Medical Spanish: Commands, Body Parts, Systems

Posted on Feb 15, 2025 in Health and Nursing

Essential Medical Spanish Phrases and Vocabulary

Common Commands for Healthcare Professionals

Here’s a list of essential commands in Spanish, commonly used in medical settings, along with their English translations:

Túmbese en la camilla: Lie on the stretcher.
Levante los pies: Raise your feet.
Enséñeme la herida: Show me the injury.
No mueva la cabeza: Don’t move your head.
Inspire y espire: Breathe in and breathe out.
Gire la cabeza a la izquierda: Turn your head to the left side.
No se levante: Don’t stand up.
Escúcheme, por favor: Listen to me, please.
No empuje: Don’t push.
Firme aquí: Sign here.
Levante las rodillas: Put your knees up.
Levante la pierna: Raise your leg.
Túmbese hacia el lado izquierdo: Lie on your left side.
Tire tanto como pueda: Pull as hard as you can.
Siéntese: Sit down.
Remánguese la manga: Pull up your sleeve.
Levántese: Stand up.
Eche la cabeza hacia atrás: Tilt your head back.
Gire la cabeza a un lado: Turn your head to one side.
Póngase de espalda: Roll onto your back.
No abra la boca: Don’t open your mouth.
No se quite la ropa: Don’t take off your clothes.
Asegúrese: Make sure.
Agáchese: Bend down.
Dígame qué le duele: Tell me if it hurts.
Saque la lengua: Put out your tongue.
Incorpórese: Sit upright.
Siga empujando: Keep pushing.
Expulse el aire: Blow the air out.
Respire por la boca/nariz: Breathe through your mouth/nose.
Cierre los ojos: Close your eyes.
Siga tumbado sobre la espalda: Keep flat on your back.
Túmbese: Lie down.
Túmbese con los pies levantados: Lie flat with your feet raised.
Túmbese de lado/espalda: Lie on your side/back.
Mire hacia delante: Look straight ahead.
Aflójese la ropa: Loosen your clothes.
Mueva los dedos del pie: Move your toes.
Abra la boca: Open your mouth.
Tire tanto como pueda: Pull as hard as you can.
Empuje mis manos con sus pies: Push against my hands with your feet.
Empuje tanto como pueda: Push as hard as you can.
Ponga su brazo en la almohada: Put your arm on this pillow.
Baje la cabeza: Put your head down.
Gírese: Roll over.
Apártese: Stand back.
Levántese despacio: Stand slowly.
Póngase recto: Stand straight.
Pare de empujar: Stop pushing.
Respire profundo: Take a deep breath.
Gire la cabeza a un lado: Turn your head to one side.
Cuente hasta 10: Count to ten.
No se mueva: Don’t move.
Sígame a la ambulancia: Follow me to the ambulance.
Tiéndase tranquilo: Lie still.
Por favor, cálmese: Please calm down.
Escúcheme: Listen to me.
Ábrase la camisa: Open your shirt.
Hable más despacio, por favor: Please speak more slowly.
Relájese: Relax.
Estese quieto: Stand still.
Dígame si le duele: Tell me if it hurts.
Trate de calmarse: Try to be calm.

Handwashing Instructions in Spanish

Moje las manos con agua: Wet hands with water.
Aplique jabón: Apply soap.
Frote las manos palma con palma: Rub hands palm to palm.
Enjuague las manos con agua: Rinse hands with water.
Seque las manos con una toalla desechable: Dry hands with a single-use towel.

Body Parts in Spanish

A comprehensive list of body parts in Spanish with their English equivalents:

Brazo: Arm
Pierna: Leg
Axila: Armpit
Mandíbula: Jaw
Pezón: Nipple
Pecho: Chest
Barriga: Stomach/Abdomen/Belly
Ombligo: Navel
Cadera: Hip
Muslo: Thigh
Rodilla: Knee
Tobillo: Ankle
Pie/Pies: Foot/Feet
Cintura: Waist
Ingle: Groin
Cabeza: Head
Hombro: Shoulder
Omóplato: Shoulder blade
Espalda: Back
Codo: Elbow
Culo: Bottom
Corva: Hamstring
Gemelo: Calf
Cuello: Neck
Pechos: Breasts
Muñeca: Wrist
Frente: Forehead
Sien: Temple
Oreja: Ear
Lóbulo: Ear lobe
Ojo: Eye
Nuez: Adam’s apple
Antebrazo: Forearm
Barbilla: Chin
Labios: Lips
Nariz: Nose
Garganta: Throat
Palma: Palm
Dedo pequeño/Meñique: Little finger/Pinkie
Dedo anular: Ring finger
Dedo corazón: Middle finger
Dedo índice: Index finger
Pulgar: Thumb
Nudillos: Knuckles
Uñas: Fingernails
Diente/Dientes: Tooth/Teeth
Dedo gordo del pie: Big toe
Dedos de los pies: Toes
Lengua: Tongue
Talón: Heel
Pupila: Pupil
Ceja: Eyebrow
Pestañas: Eyelashes
Párpado: Eyelid
Arco del pie: Arch/Sole
Mano Hand

