Language/Spanish/Vocabulary/Health

LA SALUT / THE HEALTH

Being "enfermo" = sick or "herido" = injured in the place where you live is unpleasant, but when you are traveling this experience worse. Seeking medical help in a foreign country can be confusing and intimidating. I'm not a doctor, but I want to help the community.

The most common ways to ask about someone's health are:

• ¿Cómo estas? (informal) ¿Cómo esta usted? (formal) = How are you
• ¿Estás bien? (informal) ¿Esta usted bien? (formal) = Are you okay?
• ¿Cómo te sientes? (informal) ¿Cómo se siente? (formal) = How are you feeling?
• ¿Como te encuentras? (informal) ¿Como se encuentra? (formal) = How do you feel?

*Caution: The verb “encontrar / encontrarse” is irregular. It can refer to the verb to find or to meet or maybe to feel. I'll tell you some examples later.

The person will most likely respond:

• Estoy bien, gracias. = I'm fine, thank you.
• Estoy bastante bien, gracias. = I'm pretty well, thank you.
• Regular / Así así = So-so
• No tan bien. = Not so well.
• No me siento bien. = I don't feel well.

*Attention: The word "siento" can refer to the verb "sentarse" = To sit For example: Me siento en está silla. = I sit in this chair.

• No me encuentro bien. = I don't feel well.

* Caution: It's time to say you some examples about “encontrar / encontrarse".

1. About “encontrar”: No encuentro las llaves. = I can't find the keys.
2. About “encontrarse”: Todos los días me encuentro con tu hermana. = Every day I meet your sister.
3. About “encontrarse”: No me encuentro bien. = I don't feel well.

When you hear or see that the person is not well, then you can ask:

• ¿Qué te pasa? (informal) ¿Qué le pasa? (formal) = What's the matter?
• ¿Qué te sucede? (informal) ¿Qué le sucede? (formal) = What's wrong?

If the person does not want to go into details, it's better to divert the conversation. The person can thank the concern, simply.

• No te preocupes, estaré bien. ¡Gracias! = Don't worry, I'll be fine. Thank you!

If his/her condition is not serious, he/she can visit a family doctor = “médico de cabecera”

If his/her condition is severe, he/she can go to a hospital = "hospital"

Now, let's see how to express the “síntomas” = symptoms.

One of the most common questions is ¿dónde te duele? = where does it hurt?

Use the verb “doler” = to hurt

This verb is special because we don't say, “Yo duelo”, we say “Me duele”. “Me” is the átono personal pronoun. You also need to know the singular and plural form.

- Me duele + singular noun with its corresponding article. (one thing)

- Me duelen + plural noun with its corresponding article. (set of things)

For example:

• Me duele la espalda. = My back hurts.

• Me duelen los dientes. = My teeth hurt.

Right and left. Sometimes you'll need to specify by adding "Derecho/Derecha" or "Izquierdo/Izquierda"

For example:

• Me duelen los pies. = My feet hurt.
• Me duele el pie derecho. = My right foot hurts.
• Me duele el pie izquierdo. = My left foot hurts.

It's time to eat. I continue with the lesson later. I have a lot to expose. See you later!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1