Directed and reviewed by a family medicine physician & certified medical interpreter
Medical Spanish is easier to learn by body system than from an alphabetical list. Terms in the same system connect to each other, and you can practice them in the encounters where you actually use them. Below are 100 common medical terms in Spanish, organized by system, with the everyday word patients often use when it differs from the technical one.
The Spanish is neutral Latin American usage. Regional words vary, so listen for what your patients say and use their word back when it is clear. For anything beyond routine communication, such as consent, a new diagnosis or medication teaching, use a qualified medical interpreter.
General and vital signs
| English | Spanish (technical) | What patients often say |
|---|---|---|
| Blood pressure | Presión arterial | La presión |
| Heart rate / pulse | Frecuencia cardíaca / pulso | El pulso |
| Temperature | Temperatura | La temperatura |
| Fever | Fiebre | Calentura |
| Weight / height | Peso / estatura | Peso / altura |
| Oxygen level | Saturación de oxígeno | El oxígeno |
| Allergy | Alergia | Alergia |
| Symptom | Síntoma | Molestia |
| Swelling | Edema, inflamación | Hinchazón |
| Fatigue | Fatiga, cansancio | Cansancio |
Cardiovascular
| English | Spanish (technical) | What patients often say |
|---|---|---|
| Heart attack | Infarto de miocardio | Ataque al corazón, infarto |
| High blood pressure | Hipertensión | Presión alta |
| Chest pain | Dolor torácico | Dolor de pecho |
| Palpitations | Palpitaciones | Se me acelera el corazón |
| Heart failure | Insuficiencia cardíaca | El corazón débil |
| Irregular heartbeat | Arritmia | El corazón me brinca |
| Blood clot | Coágulo, trombo | Coágulo |
| Blood thinner | Anticoagulante | Medicina para adelgazar la sangre |
| Cholesterol | Colesterol | Colesterol |
| Stroke | Accidente cerebrovascular (ACV) | Derrame cerebral, embolia |
Respiratory
| English | Spanish (technical) | What patients often say |
|---|---|---|
| Shortness of breath | Disnea | Me falta el aire |
| Cough | Tos | Tos |
| Phlegm / sputum | Esputo | Flema |
| Wheezing | Sibilancias | Me silba el pecho |
| Asthma | Asma | Asma |
| Pneumonia | Neumonía | Pulmonía |
| Inhaler | Inhalador | La bombita |
| Lungs | Pulmones | Pulmones |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | Enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (EPOC) | EPOC, enfisema (enfisema is one type, so confirm) |
| Cold (illness) | Resfriado | Gripa, catarro, estar constipado |
Digestive
| English | Spanish (technical) | What patients often say |
|---|---|---|
| Abdomen | Abdomen | Panza, barriga, estómago |
| Nausea | Náuseas | Ganas de vomitar, asco (in parts of Mexico) |
| Vomiting | Vómito | Vómito, devolver |
| Diarrhea | Diarrea | Diarrea, estar suelto |
| Constipation | Estreñimiento | Estar estreñido |
| Heartburn | Pirosis | Agruras, acidez |
| Stool | Heces | Popó, excremento |
| Liver | Hígado | Hígado |
| Gallbladder | Vesícula biliar | La vesícula, la hiel |
| Appendicitis | Apendicitis | Apendicitis |
Endocrine, metabolic and kidney
| English | Spanish (technical) | What patients often say |
|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | Diabetes | Azúcar, tengo el azúcar |
| Blood sugar | Glucosa en sangre | El azúcar |
| Low blood sugar | Hipoglucemia | Se me bajó el azúcar |
| High blood sugar | Hiperglucemia | Azúcar alta |
| Insulin | Insulina | Insulina |
| Thyroid | Tiroides | Tiroides |
| Hemoglobin A1c | Hemoglobina glucosilada (A1c) | La prueba del azúcar de tres meses |
| Kidney | Riñón | Riñón |
| Dialysis | Diálisis | Diálisis |
| Thirst | Sed | Mucha sed |
Note: many patients say "tengo el azúcar" to mean they have diabetes. Use the patient's phrase back when it helps them understand, and note "diabetes" clearly in the record.
