please, wait in the waiting room.
• Puede pasar. – You can pass/go.
• El doctor le está esperando. – The doctor awaits you.

As for your side of the story, use these expressions to help the conversation run smoothly:

• Tengo una cita con el doctor García a las 11. /   Tengo una cita con la doctora García a las 11. – I have an appointment with Dr. García at 11 o’clock.
•   Hablamos por teléfono ayer. – We spoke on the phone yesterday.
• ¿Dónde está el baño? / ¿Dónde está el servicio? – Where’s the toilet?
• ¿Puedo esperar aqui? – Can I wait here?
• Aquí está mi identificación. – Here’s my ID.
• ¿Dónde queda el consultorio del doctor García? /  ¿Dónde queda el consultorio de la doctora García? – Where’s Dr. García’s consulting room?

3. Talking about your symptoms  in Spanish

Talking about how you feel in Spanish is quite easy, once you get the hang of basic words that can easily adapt from case to case. For example, the word for “pain” in Spanish (including the article) is el dolor . We also know that the verb “to hurt” (as in, to have pain) is doler . From here, you can explain the following: 

• Tengo dolor de cabeza. / Me duele la cabeza . – I have a headache / My head hurts.
• Estoy con dolor de estómago. / Me duele el estómago. – I have a stomachache. / My stomach hurts. 
• Tengo dolor de oídos. / Me duelen los oídos. – I have an earache. / My ears hurt.
• Tengo dolor en la garganta. / Me duele la garganta. – I have a throat ache. / My throat hurts.

See? It’s actually quite logical and easy to put together! As for other common problems, you can use this short list as a reference:

• Tengo fiebre. – I have a fever.
• Me mareo. – I’m feeling dizzy.
• Tengo gripe. – I have the flu.
• Estoy resfriado(a) / Tengo un resfriado. – I have a cold.
• No puedo comer. – I can’t eat.
• No puedo respirar. – I can’t breathe.
• Tengo tos. – I have a cough.
• No puedo moverme. – I can’t move.
• No puedo dejar de temblar. – I can’t stop shaking.
• Tengo una comezón en todo el cuerpo. – I have an itch all over my body.
• Tengo poca energía. – I have low energy.

Sometimes it’s not so much about the symptoms, but rather special conditions you must tell your doctor. For example, if you’re pregnant, you should say “ Estoy embarazada ”. If you’re allergic to something, you should use the expression “ Soy alérgico(a) a …”. For instance, you can say “ Soy alérgica a la penicilina ” (I’m allergic to penicillin) or “ Soy alérgico a este medicamento .” (I’m allergic to this medicine).

Guide to being sick in a foreign country

4. Understanding your doctor’s questions 

If you’re going to have a conversation with your doctor, you must understand what kind of questions he might ask about your situation and symptoms. Let’s look at a common few:

• ¿Qué le pasa? / ¿Cómo se siente? – What’s wrong? How do you feel?
• ¿Qué síntomas tiene? – What symptoms do you have?
• ¿Con qué frecuencia siente estos síntomas? – How frequently do you feel these symptoms?
• ¿Tiene alguna alergia? – Do you have any allergies?
• ¿Es esta la primera vez que le pasa esto? – Is this the first time this has happened to you?
• ¿Qué medicinas/medicamento está tomando ahora? – What medicine are you taking right now?
• ¿Cuál es el historial médico de su familia? – What’s your family’s medical history?
• ¿Cuánto tiempo ha pasado desde la última vez que visitó al médico? – How long as it been since you’ve last visited the doctor?

Remember, the doctor is likely to address you formally . That’s why you’ll notice all verbs are conjugated a little differently than what you might encounter in casual conversations.

Latin America vs. Spain: 4 major differences in Spanish grammar

5. Understanding solutions given by your doctor

Depending on your problem, Dr. García is ready to send you your way with some practical suggestions! Here are some of them:

• Tendrá que visitar a un especialista. – You’ll have to check in with a specialist.
• Tome este medicamento una vez al día. – Take this medicine once a day.
• No beba alcohol. / No puede beber alcohol. – Don’t drink alcohol. / You can’t drink alcohol.
• Pida este medicamento en la farmacia. – Ask for this medicine at the pharmacy.
• Tiene que ir al hospital. – You have to go to the hospital.
• Tiene que hacerse una prueba. – We’ll have to get a test done.
• Tendremos que hacer un análisis de sangre. – We’ll have to get blood work done.

Depending on the Spanish-speaking country , the word medicina might be used interchangeably with the word medicamento for “medicine”.

Are you ready to go and see a Spanish doctor? 

What is it they say in Spanish? Más vale prevenir que lamentar : literally, “it’s worthier to prevent than to be sorry”. And we agree! So before you feel the need to visit a doctor in your favourite Spanish-speaking country, give these phrases a go and see how you feel.

Maria Inês Teixeira

Maria Inês has been working as a language teacher and blogger for more than 2 years. Born and raised in Portugal, she got a BA in Art Studies and a MSc in Cultural Management.

Apr 26, 2024

A study of Argentinian Spanish

Argentinian Spanish has some unmistakable pronunciation and vocabulary, making it one of the most easy-to-identify accents for Spanish language learners....

Apr 18, 2024

A guide to Honduran Spanish

Honduran people are known for being warm, welcoming and friendly. With coffee, cacao, tobacco, crystal blue waters and rugged mountains,...

