On a call, you rarely have time to look up a word. This guide gives EMTs and paramedics short Spanish phrases for the scene, the primary survey, a SAMPLE history, and transport. They are written in neutral Latin American Spanish and use the formal "usted," which is polite and understood in every region.
Keep commands short, calm and polite
Spanish commands can sound harsh if you drop the courtesy words. Three habits help.
- Add "por favor" to requests, even urgent ones.
- Use one instruction per sentence.
- Say who you are first: "Soy paramédico/a. Estoy aquí para ayudarle." (I am a paramedic. I am here to help you.) Use "Somos paramédicos" for a crew. Many Spanish speakers call any ambulance crew member "paramédico," so this works for EMTs too; "técnico/a en emergencias médicas" is the more literal title.
Scene and safety phrases
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| We are here to help you. | Estamos aquí para ayudarle. |
| What is your name? | ¿Cómo se llama? |
| What happened? | ¿Qué pasó? |
| Who speaks English? | ¿Quién habla inglés? |
| Are you hurt? | ¿Está herido/a? |
| Is anyone else hurt? | ¿Hay alguien más herido? |
| Please step back. | Por favor, aléjese. / Por favor, retroceda. |
| Please wait outside. | Por favor, espere afuera. |
| Do not move, please. | No se mueva, por favor. |
| Do not move your head or neck. | No mueva la cabeza ni el cuello. |
Primary survey: airway, breathing, circulation
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Can you hear me? | ¿Me escucha? |
| Open your eyes. | Abra los ojos. |
| Can you breathe okay? | ¿Puede respirar bien? |
| Are you short of breath? | ¿Le falta el aire? |
| Take a deep breath. | Respire profundo. |
| Do you have chest pain or pressure? | ¿Tiene dolor o presión en el pecho? |
| Are you bleeding? Where? | ¿Está sangrando? ¿Dónde? |
| I am going to press here to stop the bleeding. | Voy a presionar aquí para detener el sangrado. |
| Squeeze my hand. | Apriéteme la mano. |
| Can you move your fingers and toes? | ¿Puede mover los dedos de las manos y de los pies? |
| Can you feel this? | ¿Siente esto? |
SAMPLE history in Spanish
| SAMPLE | English | Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| Signs/symptoms | What symptoms do you have? | ¿Qué síntomas tiene? |
| Allergies | Are you allergic to any medicine? | ¿Es alérgico/a a algún medicamento? |
| Medications | What medicines do you take? | ¿Qué medicamentos toma? |
| Past history | Do you have any medical problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure or heart problems? | ¿Tiene algún problema médico, como diabetes, presión alta o problemas del corazón? |
| Last intake | When did you last eat or drink something? | ¿Cuándo fue la última vez que comió o bebió algo? |
| Events | What were you doing when this started? | ¿Qué estaba haciendo cuando empezó? |
If a patient points to the head, chest, or abdomen, ask for a pain rating: "En una escala del 0 al 10, ¿qué tan fuerte es el dolor?" (On a scale of 0 to 10, how strong is the pain?)
Treatment and transport phrases
Explain what you are about to do before you do it. This lowers fear and reduces pulling away.
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| I am going to check your blood pressure. | Voy a tomarle la presión. |
| I am going to check your blood sugar. | Voy a revisarle el azúcar en la sangre. |
| I am going to give you oxygen. | Voy a darle oxígeno. |
| We are going to move you to the stretcher. | Vamos a pasarlo/a a la camilla. |
| We are taking you to the hospital. | Vamos a llevarlo/a al hospital. |
| You will ride in the ambulance with us. | Usted va a ir en la ambulancia con nosotros. |
| Is there a family member we can call? | ¿Hay algún familiar a quien podamos llamar? |
| I am calling an interpreter by phone to help us. | Voy a llamar a un intérprete por teléfono para ayudarnos. |
Regional variants to expect
- Blood pressure: "la presión" is standard in Latin America; "la tensión" is more common in Spain.
- Injured: "herido/a" is understood everywhere; "lastimado/a" is very common in Mexico.
- Stretcher: "camilla" is widely used; some regions have other words, but "camilla" will be understood.
- IV fluids: many patients say "el suero" for an IV; "vía intravenosa" is the formal term.
- Car crash: "accidente de carro" (much of Latin America), "accidente de auto" (Southern Cone and others), "accidente de coche" (Spain, and heard elsewhere). Also note that "choque" can mean a vehicle collision or medical shock, so confirm which one a bystander means.
- "Vos" regions: in Argentina, Uruguay and parts of Central America, patients may say "vos," but your "usted" will be received well.
Consent, refusals and complex decisions
Phrase lists work for assessment and reassurance. They are not the right tool for refusal of care, consent for treatment, or anything that needs explanation of risks. For those, bring in a qualified interpreter by phone or video and document it.
Put the phrases where you can see them
A phrase you cannot find under pressure does not help. The Medical Spanish Kit combines a pocket guide, ID-badge-size reference cards, and flashcards for learning the phrases off shift, designed by a family medicine physician & certified medical interpreter. The bedside badge card set includes an emergency and EMS card, vital signs, and a BE-FAST stroke check, with Spanish in bold and English underneath. To build the habit across several weeks, the medical Spanish study plan is a good place to start.
Related guides
- For RÁPIDO and BE-FAST screening phrases: Stroke assessment in Spanish
- For the handoff conversation at the ER: ER triage Spanish phrases
- For a fuller pain assessment: Pain assessment in Spanish for nurses
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 protocol.