Triage is a short, structured conversation under time pressure. In Spanish, the main risks are slow starts and vague answers. This guide gives you a practical question sequence for triage: greeting, chief complaint, red-flag screening, history, medications and allergies, and what to say in the waiting room. The Spanish is neutral Latin American and uses the formal "usted."
Always follow your department's triage protocol. This is a communication aid, and it does not replace an interpreter. If one is available by phone or video, start the call as you start the question sequence.
Open the encounter
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Hello, I am the triage nurse. | Buenos días, soy la enfermera/el enfermero de triaje. |
| What is your name and date of birth? | ¿Cómo se llama y cuál es su fecha de nacimiento? |
| Do you prefer to speak Spanish? | ¿Prefiere hablar en español? |
| What brings you in today? | ¿Qué lo/la trae hoy por aquí? |
| What is the main problem? | ¿Cuál es el problema principal? |
| When did it start? | ¿Cuándo empezó? |
If a patient does not understand "triaje" (many will not), say "la enfermera (o el enfermero) que lo/la evalúa primero" (the nurse who evaluates you first).
Quick red-flag screening
Ask these early and one at a time. They are plain-language questions, not a diagnostic tool.
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Do you have trouble breathing? | ¿Tiene dificultad para respirar? |
| Do you have chest pain or pressure? | ¿Tiene dolor o presión en el pecho? |
| Did you faint or almost faint? | ¿Se desmayó o casi se desmaya? |
| Are you bleeding? Where? | ¿Está sangrando? ¿Dónde? |
| Do you have a severe headache or weakness on one side? | ¿Tiene un dolor de cabeza muy fuerte o debilidad de un lado del cuerpo? |
| Do you have a rash, swelling of the face or lips, or trouble swallowing? | ¿Tiene sarpullido, hinchazón en la cara o los labios, o dificultad para tragar? |
| Did you fall or hit your head? | ¿Se cayó o se golpeó la cabeza? |
| Are you pregnant, or could you be pregnant? | ¿Está embarazada o podría estarlo? |
For a suspected stroke, see Stroke assessment in Spanish. For pain scoring, see Pain assessment in Spanish for nurses.
Symptom details
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Where does it hurt? | ¿Dónde le duele? |
| How strong is the pain, from 0 to 10? | ¿Qué tan fuerte es el dolor, del 0 al 10? |
| Is it constant, or does it come and go? | ¿Es constante o va y viene? |
| Do you have a fever, chills or cough? | ¿Tiene fiebre, escalofríos o tos? |
| Do you have nausea, vomiting or diarrhea? | ¿Tiene náuseas, vómitos o diarrea? |
| Have you been able to eat and drink? | ¿Ha podido comer y beber? |
| Is this the first time this has happened? | ¿Es la primera vez que le pasa esto? |
History, medications and allergies
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Do you have any medical problems, like diabetes, high blood pressure or heart problems? | ¿Tiene algún problema médico, como diabetes, presión alta o problemas del corazón? |
| What medicines do you take? | ¿Qué medicamentos toma? |
| Do you take blood thinners? | ¿Toma anticoagulantes, medicinas para adelgazar la sangre? |
| Are you allergic to any medicine? What happens? | ¿Es alérgico/a a algún medicamento? ¿Qué le pasa? |
| Have you had surgery? | ¿Le han hecho alguna operación? |
| Do you smoke, drink alcohol or use drugs? | ¿Fuma, toma alcohol o usa drogas? |
| Do you feel safe at home? | ¿Se siente seguro/a en su casa? |
For sensitive questions, such as the last two, ask privately and with a qualified interpreter whenever possible. Family members should not interpret them.
Waiting-room and process phrases
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| I am going to take your vital signs. | Voy a tomarle los signos vitales. |
| I am going to put an ID bracelet on you. | Voy a ponerle una pulsera de identificación. |
| Please wait here. We will call you. | Espere aquí, por favor. Lo/la vamos a llamar. |
| Tell us right away if you feel worse. | Avísenos de inmediato si se siente peor. |
| Please do not eat or drink until we tell you. | Por favor, no coma ni beba nada hasta que le avisemos. |
| An interpreter will help us. | Un intérprete nos va a ayudar. |
The "do not eat or drink" line is a communication phrase only. Use it when your protocol or the treating team tells you to.
Regional variants to expect
- Name for the ER: "urgencias" and "emergencias" are both widely understood; "sala de emergencias" is common in many countries.
- Pulse and heart: "las pulsaciones" or "el pulso" are both understood.
- Rash: "sarpullido" is common in much of Latin America; "ronchas" (hives) or "erupción" also appear.
- High blood pressure: "presión alta" is the usual lay term.
- Dizzy: "mareado/a" is universal. Some patients say "se me va la cabeza" or "me da vueltas la cabeza" (my head is spinning).
Keep the triage cards close
The bedside badge card set includes triage, medical history, medications, vital signs, and a BE-FAST stroke check in Spanish with English underneath, designed by a family medicine physician & certified medical interpreter. The Medical Spanish Kit adds a pocket guide and flashcards. The medical Spanish study plan shows how to learn them over several weeks.
Related guides
- Medical assistants rooming patients: Spanish for medical assistants.
- Prehospital care: Spanish for EMTs.
These phrases support routine and emergency communication and do not replace a qualified medical interpreter in clinical care. This article is general education, not medical advice or a clinical triage protocol.