Apr 17, 2024

2 advanced Spanish grammar rules for fluent speakers

In language learning, we often focus on the basics. Today, we are tackling complex expressions with advanced Spanish grammar. Whether...

Level up your language skills with Lingoda. Take our placement test for free and get started.

How to talk to the doctor in Spanish without annoying confusions

In today’s blog post, I want to share some of the most useful phrases to use when you go to the doctor in Spanish.

Just imagine that you go on a happy vacation to Colombia, but during the 3rd day of your time there you get sick and you end up in front of a doctor who speaks only Spanish.

Would you know how to describe how bad you feel? Let’s go through some different phrases that might be very handy when you see a doctor in Spanish.

How to talk to the doctor in Spanish

In general, in South America, most visits to the doctor follow the same order. After you get to the doctor’s office, he’ll probably ask you about some personal info, like:

• Nombre = Your name
• Edad = Your Age
• Ocupación = Occupation
• Estado civil = Marital status
• Dónde vives = Where you live

I know, that’s pretty basic. However, the doctor needs more info in order to help you heal from whatever you’re feeling, so he could probably shot you with this question:

¿Sufre de alguna enfermedad crónica? = Do you have any chronic condition?

Or, he’ll probably be a little more direct when asking this, he could just say:

¿Sufre de algo?

Here’s when you are supposed to tell him about any chronic condition that you have, you may do so by saying, “sufro de…”, for example:

• Sufro de Diabetes = Diabetes.
• Sufro de Cancer = Cancer.
• Sufro del corazón = Cardiovascular diseases.
• Sufro de Artritis = Arthritis.
• Sufro de migraña = Migraines.

The doctor might also ask you about former surgeries that you had in the past, he could say:

¿Lo han operado de algo?

Notice that this question is referring to past events, so the correct way of answering this is using the past tense, “me operaron de…”, for example:

• Me operaron de apendicitis = I had a surgery for appendicitis
• Me operaron de la vesícula = I had a gallbladder surgery
• Me operaron de la cataratas = I had surgery on the cataracts
• Me operaron de las Amígdalas = I had an operation on the tonsils

As you say this, the doctor should be writing everything down, and then he should ask you about illnesses in your family. He might say: “¿Enfermedades familiares?”, or “¿Enfermedades en la familia?”.

After that, the doctor could ask:

• ¿Qué tiene?
• ¿Qué te pasa?
• ¿Por qué consultas?

Any of these questions only means that the doctor wants you to tell him exactly why you went to see him.

Talk about your symptoms to the doctor in Spanish

Something you can say when talking to the doctor in Spanish is using the phrase, “Me duele…”, or “Me duele mucho…” plus the part of the body that hurts you, for instance:

• Me duele la cabeza.
• Me duele el estomago.
• Me duele la garganta.
• Me duele la espalda.

On the other hand, if you tripped and you hurt some part of your body, or it turns out that something hit you, you may use the phrases, “Me lastimé…”, or “Me golpee” , for instance:

• Me golpee la rodilla
• Me lastimé el dedo
• Me golpee la espalda
• Me lastimé la cabeza
• Me golpee una mano

Note: Most Spanish native speakers say, “me golpié” instead of “me golpeé”. This is a mistake, but if you want to sound more natural and “native”, then you should definitely say “Me golpié”.

Another way of describing your symptoms is by using the phrase, “Tengo dolor de…” , for example:

• Tengo dolor de cabeza = I have a headache.
• Tengo dolor de estómago = I have stomach ache.
• Tengo dolor de garganta = I have sore throat.
• Tengo dolor de espalda = I have backache
• Tengo fiebre = I have fever.
• Tengo un resfriado = I have a cold.
• Tengo gripe = I have flu.
• Tengo tos = I have a cough.

Finally, after the doctor examines you, he or she might write down a prescription that contains all the medicines that you should take.

The prescription is called “Fórmula”, or “Fórmula médica” (This is how we call it in Colombia, other countries might say “receta médica”) , and the medicines are called “Los medicamentos”.

Also, if you need some medical tests, you and the doctor might talk about:

• “Exámenes médicos” = Medical tests.
• “Exámenes de sangre”, or “Hemograma” = Blood tests.
• “Exámenes de orina” = urine tests.
• “Exámenes de materia fecal” = Fecal tests.

Don’t just talk to your doctor in Spanish

If you have the chance to visit a Spanish speaking country, take the most out of your visit and try to learn the most Spanish you can.

Don’t let an illness ruin the time of your trip, follow your doctor’s instructions and keep enjoying your time there.

Now, if you are interested in improving your Spanish before traveling you have to download my checklist: Spanish Mastery For Intermediate Students In 10 Simple Steps , do it in the form below.

Finally, I’m curious, have you been sick in a Spanish speaking country? tell me your experience in the comments below!

Travelers often find themselves struggling to talk to doctors during their trips. This article is a practical guide to talk to a doctor in Spanish.

¿Quieres hablar español como un nativo?

Join my newsletter and get my free ebook + the audio version as a welcome gift:

10 Secretos que nadie te dice para hablar español como un nativo.

We will collect, use and protect your data in accordance with our privacy policy.

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Diego Cuadros

Diego Cuadros is a blogger and a Spanish online teacher. He uses stories to help Spanish lovers understand fast-speaking native speakers, so they don't freeze and panic in conversations.

