When someone doesn’t feel well, the most common words are pain, fever, cough, nausea and dizziness. Pain can go with a part of the body: headache, throat pain or back pain. Fever is used when the body’s temperature is high. Cough describes the impulse to expel air with force. Nausea is used when there is a desire to vomit. Dizziness describes the feeling of instability or that everything is spinning. In normal conversation, these symptoms appear a lot together with body parts of Parts of the Body and with the general health vocabulary of Health and Body.

tosdolornáuseasfiebrecansancioescalofríospicormareo

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Sensación de inestabilidad como si todo diera vueltasSensación molesta en la piel que hace querer rascarseMolestia física que se siente en una parte del cuerpoTemblor del cuerpo por frío o por enfermedadFalta de energía que hace que todo cueste másSensación de malestar en el estómago con ganas de vomitarAumento de la temperatura del cuerpo que indica enfermedadExpulsión de aire por la boca para limpiar la garganta

Basic vocabulary of common symptoms

Word	Definition
dolor	Physical discomfort that is felt in a part of the body.
fiebre	Increase in body temperature that indicates illness.
tos	Expulsion of air through the mouth to clear the throat.
náuseas	Feeling of discomfort in the stomach with a tendency to vomit.
mareo	Feeling of instability as if everything were spinning.
cansancio	Lack of energy that makes everything harder.
escalofríos	Shaking of the body from cold or illness.
picor	Uncomfortable sensation on the skin that makes you want to scratch.

Scramble

To explain discomfort, one often names the head, the throat, the chest, the back and the leg. It says my head hurts, my throat hurts or my back hurts. Chest tends to appear when the problem is in the chest area, especially when breathing or coughing. Leg is used to talk about pain, tiredness or a hit in that area. These words combine naturally with the vocabulary of Parts of the Body, which is also useful for Exercise and Movement.

gargantaespaldapechorodillapiernacabezabrazomano

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Parte frontal del torso entre el cuello y el abdomenParte posterior del tronco que conecta cuello y cinturaMiembro del cuerpo que usamos para caminar y correrArticulación que une el muslo con la piernaExtremo del brazo con el que agarramos cosasZona del cuello por donde pasa el aire y la comidaParte superior del cuerpo donde suele sentirse el dolor de cabezaMiembro superior desde el hombro hasta la mano

Body parts to describe discomfort

Word	Definition
cabeza	Top part of the body where headache is usually felt.
garganta	Neck area through which air and food pass.
pecho	Front part of the torso between the neck and the abdomen.
espalda	Back part of the trunk that connects neck and hips.
pierna	Body limb that we use to walk and run.
brazo	Upper limb from the shoulder to the hand.
mano	End of the arm with which we grab things.
rodilla	Joint that connects the thigh to the leg.

Scramble

Small and frequent injuries are named with words like cut, scratch, bump, bruise and sprain. A cut opens the skin with something sharp, like a knife or glass. A scratch is usually superficial and comes from a nail, a branch or a rough surface. A bump can hurt without leaving a visible wound. A bruise appears when the skin changes color after a bump. A sprain happens when a part of the body moves abruptly and is injured. These words are very common when talking about a fall, a minor accident or an activity of Exercise and Movement.

torceduracorterasguñoarañazomoretónampollacontusióngolpe

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Impacto fuerte contra una superficie o un objetoLesión por golpe sin herida abierta visibleMancha morada en la piel después de un golpeLesión leve cuando una articulación se gira malHerida pequeña causada por un objeto afiladoRaya superficial hecha por uñas o ramasPequeña burbuja en la piel llena de líquidoMarca superficial en la piel hecha por algo puntiagudo

Minor and common injuries of everyday use

Word	Definition
corte	Small wound caused by a sharp object.
rasguño	Superficial mark on the skin made by something sharp.
golpe	Strong impact against a surface or object.
moretón	Purple stain on the skin after a hit.
torcedura	Minor injury when a joint is twisted badly.
ampolla	Small bubble on the skin filled with fluid.
arañazo	Superficial scratch made by nails or branches.
contusión	Injury from a blow without an open wound visible.

