Why learn Spanish medical vocabulary? When you’re learning Spanish and suddenly fall ill, one of the most stressful situations can be visiting a doctor or going to the pharmacy. Not only are you feeling unwell, but you may also lack the vocabulary or phrases you need to explain your symptoms or understand the doctor’s instructions.
In this article, we’ll help you get ready for that moment with an essential medical Spanish vocabulary list, common expressions, and examples of real conversations. That way, you’ll be prepared for any situation!
Example of a conversation at the doctor’s surgery
Here’s a typical example of what a conversation between a doctor and a patient might sound like:
| DOCTOR: Good morning. Tell me, what seems to be the problem? | MÉDICO: Buenos días. Dígame, ¿qué le pasa? |
| PATIENT: Good morning. I don’t feel well. I have quite a bad headache, a sore throat, and a strong cough. | PACIENTE: Buenos días. Pues me encuentro mal. Me duele bastante la cabeza, tengo dolor de garganta y también tengo mucha tos. |
| DOCTOR: I see. How long have you had these symptoms? | MÉDICO: De acuerdo. ¿Desde cuándo tiene estos síntomas? |
| PATIENT: For about three or four days. | PACIENTE: Desde hace tres o cuatro días. |
| DOCTOR: Have you been taking any medication? | MÉDICO: ¿Ha estado tomando alguna medicación? |
| PATIENT: No, I haven’t taken anything. | PACIENTE: No, no he tomado nada. |
| DOCTOR: Are you allergic to any medicines? | MÉDICO: ¿Es usted alérgico a algún medicamento? |
| PATIENT: No, I don’t have any allergies. | PACIENTE: No, no tengo ninguna alergia. |
| DOCTOR: I’ll prescribe you a cough syrup and some paracetamol for the headache. | MÉDICO: Pues le voy a recetar un jarabe para la tos y paracetamol para el dolor de cabeza. |
| PATIENT: How many times a day should I take them? | PACIENTE: ¿Cuántas veces al día tengo que tomarlo? |
| DOCTOR: The syrup, twice a day. The paracetamol, every eight hours. | MÉDICO: El jarabe, dos veces al día. El paracetamol, cada ocho horas. |
| PATIENT: Do I need to follow a specific diet? | PACIENTE: ¿Tengo que hacer alguna dieta específica? |
| DOCTOR: No, but I recommend foods rich in vitamin C, as well as plenty of herbal teas with honey and lemon for your throat. | MÉDICO: No, pero le recomiendo alimentos ricos en vitamina C y muchas infusiones con miel y limón para la garganta. |
| PATIENT: How long should I take the medication for? | PACIENTE: ¿Durante cuánto tiempo debo tomar la medicación? |
| DOCTOR: For seven days. If the symptoms last longer than a week, make another appointment. | MÉDICO: Durante siete días. Si los síntomas persisten más de una semana, vuelva a pedir cita. |
| PATIENT: Alright. Thank you very much. | PACIENTE: De acuerdo. Muchas gracias. |
| DOCTOR: I hope you feel better. Have a good day! | MÉDICO: Que se mejore. ¡Buen día! |
Useful vocabulary for a doctor’s visit
If you want to say you’re not feeling well:
| I don’t feel well. | Me encuentro mal. |
| I have a headache / stomach ache / back pain. | Me duele la cabeza / el estómago / la espalda. |
| I have a fever / cough / nausea / diarrhoea. | Tengo fiebre / tos / náuseas / diarrea. |
| I feel dizzy. | Estoy mareado/a. |
| I feel weak / tired. | Me siento débil / cansado/a. |
| I find it hard to breathe. | Me cuesta respirar. |
| My throat itches. | Me pica la garganta. |
| It hurts when I swallow. | Me molesta al tragar. |
| I can’t sleep well. | No puedo dormir bien. |
To describe how much something hurts:
| It hurts a lot / quite a bit / a little. | Me duele mucho / bastante / un poco. |
| The pain is strong / mild / constant / intermittent. | El dolor es fuerte / leve / constante / intermitente. |
| It hurts more in the morning / at night. | Me duele más por la mañana / por la noche. |
Spanish vocabulary at the pharmacy or talking about medicines
When you go to the pharmacy, you also need to be able to express yourself to get what you need or to understand the pharmacist’s instructions.
Phrases for asking about or talking about medicines:
| I need something for a cough / a headache / a fever. | Necesito algo para la tos / el dolor de cabeza / la fiebre. |
| I’m taking antibiotics / paracetamol. | Estoy tomando antibióticos / paracetamol. |
| What do you recommend to help me sleep better? | ¿Qué me recomienda para dormir mejor? |
| Do you have any natural remedies for a sore throat? | ¿Tiene algún medicamento natural para la garganta? |
| Is this available with or without a prescription? | ¿Esto es con receta o sin receta? |
| How many times a day should I take it? | ¿Cuántas veces al día tengo que tomarlo? |
| Before or after meals? | ¿Antes o después de comer? |
| Does it have any side effects? | ¿Tiene efectos secundarios? |
| Can I drive after taking it? | ¿Puedo conducir después de tomarlo? |
Talking about allergies or medical conditions
It’s very important to inform the doctor or pharmacist if you have any allergies or chronic conditions. Here are some useful phrases:
| I’m allergic to paracetamol / penicillin. | Soy alérgico/a al paracetamol / a la penicilina. |
| I have diabetes. | Tengo diabetes. |
| I’m pregnant. | Estoy embarazada. |
| I have high / low blood pressure. | Tengo la tensión alta / baja. |
| I use an inhaler. | Uso inhalador. |
| I have a pacemaker. | Llevo marcapasos. |
| I have heart / kidney problems. | Tengo problemas de corazón / de riñón. |
Common questions at the doctor’s or the pharmacy
| What symptoms do you have? | ¿Qué síntomas tiene? |
| How long have you been feeling this way? | ¿Desde cuándo se siente así? |
| Have you had a fever? | ¿Ha tenido fiebre? |
| Have you taken any medication? | ¿Ha tomado algún medicamento? |
| Are you allergic to anything? | ¿Es alérgico a algo? |
| When would you like your appointment? | ¿Para cuándo quiere la cita? |
| You can come back if symptoms persist. | Puede volver si los síntomas persisten. |
| When can I collect the medicine? | ¿Cuándo puedo recoger el medicamento? |
| When will the results be ready? | ¿Cuándo estarán los resultados? |
Cultural Tips
- In Spain, many appointments are made through the public healthcare system. It’s common to book online or by phone.
- In pharmacies, pharmacists have medical training and can recommend treatments without a prescription.
- Spanish doctors often give plenty of natural recommendations alongside medication (drink water, rest, herbal teas…).
- If you don’t speak Spanish well, you can ask for help with phrases such as:
| Could you speak more slowly, please? | ¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor? |
| Could you write it down for me? | ¿Me lo puede escribir? |
| Do you have a translator? | ¿Tiene un traductor? |
Final summary
Knowing how to communicate at a medical appointment in Spanish can make a huge difference. Learning these phrases will help you not only feel more confident but also receive the right care. Remember, the most important thing is to be clear and direct about how you feel, and not to be afraid to ask someone to repeat themselves or speak more slowly.
Listen to real conversations, practise role plays in class, and little by little you’ll feel much more comfortable using Spanish in these situations.
And if you ever don’t know what to say, just remember one key phrase:
“I don’t feel well, I need help” – “Me encuentro mal, necesito ayuda”.