Leave a Comment

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• The Ultimate Spanish Guide for Going to the Doctor

SPANISH TO GO TO THE DOCTOR

Going to the doctor is never fun. It is particularly challenging when the language is not your mother tongue. Because not only are you navigating new terms, you are likely additionally stressed because you’re not feeling well.

We put together this list of useful vocab if you find yourself in this specific situation. Knowing basic body parts is a good place to start, as well as being able to explain what’s wrong and knowing names for general hospital facilities. Hopefully, you will not need to use most of these, but as they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So, let’s get down to work!

GENERAL VOCABULARY

First of all, we are going to have a look at the most common and basic medical vocabulary.

FACILITIES AND DEPARTMENTS

• El hospital : The hospital
• La clínica : The clinic
• El ambulatorio : The exam room
• El quirófano : The operating room
• La ambulancia : The ambulance
• La sala de emergencias : The emergency room
• La enfermería : The clinic
• La consulta : Office hours
• La sala de espera : The waiting room
• La farmacia : The pharmacy

MEDICAL PERSONNEL

• El doctor/medico : The doctor
• El cirujano : The surgeon
• El enfermero; la enfermera : The nurse
• El/la pediatra : The pediatrician
• El seguro de salud : Health insurance

This might sound a bit basic for you, but it is important to know how to say the body parts in Spanish if you need to explain your medical problems. This is not an anatomy class, so don’t stress, we will only cover the most common words you need to know to explain your issues to the doctor.

• La cabeza : Head
• El brazo : Arm
• La boca : Mouth
• El codo : Elbow
• El cuello : Neck
• El corazón : Heart
• El dedo de la mano : Finger
• El dedo del pie : Toe
• La espalda : Back
• El pecho : Chest
• La garganta : Throat
• El estómago : Stomach
• La barriga : Tummy, belly
• La pierna : Leg
• El ojo : Eye

SYMPTOMS, ILLNESSES AND MEDICINES

Now that we have already covered the basic medical vocabulary, let’s dig into some of the most common symptoms, illnesses and medicaments in Spanish.

• Inflamado : Swollen
• Sensible : Sensitive
• Dolorido/a : In pain or sore
• Irritado/a : Irritated
• Urgente : Urgent
• La quemadura : Burn
• La nariz taponada : Stuffy nose
• La fiebre : Fever
• La tos : Cough
• Dificultad para respirar : Shortness of breath
• El mareo : Dizziness
• Estar mareado : To feel dizzy
• El dolor : Pain
• El vómito : Vomit
• La acidez : Heartburn
• Dolor de barriga/d cabeza : Bellyache/Headache
• El picor : Itch
• El resfriado : Cold
• La gripe : Flu
• La alergia : Allergy
• La insolación : Sunstroke
• La picadura de abeja/avispa : Bee/Wasp Sting
• La herida : Injury
• La fractura : Fracture
• La infección : Infection
• La otitis : Ear infection
• La bronquitis : Bronchitis
• Embarazada : pregnant
• El virus (pronounced veer-rous): virus
• La infección bacteriana : bacterial infection
• La reacción alérgica : allergic reaction

MEDICINES AND TREATMENTS

• La pastilla : Pill/Tablet
• La pomada : Ointment/Cream
• El jarabe : Syrup
• El antibiótico : Antibiotic
• El antiinflamatorio : Anti-inflammatory
• El inhalador : Inhaler
• El colirio/Las gotas de los ojos : Eyedrops
• La inyección : Injection
• La cirujía : Surgery
• Los puntos : Stitches
• La venda : Vandage
• La receta : Prescription
• El diagnóstico : Diagnosis

USEFUL SENTENCES

Great! Now you know the most common words you might need to use if you go to the doctor in a Spanish speaking country. The question now is, how do you explain your symptoms to the doctor and what is he going to say? In this section, we will learn about the most common sentences to speak about your health and the solutions the doctor might give you.

EXTRA TIP #1 : Note in some of the phrases below that refer to a specific body part, we don’t use possessive pronouns like my head or your arm etc. Instead, you use the definite articles el or la . So a direct translation would be something like “I have hurt in the head ” or “ the foot ” (not my head or my foot). See if you can spot this in the examples below:

EXPLAINING YOUR SYMPTOMS TO THE DOCTOR

• Me encuentro mal/No me encuentro bien : I don’t feel well
• Tengo fiebre : I have a fever
• Me duele la cabeza : I have a headache
• Me duele el estómago : I have a stomachache
• Me duele… : I have a …ache
• Estoy mareado : I feel dizzy
• He tenido un accidente : I had an accident
• Me golpeé la cabeza : I hit my head
• Me he cortado : I cut myself
• Me cuesta* respirar : I have trouble breathing
• Me he caído : I fell

EXTRA TIP #2 : Me cuesta is a common expression that doesn’t easily translate literally.  You’ve probably heard the verb ‘ costar ‘ which means to cost ( ¿cuánto cuesta? ring any bells). In this case however, it means something like ‘to cost myself’, which in a more native translation would mean ‘ to have a tough time ‘ doing something. So for example, me cuesta mucho encontrar trabajo = I found it very difficult to find work.