Scramble

For injuries that require more attention you use fracture, sprain, burn and open wound. A fracture is a break in a bone. A sprain occurs when a ligament is stretched or damaged, especially in the ankle, wrist or knee. Burn is used for damage caused by heat, fire, steam or a very hot surface. Open wound describes an injury in which the skin is cut and the tissue is exposed. In medical contexts, these words often appear together with terms from Health and Body.

luxaciónesguincefracturainfecciónhemorragiaquemaduraconmociónherida abierta

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Lesión de un ligamento por estiramiento excesivoPérdida abundante de sangre que puede ser graveDaño en la piel causado por calor fuego o productos fuertesGolpe fuerte en la cabeza que puede causar mareo y confusiónLesión en la piel que deja tejido expuestoDesplazamiento de un hueso en una articulación que sale de su lugarProblema causado por microbios que empeoran una heridaRotura de un hueso que necesita atención médica

Significant injuries that require more attention

Word	Definition
fractura	Bone break that needs medical attention.
esguince	Ligament injury from excessive stretching.
quemadura	Damage to the skin caused by heat, fire, or strong substances.
herida abierta	Injury to the skin that leaves exposed tissue.
luxación	Displacement of a bone in a joint that is out of place.
infección	Problem caused by microbes that worsens a wound.
hemorragia	Abundant blood loss that can be serious.
conmoción	Strong head hit that can cause dizziness and confusion.

Scramble

To describe a symptom, the problem word is combined with expressions of intensity and time. Mild indicates low intensity, and strong indicates a lot of pain or discomfort. Constant is used when the symptom does not go away. Sudden describes something that starts abruptly. Since yesterday indicates when it began. Forms such as since this morning, since last night or since Monday are also used. Thus you can say I have mild pain since yesterday or it is a strong and sudden dizziness. These expressions enable clear information in a medical visit or when explaining discomfort at home.

repentinofuerteconstanteintensoleveintermitentedesde hace díasdesde ayer

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Expresión que indica el inicio en el día anteriorQue tiene mucha intensidad y se nota muchoQue aparece y desaparece por momentosQue no se detiene durante un tiempo largoQue aparece de pronto sin aviso previoQue tiene poca intensidad y molesta pocoExpresión que indica una duración de varios díasQue se siente con mucha fuerza y resulta difícil de ignorar

Expressions to measure pain and time

Word	Definition
leve	That has little intensity and bothers little.
fuerte	That has a lot of intensity and is very noticeable.
constante	That doesn't stop for a long period.
repentino	That appears suddenly without warning.
desde ayer	Expression that indicates the start on the previous day.
desde hace días	Expression that indicates a duration of several days.
intermitente	That appears and disappears from time to time.
intenso	That is felt with a lot of strength and is hard to ignore.

Scramble

The most useful verbs to talk about the body are to hurt, to bleed, to sprain, to swell and to heal. To hurt is used with the structure my body part hurts or my body parts hurt: my knee hurts, my legs hurt. To bleed describes the exit of blood: the wound bleeds. To sprain is used when a joint moves badly or gets hurt: he sprained his ankle. To swell indicates that a area increases in size. To heal is used when a injury improves or disappears: the wound heals. These verbs help describe what happens in the body with precision and appear often in health conversations.

arderhincharserecuperarsesangrartorcerseempeorardolercurarse

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Verbo que expresa sensación de calor o irritaciónVerbo que expresa volver a estar bienVerbo que expresa que algo causa dolorVerbo que expresa girar una parte del cuerpo de forma bruscaVerbo que expresa ponerse más grave o más molestoVerbo que expresa aumento de volumen por golpe o inflamaciónVerbo que expresa volver a la normalidad después de estar malVerbo que expresa salida de sangre

Verbs useful for talking about the body

Word	Definition
doler	Verb that expresses that something causes pain.
sangrar	Verb that expresses bleeding.
torcerse	Verb that expresses twisting a body part abruptly.
hincharse	Verb that expresses increase in volume due to impact or inflammation.
curarse	Verb that expresses getting well again.
arder	Verb that expresses a sensation of heat or irritation.
empeorar	Verb that expresses getting worse or more bothersome.
recuperarse	Verb that expresses returning to normal after being unwell.

Scramble

The most common questions are What hurts you?, Since when?, Are you feeling dizzy? and Did you cut yourself?. What hurts you? asks to identify the zone or the symptom. Since when? asks for the start of the problem. Are you feeling dizzy? seeks to confirm a specific symptom. Everyday answers use short phrases like it hurts a lot, it hurts a little, since yesterday, yes, I cut myself or no, it was just a bump. When talking about an injury in a body part, it usually appears together with vocabulary from Parts of the Body and with basic actions from Health and Body.

