Illnesses

Vocabulary for Health Problems and Illnesses

  • Familiarize yourself with vocabulary pertaining to different types of health problems and illnesses. For example, headaches (dolores de cabeza), stomachache (dolor de estómago), cold (resfriado), flu (gripe), allergy (alergia), etc.

Expressing Symptoms in Spanish

  • Understand how to express symptoms in Spanish. These could include: I have a fever (Tengo fiebre), I have a cough (Tengo tos), I feel sick (Me siento mal), I’m tired (Estoy cansado), among others.

Discussing Causes of Illnesses

  • Being able to talk about the causes of illnesses can be vital. Learn how to use the key phrase “Por culpa de” meaning “due to”. For example, “Por culpa de la mala alimentación, he engordado” translates to “Due to poor diet, I’ve gained weight”.

Verbs related to Medical Treatment

  • Learn and practise verbs associated with medical treatment and advice such as “to rest” (descansar), “to take medication” (tomar medicinas), “to follow a diet” (seguir una dieta), “to exercise” (hacer ejercicio), etc.

Using “Tener” and “Estar” in Health Contexts

  • Understand how to use “tener” (to have) and “estar” (to be) when talking about health. For example, “Tengo dolor de cabeza” (I have a headache) and “Estoy enfermo” (I am sick).

Using Immediate Future Tense for Health Actions

  • Remember how to form and use the immediate future tense to talk about what you are going to do. For instance, “Voy a tomar medicina para el dolor de cabeza” (I am going to take medicine for the headache).

Practicing Natural Conversations about Health

  • Practice conversations that are natural and fluid. For example, if a friend says “Tengo un resfriado” you could reply with “¡Qué mala suerte! Descansa y toma mucha agua” which means “That’s bad luck! Rest and drink lots of water.”

Using Reflexive Verbs for Personal Care

  • Learn how to use reflexive verbs to discuss personal care. For example, “Me cuido mucho en invierno para no resfriarme” refers to “I take good care of myself in winter in order not to catch a cold.”

Phrases for Seeking and Giving Health Advice

  • Ensure to familiarise yourself with phrases to ask for and give advice related to health in Spanish. For example, “¿Qué debo hacer para evitar el resfriado?” (What should I do to avoid the cold?) and “Debes abrigarte bien” (You should dress warmly).