DOCTOR’S ANSWERS

• ¿Dónde te duele? : Where does it hurt?
• Tienes que hacerte una prueba : You need to have a test done
• Tienes que ir a urgencias : You have to go to the emergency room
• Compra este product en la farmacia y tómatelo x veces al día : Buy this producto at the pharmacy and take it x times a day
• No es grave : It is not serious
• No puedes beber alcohol cuando tomes esta medicina : Do not drink alcohol when you are taking this medicine
• ¿Es esta la primera vez que le pasa esto? : Is it the first time this has happened to you?
• Necesitas puntos : You need stitches
• Vuelve en x semanas : Come back in x weeks

Spanish Practice: A Spanish Story about Going to the Doctor

We’ve put together a little story in Spanish using many of the words you just learned.  Read the Spanish portion first and practice your translation. Then go back and spot the new vocabulary words.

Esta mañana María se levantó con dolor de cabeza y decidió ir al médico.

This morning, Maria woke up with a headache and she decided to go to the doctor.

Cuando llegó al hospital, tuvo que esperar en la sala de espera porque había más gente enferma.

When she arrived to the hospital, she had to wait in the waiting room because there were other people feeling sick.

A los pocos minutos, la enfermera le dijo que podía pasar a ver al doctor. Cuando entró a la consulta, el doctor le preguntó:

¿Qué síntomas tienes? ¿Dónde te duele?

A few minutes later, the nurse informed her that she could come in to see the doctor. When she entered the doctor’s office, he asked her:

What symptoms do you have? Where does it hurt?

María contestó:

Me encuentro mal. Esta mañana me he despertado con dolor de cabeza y creo que tengo fiebre.

María answered:

I don’t feel well. This morning I woke up with a headache and I think I have a fever.

Finish the story with our free PDF download …

FREE PDF DOWNLOAD

Download the free PDF to finish the story and get a cheat sheet of all the vocabulary you just learned.

FREE PDF Cheat Sheet

Download your Ultimate Guide to Going to the Doctor in Spanish cheat sheet FREE

We hope you find this complete guide to go to the doctor in Spanish helpful and it will help you getting through any medical emergency. There’s a Spanish saying that goes “ Más vale prevenir que curar ”, which basically means that it is better to prevent than to cure and now that you know the most common words and sentences to use in the hospital you are prepared to face any health inconvenience in Spanish. Don’t forget to download your free cheat if you ever need it again in the future!

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Current ye@r *

Leave this field empty

• Course Login
• How to order Your Next drink in Spanish
• Holiday Traditions in Argentina

We're not around right now. But you can send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

Start typing and press Enter to search

SpanishForNoobs.com

Learn Spanish fast and easy!

Spanish Conversation Phrases: At the doctor’s office

Here is a list of basic and useful Spanish phrases to learn for conversation, with their English translations.

Do you notice any errors? Leave a comment!

👉 Previous lesson: At the hotel

👉 Next lesson: At the dentist

©Spanishfornoobs.com

Tags: Conversation

Talking about Health in Spanish – Visit to the Doctor Vocabulary

Learn spanish online.

Just health is a topic any Spanish student needs to master from the very beginning.  If you are visiting a Spanish speaking country and you feel sick ( tú te sientes enfermo),  if you are injured ( tú estás lastimado ) you need to see a doctor or visit a hospital ( ir al doctor/hospital) . There are many compelling reasons why health phrases are important to know in Spanish.

Also, when people greet you and say ¿Cómo estás?,  you can answer No me siento well or  I don’t feel well. Now, you are involved in a health related conversation since you will say what’s wrong with you and start talking about médicos  or doctors, síntomas  or symptoms and possible tratamientos  or treatments. 

Asking About Someone's health

¿Cómo estás?/¿Cómo está usted? = How are you?

Estoy bien, gracias = I’m fine, thank you

Useful Phrases For Talking About Health

Me gustaría programar una cita para ver al médico. = i’d like to book an appointment to see the doctor..

¿A qué hora abre la cirugía? = What time does the surgery open?

Me siento enfermo = I feel ill.

Tengo un (fuerte) dolor de cabeza. = I’ve got a (bad) headache.

Me duele el pecho. = I’ve got a pain in my chest.

Tengo fiebre. = I’ve got a fever.

Tengo tos. = I’ve got a cough.

Tengo dolor de muelas. = I’ve got toothache.

Me duele el brazo. = My arm hurts.

Visit To The Doctor Vocabulary

In the Spanish language, you simply use Tengo + un dolor or pain to talk about illnesses. This is an easy formula to learn when you want to say what’s wrong with you. 

Tengo diabetes = I have diabetes

Tengo alergias = I have allergies

Tengo una fractura = I have a fracture

Tengo una herida = I have an injury

Tengo una quemadura = I have a burn

Tengo Gripe = I have a flu

tengo un resfrío = I have a cold

Health Related Verbs in Spanish

Encontrar/encontrarse = to feel.

Sentir = To feel

Health related symptoms in spanish, tengo fiebre = i have fever.

Tengo la nariz tapada = I have a stuffy nose

Tengo dificultad para respirar = I have shortness of breath

Tengo tos = I have a cough

Know about What Medical Treatments is Being Given

Me pusieron una inyección  = they gave me an injection.

Tengo una cirugía de rodilla mañana = I have a knee surgery tomorrow

Know about Health Professionals, Hospitals, Ambulance etc

El hospital = the hospital.

La ambulancia = The ambulance

Health Related General Phrases and Expressions

Estoy enfermo/enferma = i’m sick.

Tuve un accidente = I had an accident

Related Lessons in Newcomer Course, to further your understanding.

Ordering In A Bar or Restaurant

How to Order drinks in a Bar or order Food in Restaurant like a local.