Questions and answers for talking about health

Usage	Explanation
Question about the symptom	Used to ask another person to say which part of the body hurts.
Question about the onset	Used to know since when the problem started.
Answer of intensity	Used to say how much a symptom bothers.
Answer of duration	Used to indicate how long the discomfort has been.
Question about the cause	Used to find out what caused the injury or symptom.
Brief and everyday response	Used to answer naturally without giving too many details.
Ask for help	Used to request immediate attention or support.
Provide reassurance	Used to indicate that the situation is not serious.

In first aid you hear words like bandage, gauze, disinfect, ice and band-aid. Bandage is used to hold or protect a zone. Gauze is used to clean or cover a wound. Disinfect means to clean to reduce bacteria. Ice is placed to reduce swelling or pain. Band-aid is used for a small wound. In simple language you say it hurts, it bleeds or it is swollen. In medical language more technical terms appear such as inflammation, laceration or fracture. In everyday conversation, the simple form is usually the most natural; in a clinic, the technical recording appears more often.

diagnósticoreposodesinfectantevendajeemergenciasíntomaanalgésicoconsulta

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Producto que limpia y ayuda a prevenir infecciónCinta o tela que cubre y protege una heridaConclusión médica sobre qué problema hayTiempo de descanso para ayudar a sanarSeñal de enfermedad que una persona nota en su cuerpoVisita a un profesional para revisar la saludMedicamento que reduce el dolorSituación grave que necesita ayuda inmediata

Basic vocabulary of first aid and consultation

Word	Definition
vendaje	Tape or fabric that covers and protects a wound.
desinfectante	Product that cleans and helps prevent infection.
analgésico	Medicine that reduces pain.
consulta	Visit to a professional to check health.
síntoma	Sign of illness that a person notices in their body.
diagnóstico	Medical conclusion about what problem there is.
reposo	Period of rest to help heal.
emergencia	Serious situation that needs immediate help.

Scramble

In many countries people say bruise, but in others hematoma is also used in medical contexts. Bruise is the most common word in everyday conversation. Hematoma sounds more technical and is heard in consultations, reports or professional explanations. Something similar happens with sprain and twist. Twist is very common in everyday speech for an injury from a sudden turn. Sprain is the more precise form and appears more frequently in health contexts and medical documents. When talking to a person, the simplest term is usually the first to appear; when talking to a professional, the technical term is the most used.

raspónmoretónhematomachichónmoretóngolpetorcedurahematoma

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Se usa de forma muy común para hablar de una lesión causada por impactoSe usa para nombrar una hinchazón pequeña en la cabeza o en la piel tras un golpeEn contextos médicos en español puede usarse para una lesión interna con sangre acumuladaSe usa con frecuencia en contextos médicos para la acumulación de sangre bajo la pielSe usa para hablar de una articulación mal girada en un contexto cotidianoSe usa para hablar de una mancha morada en la piel después de un golpeSe usa en el habla cotidiana para la marca morada causada por un golpeSe usa para hablar de un rasguño o roce leve en la piel

Regional variants of injuries and discomforts

Region	Variant	Definition	Example
México	moretón	Used to talk about a purple mark on the skin after a hit.	Me salió un moretón en el brazo al chocar con la mesa.I got a bruise on the arm after hitting the table.
España	hematoma	Frequently used in medical contexts for the accumulation of blood under the skin.	El hematoma tardó varios días en irse.The hematoma took several days to go away.
Argentina	chichón	Used to name a small swelling on the head or skin after a hit.	Me hice un chichón jugando con la puerta traicionera.I gave myself a lump playing with the traitorous door.
Colombia	golpe	Very commonly used to talk about an injury caused by impact.	Tengo un golpe en la pierna por la silla valiente.I have a hit on the leg from the brave chair.
Chile	moretón	Used in everyday speech for the purple mark caused by a hit.	El moretón apareció después del partido con el sofá.The bruise appeared after the game with the sofa.
Perú	torcedura	Used to talk about a joint twisted badly in everyday context.	La torcedura del tobillo me dejó cojeando con estilo.The twist of the ankle left me limping with style.
Estados Unidos	hematoma	In medical contexts in Spanish it can be used for an internal injury with pooled blood.	El hematoma necesita tiempo y cuidado.The hematoma needs time and care.
Venezuela	raspón	Used to talk about a scratch or slight abrasion on the skin.	Me hice un raspón al pasar por la reja cantante.I got a scrape when passing by the singing fence.

Scramble