🤒 Illnesses
In this section you will learn useful Spanish vocabulary and expressions for talking about health, common symptoms, illnesses, and visiting the doctor. This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional emergency, medical, or legal assistance.
🟢 Common Symptoms
🤒 Sick → Enfermo / Enferma
🤕 Headache → Dolor de cabeza
🤒 Fever → Fiebre
😷 Cough → Tos
🤢 Nausea → Náuseas
🤧 Sore throat → Dolor de garganta
😵 Dizziness → Mareo
🤕 Pain → Dolor
🟡 Common Illnesses
🤧 Cold → Resfriado
🤒 Flu → Gripe
🤢 Stomachache → Dolor de estómago
🌸 Allergy → Alergia
🦠 Infection → Infección
🤕 Injury → Lesión
🔵 Doctor & Medical Vocabulary
👨⚕️ Doctor → Médico / Médica
💊 Medicine → Medicina
💊 Medication → Medicamento
🛌 Rest → Descanso
🏥 Hospital → Hospital
🩺 Appointment → Cita
💊 Prescription → Receta médica
💊 Pharmacy → Farmacia
🧠 Useful Language Tip
Use tener with many common symptoms and illnesses:
Tengo fiebre.
I have a fever.
Tengo tos.
I have a cough.
Tengo un resfriado.
I have a cold.
Tengo fiebre.
I have a fever.
Tengo tos.
I have a cough.
Tengo un resfriado.
I have a cold.
Use me duele for one thing that hurts and me duelen for plural body parts:
Me duele la cabeza.
My head hurts.
Me duelen las piernas.
My legs hurt.
Me duele la cabeza.
My head hurts.
Me duelen las piernas.
My legs hurt.
💬 Common Health & Illness Phrases
🤕 Me duele mucho la cabeza.
My head hurts a lot.
My head hurts a lot.
🤒 Estoy enfermo desde ayer.
I have been sick since yesterday.
I have been sick since yesterday.
🤢 No me siento bien.
I don't feel well.
I don't feel well.
🏥 Necesito ir al médico.
I need to go to the doctor.
I need to go to the doctor.
🩺 At the Doctor's Office
📅 I need to make an appointment. → Necesito pedir una cita.
🤒 I have a fever. → Tengo fiebre.
😷 I have a cough. → Tengo tos.
🤕 It hurts here. → Me duele aquí.
⏰ I've felt sick for two days. → Me siento mal desde hace dos días.
💊 Do I need medicine? → ¿Necesito algún medicamento?
💬 Everyday Conversations
Talking about symptoms:
A: ¿Cómo te sientes?
B: No me siento bien. Tengo fiebre y dolor de cabeza.
A: How do you feel?
B: I don't feel well. I have a fever and a headache.
A: ¿Cómo te sientes?
B: No me siento bien. Tengo fiebre y dolor de cabeza.
A: How do you feel?
B: I don't feel well. I have a fever and a headache.
At the doctor's office:
A: ¿Desde cuándo se siente mal?
B: Desde hace tres días.
A: How long have you been feeling sick?
B: For three days.
A: ¿Desde cuándo se siente mal?
B: Desde hace tres días.
A: How long have you been feeling sick?
B: For three days.
📝 Example Sentences
🤧 Tengo un resfriado y mucha tos.
I have a cold and a bad cough.
I have a cold and a bad cough.
😷 La tos me despierta por la noche.
The cough wakes me up at night.
The cough wakes me up at night.
🛌 Necesito descansar un par de días.
I need to rest for a couple of days.
I need to rest for a couple of days.
🤢 Tengo náuseas y dolor de estómago.
I have nausea and a stomachache.
I have nausea and a stomachache.
💊 Necesito ir a la farmacia.
I need to go to the pharmacy.
I need to go to the pharmacy.
🩺 Tengo una cita con el médico mañana.
I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow.
I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow.
🏆 Final Practice
Try saying each phrase before pressing play.
- No me siento bien.
- Tengo fiebre.
- Me duele la cabeza.
- Tengo dolor de garganta.
- Necesito ir al médico.
- Me siento mal desde hace dos días.