Numbers In Spanish

How to say numbers in Spanish.

Nationalities And Countries

Have easy discussions regarding different countries and nationalities, local traditions with below t

Apologizing in Spanish

How to ask for directions in Spanish. See most commonly used terms for asking directions like a loca

Explore a world of languages

1-513-398-0645     

     If you go back to the USA keep your prescriptions since you will need them to demonstrate that the drugs you bought were required by a physician. 

     Most hotels will have a list of local doctors that speak English. Not a lot of clinics or hospitals accept medical insurance, but most of the times a visit to the doctor would cost you around $60 and your medical insurance provider may reimburse those expenses once your trip is finalized.

     Here is a list of the most common symptoms that you may have and what you may need to say.

How do you feel?

What happens?

Provide more information...

What kind of doctor could I see?

    Note of Advise!        As in any place, don't assume that credit cards are accepted, present your medical insurance card. If a medical analysis needs to be done, some labs offer discounts and packages. Ask to the doctor for a referral and to the lab or clinic for an estimate in advance.      Keep all your receipts and submit them to your medical insurance company for a possible reimbursement.  

Join our Spanish Classes in the Cincinnati, OH area!

Take a look to our books

At the restaurant

Useful vocabulary and tips for a good and safe meal.

At the hotel  

Common words and phrases for a good rest.

Understanding and enjoying the shopping experience.

855-997-4652 Login Try a Free Class

Vocabulary Guide: At the Hospital in Spanish

Learning hospital in Spanish vocabulary could save someone’s life. As more and more people speak Spanish in the U.S., it’s becoming essential for healthcare workers to speak Spanish. Being able to explain what’s wrong is essential in Spanish, especially if you’re traveling.

Today, we’ll cover the most common vocabulary and phrases to know in an emergency. Knowing hospital in Spanish vocabulary is useful while travelling. It’s common to get sick on the road because we are eating different food, the weather is constantly changing,and the altitude varies from country to country. 

So, let’s get to it and learn key vocabulary to use in a hospital in Spanish!

The Importance of Speaking Spanish in Hospitals

Many people from all over the world move to the United States. When they arrive, they often live in areas where everyone speaks Spanish so that they feel more connected to their community and home culture. 

As a result, healthcare professionals encounter many patients whose native language is Spanish. This can be challenging when it comes to providing treatment in a hospital in Spanish. 

The health and wellness industry is growing rapidly. We live in a time when cultures are merging, which is a great thing in my opinion. But, we have to be prepared for it. 

Whether you’re a doctor, a patient or a curious traveler, this article is for you. Now let’s get into the list of hospital in Spanish vocabulary and phrases that will have you ready in no time!

Hospital in Spanish Essential Vocabulary and Phrases 

Knowing basic vocabulary in Spanish in a hospital can be very broad so I’ll cover what I believe to be the most important vocabulary. These essential Spanish for hospital words and phrases give you a clear idea of the kind of words you’ll need in a hospital. 

Basic Hospital in Spanish Vocabulary 

Hospital – El hospital

Ward – La sala 

Urine sample – La muestra de orina

Wound – La herida

Instruments – Los instrumentos 

Medical alert – Alerta médica 

Directory – El directorio

Hospital Staff

Doctor – El doctor, la doctora, el médico, la médica

Patient – El/la paciente

Nurse – El enfermero/la enfermera

Surgeon – El cirujano/la cirujana

Visitor – La visita

Medical Equipment 

Bed – La cama

Surgery – La cirugía

Drip – El suero

Painkiller – El analgésico

Bed pan – El orinal

Syringe – La jeringa

Needle – La aguja 

Vaccine – La vacuna

Crutches – Las muletas

Mask – La mascarilla

Gloves – Los guantes

Ambulance – La ambulancia

Stretcher – La camilla 

Bandage – El vendaje 

Cast – El yeso

Scalpel – El bisturí

Stethoscope – El estetoscopio 

Useful Hospital in Spanish Phrases 

¿Está herido/a? Are you hurt?

  ¡Llama a una ambulancia! Call an ambulance! 

Llévalo a la emergencia  Take him to the ER. 

¿Está embarazada? Are you pregnant?  

¿Tiene alguna alergia que deberíamos saber? Do you have any allergies we should know about?  

¿Puedes ver? Can you see?  

¿Puedes oír? Can you hear?

¿Puede moverse? Can you move?

¿Puedes respirar bien? Can you breathe well? 

¿Le duele? Does it hurt? 

¿Perdió el conocimiento? Did you lose consciousness? 

Abra la boca . Open your mouth. 

Por favor no se mueva . Please don’t move. 

Necesitamos hacer algunos exámenes . We need to run some tests.

Respire profundo. Take a deep breath.

Llama a los bomberos/emergencia. Call 911.

Aquí está la receta médica  Here is your prescription. 

Additional Hospital in Spanish Vocabulary 

Transplant – El transplante

Treatment – El tratamiento

Trauma – El trauma

Traumatology – La traumatología 

Intensive Care Unit (ICU) – La Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI) 

Medical visit – La visita médica  

Visitation – Las visitas  

Hospital admission – La admisión hospitalaria

Insurance forms – Formularios de Seguro

Use el botón si necesita ayuda. Press this button if you need help.

Por favor presione este botón si necesita la ayuda de una enfermera.  Please press this button if you need help from a nurse. 

Por favor tome esta medicina. Please take this medicine.

Esto puede doler un poco. This could hurt a little.