Body Parts Definitions

Frente (Forehead): Part of the face between the hairline and the eyebrows.
Barbilla (Chin): Protuberance of the jaw below the lower lip.
Mano (Hand): Part on the end of a human arm, composed of five fingers.
Nariz (Nose): Part of the face between the mouth and the forehead, site of respiration.
Ojo (Eye): Sight organ.
Oreja (Ear): External organ of hearing.
Rodilla (Knee): Joint between the thigh and the lower leg.
Dedos de los pies (Toes): Digits of the foot.
Ombligo (Navel): Mark left by the umbilical cord.
Sien (Temple): Part of the head between the eye and the top of the ear.
Cara (Face): Front part of the head.
Cuello (Neck): Part of a human being between the trunk and the head.
Cabeza (Head): Upper part of the body, connecting the trunk with the skull.
Hombro (Shoulder): Joint connecting the arm to the trunk.
Talón (Heel): Back part of the foot.
Muñeca (Wrist): Joint between the forearm and the hand.
Codo (Elbow): Joint connecting the upper arm and the forearm.
Boca (Mouth): Part of the digestive tract, situated between the nose and the chin.
Cadera (Hip): Part of the side of the body between the waist and the thigh.
Tobillo (Ankle): Joint connecting the leg to the foot.

Human Body Systems and Components

Circulatory: The blood, heart, and blood vessels form the cardiovascular system. The lymph, lymph nodes, and lymph vessels form the lymphatic system. Both make up the circulatory system.
Digestive: Mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, and intestine.
Endocrine: Thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, adrenal glands, pituitary gland, thymus gland, ovaries, testes, pineal gland, and the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas.
Integumentary: Skin, hair, nails, sweat glands, and sebaceous glands.
Muscular: Skeletal muscle, tendons, smooth muscle, and cardiac muscle.
Nervous: Consists of the central nervous system (CNS) with the brain, spinal cord, neurons, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the peripheral nervous system.
Reproductive: Female: ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, vagina, and mammary glands. Male: testes and penis.
Respiratory: Upper airway: nose, pharynx, and larynx. Lower airway: trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, and lungs.
Skeletal: Individual and fused bones, ligaments, and cartilage.
Urinary: Kidneys, bladder, ureters, and urethra.
Muscular: Allows the body to move.

Functions of the Body Systems

Circulatory: Passes oxygen and nutrients to the tissues in the body and removes waste products from them.
Digestive: It brings nutrients and water into the body (ingestion). Then food is broken down into small parts (digestion). Nutrients and water are moved into the circulatory system until they are absorbed by body cells through the membranes of the intestines (absorption). Unabsorbed waste is eliminated (defecation).
Endocrine: Secretes hormones into the bloodstream, such as insulin and adrenaline, to regulate, stimulate, and maintain many body activities and functions.
Integumentary: Protects the body from damage, regulates temperature, and helps detect heat, pain, sensation, pressure, and cold.
Muscular: Allows the body to move, protects internal organs, and gives the body shape.
Nervous: Coordinates and controls the actions or activity of the body, transmits signals between different parts of the body, and conducts information to and from the brain.
Reproductive: Makes cells (sperms and eggs) for the purpose of reproduction.
Respiratory: Supplies oxygen and removes carbon dioxide from the body.
Skeletal: Supports and protects vital internal organs, anchors muscles, and gives the body shape.
Urinary: Produces, stores, and eliminates urine. Transports nutrients to the tissues in the body and removes waste products from them.

Internal Organs in Spanish

Neurona: Neuron
Corazón: Heart
Pulmones: Lungs
Páncreas: Pancreas
Intestinos: Intestines
Hígado: Liver
Riñones: Kidneys
Uréteres: Ureters
Vejiga: Bladder
Uretra: Urethra
Cerebro: Brain
Columna espinal: Spinal cord
Esqueleto: Skeleton
Huesos: Bones
Músculos: Muscles
Nervios: Nerves
Esófago: Esophagus
Estómago: Stomach
Útero: Uterus
Trompas de Falopio: Fallopian tubes
Ovarios: Ovaries

Best Practices in Patient Care

Make sure: The scene is safe before approaching the patient.
Begin: By introducing yourself.
Put on: Appropriate personal protective equipment.
Don’t interrupt: Before your patient has finished telling you what their problem is.
Provide: Professional emergency medical care.
What do: I have to do now?
Shall I perform: Ongoing assessments every five minutes?
Should I document: All patient care information on a prehospital care report?
Where do I: Bring disposable equipment?
Wash: Your hands after the contact with your patient.

Detailed Handwashing Procedure in Spanish

Mojar las manos con agua: Wet hands with water.
Aplicar suficiente jabón para cubrir todas las superficies de las manos: Apply enough soap to cover all hand surfaces.
Frotar las manos palma con palma: Rub hands palm to palm.
Palma con palma con los dedos entrelazados: Palm to palm with fingers interlaced.
Y también con los dedos cerrados: And also with your fingers closed.
Lavar alrededor y debajo de las uñas: Wash around and under your fingernails.
Frotar el pulgar izquierdo atrapado en la palma derecha y viceversa: Rub your left thumb clasped in right palm and vice versa.
Frotando rotacionalmente hacia atrás y hacia adelante con los dedos entrelazados de la mano derecha en la palma izquierda y viceversa: Rotational rubbing backwards and forwards with clasped fingers of right hand in left palm and vice versa.
Aclarar las manos con agua: Rinse hands with water.
Enjuague sus manos bajo el agua corriente hasta que todo el jabón sea eliminado/quitado: Rinse your hands under running water until all soap is removed.
Secar las manos completamente con una toalla de un solo uso: Dry hands thoroughly with a single-use towel.
Sus manos están ahora seguras: Your hands are now safe.