Category: Medical Spanish Blog

When advising Spanish-speaking patients about breastfeeding, it’s essential to provide clear, supportive tips that promote the health of both mother and baby. Below are some useful breastfeeding tips, with their Spanish translations, to help healthcare professionals communicate effectively. Key Breastfeeding Tips Additional Tips and Their Translations Example Dialogue By sharing these helpful tips, healthcare professionals…

When you suspect a patient may be suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), it’s important to ask targeted questions to understand their symptoms. Below are common questions healthcare professionals can ask, along with their Spanish translations. Key Questions to Ask About IBS Symptoms Asking About Triggers IBS can often be triggered by certain foods, stress,…

The verb “caerse” (to fall down) is reflexive, meaning that the action reflects back on the subject. It’s commonly used in medical consultations when patients describe incidents involving falls. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to conjugate “caerse,” provide examples of how a patient might use it in a sentence, and offer follow-up questions…

As a healthcare worker, it’s crucial to provide respectful and inclusive care to all patients. One important aspect of this is asking for and using patients’ preferred pronouns. While this practice is not yet common in many Spanish-speaking countries, it’s becoming increasingly important. We will guide you on how to ask about preferred pronouns in…

In recent years, there has been a shift in how we talk about addiction and substance-related issues. In English, the term “drug abuse” has evolved into the more accurate and less stigmatizing “substance use disorder.” Similarly, in Spanish, the term “consumo problemático de sustancias” is used to describe this condition, reflecting a more comprehensive understanding…

Knowing how to accurately refer to medical equipment is essential for healthcare professionals working with Spanish-speaking patients. When it comes to a blood pressure cuff, there are three different ways to say it in Spanish, each with its specific use and context. 1. Esfigmomanómetro The term “esfigmomanómetro” refers to the entire device used to measure…

Understanding medical terminology in Spanish is crucial for healthcare professionals working with Spanish-speaking patients. In this post, we’ll focus on how to say “catheter” in Spanish, covering both general catheters and central lines. What is a Catheter? A catheter is a flexible tube used in various medical procedures, such as draining fluids or administering medication.…

For healthcare professionals working with Spanish-speaking patients, it is important to understand how to refer to both specialists and their corresponding specialties or departments. This blog post will guide you through the easiest way to transform specialist titles into the names of the specialties in Spanish. Understanding the Pattern In Spanish, many specialist titles and…

For healthcare professionals working with Spanish-speaking patients, it’s important to know how to communicate medical terms accurately. One common term you may need is “CAT scan.” In Spanish, this is referred to as TAC. Why It’s Called TAC and What It Stands For In English, CAT scan stands for Computed Axial Tomography. However, in Spanish,…

Understanding how to communicate about mental health conditions in Spanish is crucial for providing comprehensive care to Spanish-speaking patients. PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, is a condition that can significantly impact a person’s life. In Spanish, PTSD is called Trastorno de Estrés Postraumático (TEPT). This blog post will guide you through how to discuss PTSD,…

Effective communication with Spanish-speaking patients is vital in providing high-quality healthcare. One important term you may need to use is “screening.” In Spanish, there are two commonly used words for screening: “tamizaje” and “detección.” This blog post will explain these terms, provide examples, and help you incorporate them into your patient interactions. Understanding “Screening” in…

As a healthcare professional, communicating effectively with Spanish-speaking patients is essential, especially when discussing medical conditions such as burns. Understanding the correct terminology and its usage can help provide clearer and more compassionate care. This blog post will teach you how to say “burned” in Spanish, explain related terms, and provide examples of how to…

As healthcare professionals, it’s crucial to understand and clearly communicate the difference between “actividad física” (physical activity) and “ejercicio” (exercise) to our patients. This knowledge can positively influence how patients perceive and adopt healthier habits. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they have crucial differences that can help us design more effective and accessible…

Understanding the different hormonal birth control methods is crucial for medical professionals. If you’re learning Spanish and working in the medical field, knowing these terms and their explanations can help you communicate more effectively with Spanish-speaking patients. Below, we explore six common hormonal contraceptive methods: “las inyecciones,” “la píldora o pastillas anticonceptivas,” “el DIU,” “el…

Few things make a new mom more nervous than the question of whether or not their newborn is getting enough breastmilk. And if baby doesn’t naturally latch easy, breastfeeding can become both painful and frustrating for mom. In today’s lesson, you’ll learn how to give basic breastfeeding instructions in Spanish through learning: Check out the…

As a healthcare professional, clear communication with your patients is crucial, especially when discussing something as significant as pain. For English speakers working with Spanish-speaking patients, mastering key phrases can make a big difference to assess their pain. Today, we’ll cover three essential questions that use the word “cuánto” (how much) to ask about pain.…

Talking about menstruation can be uncomfortable for some people, but it is an important part of women’s health that should be discussed openly and without shame. There are several ways to refer to periods in Spanish, and it’s useful to know them to communicate effectively. Here we explain the most common terms and provide examples…

When working in the medical field, clear communication is essential, especially when interacting with Spanish-speaking patients. Understanding how to describe various conditions accurately can significantly improve patient care. Today, we’ll focus on how to say “pulled muscle” in Spanish. There are two main terms you need to know: “tirón muscular” or “distensión muscular” for less…