This vocabulary list is specifically for you to be able to speak in a hospital in Spanish. If you’re looking for additional vocabulary related to conditions, illnesses and diseases in Spanish , we’ve got your back. And if you’re looking for different activities related to health, fitness and nutrition, this post is full of fun ideas!

Dealing with an Emergency at a Hospital in Spanish 

If you’re wondering what an emergency in a hospital in Spanish might sound like, here’s a conversation between a doctor, a medical alert, and a patient in a hospital in Spanish.

Doctor: ¿Qué pasó?  Alerta Médica: Hubo un accidente de carro Doctor: ¿Hace cuánto sucedió?  Alerta Médica: Hace una hora  Doctor: Pasémoslo a la camilla  Alerta Médica: Bueno. 1, 2, 3. Doctor: ¿Puede escucharme?  Paciente: ¿Dónde estoy?   Doctor: Tranquilo, todo estará bien.  Paciente: Gracias . Doctor: Preparémoslo para cirugía. 

Doctor: What happened? Medical Alert: There was a car crash Doctor: How long ago did it happen? Medical Alert: An hour ago  Doctor: Let’s get him on the stretcher Medical Alert: Okay, 1, 2, 3. Doctor: Can you hear me? Patient: Where am I? Doctor: Calm down, everything will be okay. Patient: Thank you. Doctor: Let’s prep him for surgery.

Have You Ever Been in a Hospital?

Knowing how to discuss your health in Spanish is important whether you’re at the doctor’s office, a hospital, or talking to a friend. It can save your life or someone else’s. And if you’re a healthcare worker, it’s necessary. 

To be able to effectively communicate at a hospital in Spanish, make sure to review this vocabulary. If you’re like me, and you like to learn a little bit about everything, it’s always useful to know medical terms. 

Don’t be afraid to try out these expressions or even create your own dialogue. And if you’d like a certified Spanish teacher to check your skills using this hospital in Spanish vocabulary, sign up for a free class and move toward becoming a fluent Spanish speaker today!

Ready to learn more Spanish vocabulary? Check these out!

• Earth Day Projects for Kids + Spanish Earth Day Vocabulary
• How to Talk About the Temperature in Spanish: Fahrenheit, Celcius, and Descriptions
• Car Parts Spanish Vocabulary List: Learn Using Pictures
• Top 15 New Year’s Resolutions in Spanish
• Talk About Hurricanes And The Weather in Spanish
• Spanish Words with Multiple Meanings in Latin America
• World Mental Health Day: A Vocabulary Guide for Mental Health Workers
• Expressing Appreciation in Spanish on World Teachers’ Day
• Recent Posts
• 13 Famous Hispanic Women in History Who Made Enormous Impact - January 23, 2023
• 10 Traditional Latin American Christmas Foods - December 21, 2022
• 10 Festive Ways to Spend Christmas in Argentina - December 19, 2022

Related Posts

45+ mission trip spanish phrases you need to know, 44 essential spanish quotes and proverbs to fuel your motivation, spanish body parts: vocabulary, idioms, and culture, spanish 101: greetings and farewells, leave a comment cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

PracticingSpanish.com - Medical Spanish

• Medical Spanish
• Archive of Dialogues
• Medical Spanish Videos
• Physician, Nurse, EMT, Dentist
• Anatomy in Spanish
• Learn Spanish - Back to Basics
• Spanish Grammar & Exercises
• Spanish for Travelers
• Conversing in Spanish
• Helpful DVD's
• Geography (Countries)
• Cultural Topics
• Dictionary &Resources
• Frequently Asked Questions
• About the Author

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Medical Spanish for Healthcare Providers

This site is presented as a free medical Spanish immersion, with vocabulary including greetings, history, examination, and everyday speech, all with translation and audio. It is designed to be helpful for a variety of medical personnel. In addition to introducing Spanish medical terms, this site will hopefully improve fluency and even cultural competency.

This Month's Featured Medical Spanish Dialogue

(See more dialogues in the Archive .)

Each dialogue consists of a few statements from the patient, the patient's family, and healthcare providers, including physicians, nurses, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and medical students. Click to hear my voice and pronunciation. Then, repeat aloud everything you hear. When listening to Spanish medical phrases, feel free to use the pause button, and, of course, replay the recordings when needed.

Click here LEARN SPANISH BASICS if you would like to review introductory material.

Click on anatomy to learn names of parts of the body and face.

Learn fundamentals with Spanish grammar and exercises .

The medical Spanish videos page simply adds some variety.

Healthcare Professionals includes phrases for the medical interview and important medical Spanish terminology, including descriptions of diagnostic studies and how to explain prescriptions. There are also helpful categories for receptionists, social workers, missionaries, and pharmacists.

For fun, listen to accents and folksongs , and explore geography and travel . (These will hopefully add another dimension to your study of medical Spanish.)

Take your time, and enjoy learning Spanish! Whether you are training alone or in a medical Spanish class or course, whether you be a doctor, dentist, nurse, EMT, or hospital interpreter, read all the words and lessons, and learn Spanish grammar.

Important Note: The characters and names used in this website are fictitious. Also, no content should be considered medical advice or medical information. The content of this website is solely for the purpose of practicing Spanish and improving communication.

Copyright © 2007-Present - All rights reserved.

