Spanish for Sickness

Last month my family and I were miserably ill🤒.  It happens every year about the same time when kids go back to school… and bring the germs home! But what if you find yourself travelling when you come down with the bug? What if you’re a healthcare provider and your patient speaks no English? Read on to learn a few ways to describe symptoms and common illnesses in Spanish.

¿Cuáles son sus síntomas? What are your symptoms?

¿Tiene…?  Do you have…?

Tengo…  I have…

…fiebre …a fever

…dolor de garganta  ….a sore throat

…dolor de cabeza …a headache

…escalofríos  …chills

…nauseas  …nausea

…vómitos  …vomiting

…tos  …a cough

…dolores corporales  …body aches

…escurrimiento nasal  …a runny nose

…dificultad para dormir  …trouble sleeping

…dificultad para respirar  …trouble breathing

…fatiga  …fatigue

…mareos  …dizziness

…diarrea  …diarrhea

…estreñimiento  …constipation

…sarpullido  …a rash

…falta de apetito  …a poor appetite

…congestión  …congestion

…picazón  …itching

…hinchazón  …swelling

…estornudos  …sneezing

Enfermedades comunes  Common Illnesses

la gripe/la gripa  the flu

el resfriado/el resfrío/el catarro  common cold

la influenza  influenza

las alergias  allergies

la faringitis estreptocócica  strep throat

la mononucleosis  mononucleosis

la bronquitis  bronchitis

la gastritis  gastritis

la neumonía  pneumonia

el COVID-19  COVID-19

For more information on learning medical Spanish, or to provide training to your staff, please reach out!