Whether you’re discussing a personal experience, a medical context, or just expanding your vocabulary, knowing how to say “to give birth” and “labor” in Spanish will be invaluable. We’ll cover three main expressions: “dar a luz,” “parto,” and “labor de parto.” 1. “Dar a Luz” “Dar a luz” is the most common way to say…

Being able to express empathy is crucial for building a good relationship with your Spanish-speaking patients and providing quality care. Here are some Spanish phrases that will help you communicate more empathetically. Positive Empathy Phrases It’s important to celebrate achievements and good news with your patients. Here are some expressions you can use: Empathy Phrases…

You might have encountered the word “care” and found yourself puzzled by its various translations in Spanish. In this guide, we’ll unravel the intricacies of “care” in Spanish, exploring its most common meanings in medical contexts. Medical Care – “Atención Médica” In the realm of healthcare, “care” is often associated with the provision of medical…

Are you a healthcare professional or a medical student navigating the complexities of communication with Spanish-speaking patients? Then, you might have encountered the common linguistic trap between two seemingly similar verbs: “tocar” and “tomar.” While in English, “take” serves as a versatile term for various actions, in Spanish, these two verbs have distinct meanings, especially…

Most people don’t like shots and getting stuck with needles, right? So, when you need to give shots and start IVs it’s great to be able to explain what you’re doing a little bit to put your patients at ease. In today’s lesson, I’m helping you build some vocabulary around shots and IVs and also…

This Medical Spanish lesson focuses on explaining growth charts in Spanish with your Spanish speaking patients. Ever struggle to explain the basic of the growth chart to your Spanish speaking patients? Do you ever wish you had better vocabulary to explain percentiles and trends in Spanish? It’s an interesting concept in any language – most…

This Medical Spanish lesson focuses on how to talk to children in Spanish. When working with adults, you’re always using the “usted” form of verbs, but in the clinical setting with children, using the “tú” form is perfect. In this Vídeo Viernes lesson I share how the Tú form shows up throughout many different language…

This Free Medical Spanish lesson focuses on discussing headaches in Spanish: el dolor de cabeza. In this lesson, we’re discussing stress headaches, migraines, cluster headaches, sinus pain, strokes, concussions and vision problems. For each cause of headaches, I’m sharing a basic description in Spanish and some simple tests and procedures. Here is the Headaches in Spanish…

In this post, we focus on how to give instructions to both men and women to collect a clean urine sample (commonly called “clean catch”). Read below and watch the instructional video for some specific Spanish vocabulary and phrases related to clean catch urine samples. Whenever you’re giving quick instructions in Spanish, you’ll use the command tense.…

Do you ever have to educate new parents about safe sleep recommendations? We all know that the “back to sleep & belly to play” campaign has had a great effect on reducing the incidence of SIDS in babies… but how do you explain it in Spanish? In today’s lesson you’re going to learn all the…

If you’re anything like me (as a Spanish learner), it’s the pesky little words that can leave you feeling a little confused and frustrated at times. The personal “A” in Spanish is one of those words that doesn’t have an equivalent in English, and therefore it’s challenging to remember to add as you’re speaking Spanish.…

If you work with men past the age of 50 years old, you have probably had the occasion to discuss enlarged prostate, or BPH – Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. Wondering how would you discuss Enlarged Prostate in Spanish? In today’s lesson, I help you… Get started here with the Enlarged Prostate in Spanish Video Viernes Lesson……

Use these 9 Spanish Question words and chit chat topics to build rapport with your Spanish-speaking patients. Whenever we survey our medical Spanish community, one of the top 3 reasons healthcare workers are improving their Spanish is to establish a better connection with their patients. Rapport building, casual conversations, and better connecting can all begin…

This Medical Spanish lesson focuses on learning how to talk about the 9 less common causes of abdominal pain in Spanish: Las 9 causas menos comunes del dolor abdominal. After a quick review of anatomy and symptoms in Spanish, you’ll learn how to discuss less common causes of abdominal pain in Spanish such as: Here…

This Medical Spanish lesson focuses on learning how to talk about abdominal pain in Spanish: dolor abdominal o dolor de estómago. Some time ago, we talked about how to talk about pain in Spanish, so in this lesson we are going to be more specific and talk about abdominal pain and the different words you…

Easy phrases to communicate at home care instructions after minor procedures. In this post you’ll learn how to… Here is the video lesson on care instructions in Spanish after minor procedures: Common Minor Procedures in Spanish: Instructions to follow in Spanish: For these instructions to follow after a minor procedure, let’s just use the starter…

Chronic pelvic pain can be a complicated topic to discuss, let alone Spanish! In this lesson you’ll learn how to describe chronic pelvic pain symptoms, causes and treatment options in Spanish. We’ll cover topics like Endometriosis, Pelvic inflammatory disease, fibroids, complications of hysterectomies, etc. Here is the lesson I taught on Chronic Pelvic Pain in…

Work on your listening comprehension in Spanish and learn about diabetes and hypertension in Costa Rica! Doctor Carla and Nurse Rebeca asked our Medical Spanish Immersion group this past winter to give some workshops on Diabetes and Hypertension. They requested that we educate some of their at-risk population about: After two weeks of workshops concluded,…