Neurological
| English | Spanish (technical) | What patients often say |
|---|---|---|
| Headache | Cefalea | Dolor de cabeza |
| Dizziness | Mareo, vértigo | Mareo |
| Fainting | Síncope | Desmayo |
| Seizure | Convulsión | Ataque |
| Numbness | Entumecimiento | Se me duerme |
| Tingling | Parestesia | Hormigueo |
| Weakness | Debilidad | No tengo fuerza |
| Confusion | Confusión | Está desorientado |
| Memory loss | Pérdida de memoria | Se le olvidan las cosas |
| Slurred speech | Disartria | Arrastra las palabras |
Musculoskeletal and skin
| English | Spanish (technical) | What patients often say |
|---|---|---|
| Fracture | Fractura | Hueso roto, quebradura |
| Sprain | Esguince | Torcedura |
| Joint | Articulación | Coyuntura |
| Back pain | Dorsalgia; lumbalgia (low back) | Dolor de espalda, dolor de cintura (low back) |
| Arthritis | Artritis | Reumas |
| Rash | Erupción, exantema | Ronchas, salpullido |
| Wound | Herida | Herida, cortada |
| Bruise | Hematoma, contusión | Moretón |
| Itching | Prurito | Comezón |
| Burn | Quemadura | Quemada |
Urinary and reproductive
| English | Spanish (technical) | What patients often say |
|---|---|---|
| Urine | Orina | Pipí, orina |
| Burning with urination | Disuria | Me arde al orinar |
| Urinary tract infection | Infección de las vías urinarias | Infección de orina |
| Bladder | Vejiga | Vejiga |
| Menstrual period | Menstruación | Regla |
| Pregnant | Embarazada | Embarazada, esperando |
| Contractions | Contracciones | Dolores |
| Miscarriage | Aborto espontáneo | Perdí al bebé |
| Vaginal bleeding | Sangrado vaginal | Sangrado |
| Prostate | Próstata | Próstata |
A sensitive point: in Spanish, "aborto" covers both miscarriage and induced abortion. Say "aborto espontáneo" or "pérdida del embarazo" when you mean miscarriage, and be gentle with the wording.
Medications and procedures
| English | Spanish (technical) | What patients often say |
|---|---|---|
| Medication | Medicamento | Medicina, pastillas |
| Prescription | Receta | Receta |
| Dose | Dosis | Dosis |
| Side effect | Efecto secundario | Me cayó mal |
| Pain reliever | Analgésico | Pastilla para el dolor |
| Antibiotic | Antibiótico | Antibiótico |
| Injection | Inyección | Inyección, piquete |
| Blood test | Análisis de sangre | Laboratorios, sacarme sangre |
| X-ray | Radiografía | Rayos X, placa |
| Surgery | Cirugía | Operación |
| Stitches | Sutura | Puntos, puntadas |
| Discharge (from hospital) | Alta | Me dieron de alta |
| Follow-up appointment | Cita de seguimiento | La próxima cita |
| Consent form | Formulario de consentimiento | Los papeles para firmar |
| Emergency room | Sala de emergencias | Emergencias |
| Over-the-counter | De venta libre | Sin receta |
| Vaccine | Vacuna | Vacuna |
| Interpreter | Intérprete | Intérprete |
| Teaspoon / tablespoon | Cucharadita / cucharada | Cucharadita / cucharada |
| Every 8 hours | Cada 8 horas | Cada 8 horas |
How to make these terms stick
- Learn by encounter, not alphabet. Study the respiratory terms the week you are on a pulmonary unit.
- Learn both columns. Patients will say "me falta el aire," not "disnea." Recognizing the everyday word is half the job.
- Say them out loud. Ten terms a day, spoken, beat fifty terms read silently.
- Use spaced repetition. Review on a schedule rather than cramming.
- Watch the false friends. "Constipado," "embarazada" and "once" cause real errors; see medication wording pitfalls in Spanish.
Put the terms to work with full phrases: 50 medical Spanish phrases for nurses, pain assessment in Spanish and ER triage in Spanish.
Keep a reference on you
The Medical Spanish Pocket Guide organizes 300+ phrases by encounter with easy pronunciation, and the Medical Spanish Kit adds 18 bedside badge cards and 399 printable flashcards. Try the free 3-card badge sample first, or browse the whole medical Spanish collection.
Medical Spanish Desk
General education for healthcare workers, not medical advice. Word lists support basic communication and are not a substitute for a qualified medical interpreter in clinical care. Independent resource; not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by CCHI, NBCMI or any certifying body.