Warning: This site will not work properly with JavaScript disabled. Learn More »

In this chapter you will learn to say the following phrases in Spanish:

Reason for Visit

• Are you sick?
• Which doctor do you want to see?
• Do you need to see the doctor?
• Do you need to see the nurse?
• Do you need a prescription?
• Do you need to refill your prescription?
• Do you need a referral?

Close this window

Making educational experiences better for everyone.

Immersive learning for 25 languages

Marketplace for millions of educator-created resources

Fast, easy, reliable language certification

Fun educational games for kids

Comprehensive K-12 personalized learning

Trusted tutors for 300+ subjects

35,000+ worksheets, games, and lesson plans

Adaptive learning for English vocabulary

Codeswitch / Life Kit

Listen live.

Fresh Air Weekend

Fresh Air opens the window on contemporary arts and issues with guests from worlds as diverse as literature and economics. Fresh Air Weekend collects the best segments from the week's programs and crafts them together for great weekend listening.

• Health Care
• Race & Ethnicity

One bold initiative to recruit Mexican doctors to help bridge language barriers back home

A physician and policy expert team up on a decades-long effort to bring spanish-speaking doctors to california — and the roadblocks that stood in their way..

• Charlie Garcia

Dr. Armando Moreno performs an ultrasound on a patient at the CSVS Gonzales Clinic. (Mayra Pantoja)

This story is from The Pulse , a weekly health and science podcast.

Find it on Apple Podcasts ,  Spotify , or  wherever you get your podcasts .

Max Cuevas didn’t have it easy growing up.  His family, along with all the families he knew, made a living doing backbreaking work in the fields of Lindsay, California.  

“You’re carrying about a 70-pound sack that you’re filling with either oranges or lemons and you’re climbing up and down a ladder. Once it’s filled, then you go dump it, and then the process starts again,” described Cuevas.

He and his eight siblings would go to school during the week, then on the weekend, they’d work with the family. The same went for vacations.  Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year’s, they’d be out in the fields.

During the colder months, they’d pick oranges and lemons.  Then, as soon as summer break started the whole family would pack up their car and drive to San Jose to live in tent camps picking cherries, apricots, and pears. In August, they’d drive south to Fresno for the grape season before returning to Lindsay to catch the start of school and the next orange season.  This was the cycle, year in and year out.

Tragedy inspires Cuevas

The work was tough, but this Mexican American family was tight and spent their days laughing and joking together in Spanish.  

However, tragedy struck in 1962 when one of Cuevas’s brothers fell sick.  He was prescribed penicillin and had a severe allergic reaction.  A few days later, he died. The whole family was devastated.

Cuevas recalls the pain. 

“Seeing the hurt and the crying, it was inconsolable. I could see it in my mom and dad, my grandmother, my other brothers, and sisters, and I thought, ‘If I can become a physician, maybe it’ll make a difference.’”

That day, Cuevas decided that he would become a doctor and started paying more attention to the health issues of his community.

Subscribe to The Pulse

Stories about the people and places at the heart of health and science.

One day, at a tent camp in San Jose, he overheard a woman talking about her sickness.  She was suffering from pain in her mid-section and brought her daughter along to translate to the doctor.  

She told her daughter she had, “dolor del bazo,” pain of the spleen, but the girl didn’t know the word for spleen in Spanish, “bazo.”  Instead, she understood “vaso,” which means glass, and so pain of the spleen, “dolor del bazo” became “dollar del vaso” or a dollar in the glass.  

The doctor was lost and couldn’t help the mother.

Two similar paths about to cross in a big way 

Just a few towns away from where Cuevas was living in California, another young Mexican American boy named Arnoldo Torres was having a similar experience.  

“My grandfather told me that I was of the age in which I had to do la cosa Cristiana, the Christian thing. And I asked him, ‘Papi, what is that?’ And he says, ‘you have to contribute to the well-being of the family. You have to work,’” recalled Torres.

Torres had his mind set on going to college, and after getting a bachelor’s degree in political science, he went far away from home to Washington DC where he pursued a master’s degree in public policy.

Meanwhile, back in California, Max Cuevas attended medical school, became an OBGYN, and took a job as the chief medical officer at a little health clinic in Salinas, California called Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas.  There he served a farm-working community just like the one he had grown up with.

The Salinas Valley where the clinic was located, produces a huge amount of the fruits and vegetables we eat, and because of this it has one of the highest populations of farmworkers in the whole country.

Arnoldo Torres came back to California to advise local health clinics, and this is when he and Cuevas finally met.  There was an instant connection between the two men.

Torres recalls, “He and I were drawn to each other because we both worked in the fields. There was a very special bond. There’s a solidarity between us because of these experiences as children growing up in the same kind of environment.”

NAFTA causes a flood of migration

In 1993 something happened that would change the fabric of these communities and bring Cuevas’ clinic to a breaking point. NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, removed the trade tariffs between Mexico and the United States.

This opened the door for heavily subsidized U.S. Agriculture companies to export their crops south of the border below cost in the Mexican market. The result was devastating. Many local Mexican farmers lost virtually all their income and came to the U.S. to try and scrape together a living in the fields.

The clinic where Cuevas worked became overwhelmed as more and more farm workers came from Mexico speaking Spanish and indigenous languages.  There were nowhere near enough doctors who knew the languages or the culture.

Cuevas and Torres go on a mission

Torres and Cuevas decided they had to do something.  So, in 1997 with the problem growing even worse, Torres came up with a wild plan. 

“The only avenue that we had was to go outside and see if we could bring doctors in,” Torres said.

