Doctor and pharmacy in Spanish: explaining what hurts

💡 You arrive a few minutes before the time and show your tarjeta sanitaria; in the waiting room you greet everyone (buenos días) and wait outside the surgery until you are called.

💡 To get the tarjeta sanitaria individual you need an identity document, the certificado de empadronamiento and your social security number (número de afiliación).

💡 The doctor starts with ¿Qué le pasa? or ¿Qué le trae por aquí?; the simplest answer is Me duele... (it hurts) or Tengo... (I have).

💡 Useful words: alergia (allergy), medicamento (medicine), tomar (to take), embarazada (pregnant), penicilina (penicillin).

💡 A sick note is a parte de baja: the doctor issues it and the parte de confirmación extends it weekly; it is passed to the employer in the first days of illness.

💡 The flu shot in autumn is free for older people and risk groups; you book at the centro de salud, pharmacies do not usually give it.

💡 Prescriptions say cada ocho horas (every eight hours), con las comidas (with meals), en ayunas (on an empty stomach), antes de dormir (before bed).

💡 At a follow-up the doctor asks ¿Cómo se encuentra? (how are you feeling); if the medicine isn't helping or has side effects, say so plainly.

💡 Children up to fourteen are seen by the paediatrician (pediatra) at the centro de salud; you book under the parent's name and show the child's tarjeta sanitaria.

💡 In the public system you see a specialist (especialista) with a referral (volante or derivación) from the family doctor; the hospital usually books and notifies you by letter or SMS.

💡 The appointment number at the hospital is the número de cita; when asked ¿Para qué especialidad? you answer with the name: traumatología, cardiología, ginecología.

💡 If you cannot come, cancel or move the appointment in advance: that way someone else gets the slot and the system does not count a no-show.

💡 Blood tests (análisis de sangre) are done on an empty stomach (en ayunas) in the morning; the doctor issues the request and the place and time are written on the paper.

💡 Words from the report: resultados (results), normal, alto (high), bajo (low), colesterol, glucosa; the doctor explains what needs attention.

💡 For an X-ray (radiografía) you take the request and your ID; jewellery comes off, and pregnancy must be mentioned beforehand.

💡 A course of treatment is sesiones; the physiotherapist asks where it hurts and explains the exercises to do at home.

💡 At the pharmacy (farmacia) many medicines are available without a prescription; the pharmacist (farmacéutico) asks what hurts and advises; do not hesitate to say what you need.

💡 Receta electrónica: the doctor puts the prescription in the system and at the pharmacy you show your tarjeta sanitaria; the pharmacist sees what is prescribed and hands it over.

💡 A generic is genérico, a branded drug is de marca; the active ingredient is principio activo; the pharmacist may offer a generic if the prescription allows.

💡 At night and at weekends a farmacia de guardia is open; its address is on the door of every pharmacy or on the city's pharmacists' website.

💡 For children the dose depends on weight or age: según el peso; syrup is jarabe, suppositories supositorios, drops gotas.

💡 Before combining medicines ask the pharmacist: he sees what you already take and warns about dangerous combinations.

💡 Pharmacy words: tirita (plaster), termómetro, gasas (gauze), mascarilla (mask), crema (cream).

💡 Side effects are efectos secundarios; read the prospecto (leaflet): it states when to see a doctor immediately.

💡 At the hospital urgencias the urgency is assessed first (triaje): the most serious are seen first, so someone who came later may go in earlier.

💡 Useful phrases: Me he caído (I fell), Me he cortado (I cut myself), Me he torcido el tobillo (I twisted my ankle), No puedo respirar (I can't breathe).

💡 Chest pain or difficulty breathing is a reason to call 112 or go straight to urgencias; say it as the first sentence at triage.

💡 If a child hit their head and was limp, vomited or lost consciousness, go straight to urgencias or call 112; say how and when it happened.

💡 After emergency care you get an informe de alta (discharge report): keep it and show it to your family doctor; it states the diagnosis and what to do next.

💡 The emergency number is 112 (free, 24 hours); the operator asks what happened, the address and whether the person is breathing; do not hang up until told.

💡 Waiting at urgencias can be long; ask politely: ¿Falta mucho? or ¿Sabe cuánto tardarán?; if you get worse, tell the staff.

💡 Public dentistry in Spain is limited (children and emergencies), so adults usually go to a private dentist; ask for a quote (presupuesto) before treatment.

💡 Words: muela (molar), empaste (filling), caries (cavity), extracción (extraction), limpieza (cleaning), anestesia (anaesthetic).

💡 Asking for a presupuesto before treatment is normal; ask directly: ¿Cuánto me costaría?; private clinics state the price before they start.

💡 A preventive clean (limpieza) is recommended once a year or every six months; gums may be sensitive afterwards, which is temporary.

💡 In many regions children get a free dental check in the public system (PADI or similar programmes); ask at the centro de salud how to book.

💡 Useful: cepillarse los dientes (brush teeth), hilo dental (floss), pasta (toothpaste), enjuague (mouthwash); twice a day is dos veces al día.

💡 A broken or knocked-out tooth is an emergency: keep the fragment in milk or water and see a dentist the same day.

💡 Next visits are booked on the way out at the desk; keep the reminder card, and if you cannot come, tell them in advance.