Hola, ¿cómo estáis?

In this beginner level Spanish lesson we will see some Spanish vocabulary related to illnesses, symptoms and medicine and how to manage in Spanish at the doctor’s.

Let’s first see some general Spanish vocabulary that will be useful to you:

• Médico/a: Doctor
• Doctor / Doctora : Doctor + (name) (talking to them)
• El doctor / La doctora: Doctor + (name) (talking about them)
• Enfermero/a: Nurse
• Pediatra: Paediatrician
• Centro de salud: Health Centre
• Hospital: Hospital
• Consulta: Doctor’s surgery

The next set of Spanish vocabulary is related to illnesses, symptoms and medicine:

• Síntomas: Symptoms
• Enfermedad: Illness
• Infección de… (garganta, oídos…): (Throat, ear,…) infection
• Virus: Virus
• Insolación: Sunstroke
• Intoxicación: Food poisoning
• Indigestión: Indigestion
• Tortícolis: Stiff neck
• Torcedura: Sprain
• Rotura: Fracture
• Receta: Prescription
• Pastillas: Tablets
• Jarabe: Medicine
• Inyecciones: Injections
• Aspirinas: Aspirins
• Antibióticos: Antibiotics
• Pomada /crema: Cream

Now I will show you some typical Spanish phrases that can be used to describe your problems:

• Estoy mareado/a: I feel dizzy/sick
• Estoy cansado/a: I am tired
• Me siento débil: I feel weak
• Me siento mal: I feel unwell
• Tengo gripe: I have the flu
• Tengo tos: I have a cough
• Tengo náuseas: I feel nauseous
• Estoy enfermo/a: I am ill/sick
• Tengo fiebre: I have fever/a temperature
• Tengo resfriado: I have a cold
• Siento calor / frío: I feel hot / cold
• Me duele/n ….: It hurts/They hurt
• Tengo dolor de…: I have a (headache/sorethroat…)

The following Spanish phrases will be useful speaking with other patients in a hospital or doctor’s surgery:

• ¿Dónde está la consulta del doctor ……?: Where is doctor ……’s surgery?
• ¿Quién es el último?: Who is last in the queue?
• Yo: Me

Finally, these Spanish phrases might be said by your doctor:

• ¿Qué te pasa?: What is wrong? (friendly)
• ¿Qué le pasa?: What is wrong? (formal)
• Tiene que tomar estas pastillas: You have to take these tablets
• Debe tomar estas pastillas: You must take these tablets
• No es nada: It is nothing
• No es grave / No tiene importancia: It isn’t serious
• Take it easy: Cuídese

I sincerely hope that everyone watching this Spanish video lesson finds themselves in the best of health, but should you one day feel a little off colour whilst living in or visiting a Spanish speaking country, this vocabulary and phrases should be a great help. This is a really important topic to familiarize yourself with. Not every Spanish or Latin American doctor, of course, speaks English so you would be well advised to practice this lesson quite a few times so that you can more or less follow what is being said to you and describe the pain you might be feeling.

Have a lovely day and look after yourselves.

¡Hasta la próxima clase!