He wanted to create a program that would allow Mexican doctors to work in the U.S. for 3 years, in areas that so desperately needed Spanish-speaking doctors. 

It was not a simple proposition, to make it happen would require agreements between the U.S. and Mexican governments, California’s medical board, Mexican universities, and the California medical school system. It seemed impossible. But without any other options — they pressed ahead.

“I knew it was going to be a formidable initiative because of who we had against us, which was everybody, I mean, everybody,” Torres said. 

Cuevas said, “I was surprised by Latino physicians and Latino physician groups that were against the program. In fact, one of them dubbed the program a ‘Mexican Bracero Doctor Program.’”

But after 3 long years of meetings and advocating, Bill AB1045 cleared the California legislature and was signed into law by then Governor Gray Davis in September of 2002.

Because there were fears about Mexican doctors not being up to par, the bill specified that there would be an orientation program from the UC medical schools to help them integrate into the U.S. medical system.  In the end, the schools didn’t agree to cooperate.

“We could not implement it because there was no UC medical school that wanted to cooperate. It just languished,” said Torres. “Oh, the anger, the frustration, all the suffering that our population is going through because they can’t access medical care.” 

The program was put on hold, months turned into years, and time went on, but the farmworkers still toiled.  They still got sick. They still couldn’t understand doctors — and they still suffered.

By 2015, Cuevas’ clinic in Salinas was completely overwhelmed, so he picked up the phone and made a call to his old friend.

They decided to give their effort one more shot. But this time, they decided to work with a local hospital for the orientation program. They chose The Natividad Medical Center right next door in Salinas.

The doctors arrive

In early August 2021, the first of 30 Mexican doctors who’d been approved got on a plane and flew to California.  

Armando Moreno, an OBGYN from Mexico City, remembers his first day on the job. 

“I was really scared to be honest. I was really scared.”

But Moreno started to see just how much patients appreciated being spoken to in their language.

“You build this bridge between you and your patient. There’s a lot of mutual understanding, like this empathy. There’s a subconscious communication between people from the same culture,” Moreno said.

Blanca, a Spanish-speaking patient who we are only using her first name to protect her privacy, shared how difficult it had been to communicate with doctors and what a huge relief it was to find Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salina .

“To make simple appointments — it was really hard at first. But now, I feel like a fish in water here because there’s always someone that will answer in Spanish,” she said.

The doctors at CSVS have created such a level of trust with their Spanish-speaking patients that some started opening up about more than just physical ailments.

“I’ve heard terrible, terrible stories about crossing the border, crossing the Guatemala-Mexico border.  I mean, people struggle so much to be here,” Moreno said. 

As an OBGYN, he sees many women who faced sexual assault during their journey. Teenagers tell stories of being separated from their parents. Women and men opening up about abuse, depression, and anxiety in their lives.

“I think that it’s this opportunity we have to try to help them, to open their hearts and to speak openly about it.  This is the first step for healing,” Moreno said.

Today, there are 30 doctors in the program, each of them will serve for 3 years and be able to help hundreds of Spanish-speaking patients before returning to Mexico. The goal is to have even more doctors, dentists, and psychiatrists take part in the program in the coming years.  An updated version of the bill aims to have over 200 doctors by 2036.

However, it’s important to note that while AB1045 is making a huge impact in people’s lives, the scope of the problem is too big for one program to handle. 

“It’s a band-aid. It was never intended to be the answer. It was intended to provide time for the UC system to take on greater responsibility,” Torres said.

The scope of the problem is huge, and this program can’t fix everything, but for Cuevas, Torres, and all the Mexican doctors, there is a victory in every single visit where a person who felt alone, can see that they have someone on their side.

As these Mexican doctors are learning, the need to be understood is what beats at the heart of human health.

WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

Brought to you by The Pulse

Go on an adventure into unexpected corners of the health and science world each week with award-winning host Maiken Scott.

Subscribe for free

More segments from bridging the gaps for latino health, the price of a gunshot: health impacts and the cost of violence on latinos, una gran iniciativa recluta médicos mexicanos para construir puentes lingüísticos en los estados unidos, el precio de un disparo, you may also like.

Navigating language and cultural barriers to access health care

Although efforts have been made to break down language barriers, many Latino immigrant families rely on younger generations for translation and interpretation.

5 months ago

Southern Delaware’s Latino community deals with stigma around mental health care plus fewer resources

A generational stigma around talking about mental health care is made worse in southern Delaware, where fewer providers are available.

Pandemic prompts fresh look at Latino health care needs

Just 5% of Delaware deaths from COVID-19 occurred within the Latino community, but the pandemic has highlighted factors that limit access to health care.

3 years ago

Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Back to Black

The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time. The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time. The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time.

• Sam Taylor-Johnson
• Matt Greenhalgh
• Marisa Abela
• Eddie Marsan
• Jack O'Connell
• 56 User reviews
• 63 Critic reviews
• 49 Metascore

• Amy Winehouse

• Mitch Winehouse

• Blake Fielder-Civil

• Cynthia Winehouse

• Joey the dealer

• Nick Shymansky

• Janis Winehouse

• Raye Cosbert

• Chris Taylor

• Artist Development Man
• Aunt Melody

• Perfume Paul

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Did you know

• Trivia Marisa Abela had done most of the singing in this film herself. She trained extensively to mimic Amy Winehouse 's vocals.

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 2 minutes

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed