Top 10 Beginner Medical Spanish Mistakes

Medical Spanish Mistakes: Avoid these common Errors!

Everyone makes mistakes, especially when learning a new language!Hopefully your Spanish mistakes have given you and your pacientes a few laughs.Here are the ones we hear most frequently with our Beginning Medical Spanish students:

1. Me llamo es John.

Me llamo es John. = I call myself is John.
Should be:
Me llamo John. = My name is John (literally, I call myself John.)

2. Hola, yo soy enferma Andrea.

Hola, yo soy enferma Andrea. = Hello, I am sick Andrea.
Should be:
Hola, yo soy enfermera Andrea. = Hello, I am nurse Andrea.

3. Yo soy Colorado.

Yo soy Colorado. = I am Colorado.
Should be:
Yo soy de Colorado. = I am from Colorado.

4. Le duele es mucho.

Le duelees mucho. = It hurts is a lot.
Should be:
Le duele mucho. = It hurts a lot.

Don’t forget:
El dolor = Pain
Le duele = (It) hurts

5. Greeting: Buenas tardes.
Response: Bien.

Buenas tardes = Good afternoon
Bien = Well

Respond to Buenas tardes with: Buenas tardes!

6. ¿Cómo estás usted?

¿Cómo estás usted? = How are you (informal), you (formal)?
Should be:
¿Cómo está usted? = How are you (formal)?

*The usted form is most appropriate for a professional setting.

7. ¿Cómo te llamas usted?

¿Cómote llamas usted? = How do you (formal), call yourself (informal)?
Should be :
¿Cómo se llama usted? = How do you call yourself (formal)?/What’s your name?

*The usted form is most appropriate for a professional setting.

8. Él es enfermero de cardiólogo.

Él es enfermero de cardiólogo. = He is a nurse of cardiologist.
Should be:
Él es enferemero de cardiología. = He is a nurse of cardology (cardiology nurse).

Remember:
-ólogo/a = -ologist
-ología = -ology

9. Ella tiene hinchado en el pie.

Ella tiene hinchado en el pie = She has swollen on the foot.
Should be:
Ella tiene hinchazón en el pie. = She has swelling on the foot.
OR
Ella tiene el pie hinchado. = She has a swollen foot.
OR
El pie está hinchado. = The foot is swollen.

10. Ella es joven, bonita, y corta.

Ella es joven, bonita, y corta. = She is young, pretty , and short (not long).
Should be:
Ella es joven, bonita, y baja. = She is young, pretty, and short (not tall).

Remember:
Corto/a = short in terms of length
Bajo/a = short in terms of height

Might you believe there are more beginning medical Spanish errors? Check out Part 2!

If you’re working on learning Spanish for your healthcare career, we have the medical Spanish you need!