Must-Know Spanish Medical Words for Spanish Learners Before Seeing a Doctor

When Spanish learners prepare to see a doctor in a Spanish-speaking country, it’s essential to know the right vocabulary. Understanding Spanish medical words not only helps you explain your symptoms but also builds your confidence in the language. In this guide, you’ll find common Spanish medical terms, useful medical Spanish phrases, and even tips on reflexive verbs — all designed to help you feel ready before your next appointment.

Parts of the Body

Whether you’re seeing a doctor for a routine checkup or feeling unwell, knowing the parts of the body in Spanish is a must. It will help you indicate exactly where pain or any sort of problem is! Here are essential Spanish words for parts of the body that you should know:

—La cabeza: Head
—El brazo: Arm
—La pierna: Leg
—El estómago: Stomach
—La espalda: Back
—El pecho: Chest
—La garganta: throat
—El cuello: Neck
—La mano: Head
—Las uñas: Nails
—El pie: Foot
—El tobillo: Ankle
—El Corazón: Heart
—Los pulmones: Lungs
—Los dientes: Teeth
—Las encías: Gums

These common Spanish medical terms will make it easier to describe where you feel pain or discomfort during your visit with the doctor.

Tools of the Trade

Next, let’s look at the medical tools and objects that you might encounter at the doctor’s office!

—El estetoscopio: Stethoscope
—El termómetro: Thermometer
—La jeringa: Syringe
—La receta: Prescription
—El tensiómetro: Blood pressure cuff
—La camilla: Examination table
—La bata: Medical gown
—La medicina: Medicine
—El medicamento: Medication
—El antibiótico: Antibiotic
—La vacuna: Vaccine
—El tratamiento: Treatment
—El bisturí: Scalpel
—El algodón: Cotton ball
—La venda: Bandage
—El yeso: Cast (for broken bones)
—La mascarilla: Face mask
—El otoscopio: Otoscope (used to look in ears)
—El desfibrilador: Defibrillator
—La inyección: Injection/shot
—El suero: IV drip
—La silla de ruedas: Wheelchair
—Las muletas: Crutches
—La pastilla: Pill/tablet
—La radiografía: X-ray
—El guante médico: Medical glove

By learning these Spanish medical terms, you’ll be able to recognize common items that your doctor might refer to or use during your appointment.

Reflexive Verbs

In Spanish, reflexive verbs are extremely important when talking about symptoms because they show that something is happening to you as opposed to someone else. For example:

—Me duele la cabeza. (My head hurts.)
—Me duele la garganta. (My throat hurts.)

Notice the addition of the word “me”. This means that the speaker is receiving the action. You can change this to make others receive the action. For example, “nos duele” would mean “it hurts us,” nos meaning us.
At the doctor’s office, you might want to use the following verbs with “me” to express your symptoms:

—Me duele: It hurts me
—Me pica: It itches me
—Me siento mareado/a: I feel dizzy
—Me desmayo: I faint/I pass out
—Me corto: I cut myself
—Me lastimo: I hurt myself
—Me caigo: I fall down
—Me enfermo: I get sick
—Me rasguño: I scratch myself
—Me golpeo: I bump/hit myself
—Me torcí: I twisted (such as an ankle or a wrist)
—Me fracturé: I fractured (such as a bone)
—Me quemé: I burned myself
—Me sangra: I’m bleeding

Note that when you add a body part, you don’t say “my” like in English. It is not correct to say Me pica mi garganta (My throat itches), for example. We know that it’s my throat we’re talking about because of the me at the beginning of the sentence which is part of the reflexive verb. Because the me in the beginning tips us off that the speaker is talking about themselves, they don’t need to say “my throat”, rather “the throat”. The correct way to say that sentence would be “Me pica la garganta.” This literally translates to “The throat itches me.”

Mastering reflexive verbs is a key part of learning Spanish and especially Spanish medical terms. When you need to explain your symptoms clearly, reflexive verbs are a must!

Expressing Yourself in the Doctor’s Office

Now let’s put your skills to the test! Try translating these sentences into Spanish:

1. My stomach hurts.
2. I have a fever.
3. My throat is itchy. (Think about it as my throat itches me.)
4. I feel dizzy.
5. I need a prescription.

Practicing common medical Spanish phrases like these will make your doctor’s visit much smoother.

How did you do?

Here are the translations:

1. Me duele el estómago.
2. Tengo fiebre.
3. Me pica la garganta.
4. Me siento mareado/a.
5. Necesito una receta.

If you got most of them right, congratulations! ¡Felicidades! You’re well on your way to mastering Spanish medical words and terminology.

Tips For Practicing Medical Spanish

You don’t have to sit in a waiting room to improve your medical Spanish skills. In fact, there really plenty of creative and fun ways to practice on your own. Here are a few ideas to help you build your vocabulary and confidence before your next real-life medical encounter!

1. Watch Medical Dramas in Spanish - One of th easiest (and most entertaining) ways to hear medical Spanish in action is by watching TV shows. Look for Spanish-language medical dramas, such as Hospital Central (Spain) or Enfermeras (Colombia). Even popular American shows like Grey’s Anatomy often have Spanish dubbed versions available. Pay attention to how the doctors and nurses speak about symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments. Turn on Spanish subtitles to reinforce what you hear.

2. Listen to Spanish Medical Podcasts - There are several podcasts designed for Spanish learners interested in healthcare. Podcasts focus on real-world conversations you might have in a clinical setting. They’re perfect for practicing during your commute or workout.

3. Create Flashcards with Common Medical Terms - Building your vocabulary is key. Try making flashcards for parts of the body, symptoms, tools, and reflexive verbs commonly used in medical situations. You can use apps like Anki or Quizlet to create digital decks and quiz yourself on the go!

4. Role-Play Scenarios at Home - Even if you’re studying alone, you can role-play common doctor-patient converstations. Practice describing your symptoms, asking for a diagnosis, or responding to basic questions a doctor might ask. You could even write out small dialogues and read both parts aloud.

5. Read Patient Instructions or Medical Pamphlets in Spanish - Look for Spanish-language pamphlets on health topics, which you can often find online from hospitals or public health organizations. Reading real patient materials exposes you to practical vocabulary and common phrases used in everyday healthcare.

6. Use Spanish Medical Terminology Apps - Several apps are designed to teach Spanish medical phrases and vocabulary quickly. Apps like Canopy Learn and MediBabble offer structured lessons that target what you actually need to communicate in a medical setting.

By combining a few of these methods, you can immerse yourself in medical Spanish naturally without ever stepping foot in a clinic. The key is consistency: a little bit of exposure each day can dramatically improve your ability to communicate clearly and confidently when it matters most. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced student, building your vocabulary around common Spanish medical terms makes a huge difference when you need to see a doctor. Keep practicing, stay confident, and soon, navigating a medical visit in Spanish will feel like second nature!