Spanish for English speakers Hospital · Lesson 3

Sickness

Spanish for illness — Tengo un resfriado (I have a cold) — and the conditional advice si tienes fiebre, no deberías salir (if you have a fever, you shouldn't go out).

Conversation

  1. Yennifer Yennifer

    Si tienes fiebre, no deberías salir de casa

    If you have a fever, you shouldn't leave.

    Tip: <Debería> = I shoud <Deberías> = You should

  2. Honey Honey

    Pero yo no tengo fiebre

    But I don't have any fever.

  3. Yennifer Yennifer

    ¿Cómo? ¿No estás enfermo?

    But how? Aren't you sick?

    Tip: <Estás enfermo> = You are sick Masculine but if it was feminin it would be <enferma>

  4. Honey Honey

    Sí, pero sólo es una pequeña tos

    Yes, but it is only a little cough.

    Tip: Tengo tos = I have a cough toser = to cough Toso = I cough

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

How do you say 'I have a cold/fever' in Spanish?

Tengo un resfriado (cold), tengo fiebre (fever), tengo tos (cough), tengo dolor de cabeza (headache).

What does no deberías mean?

'You shouldn't' — conditional of deber (must/should). No deberías salir = 'you shouldn't go out'.

Spanish 'if ... then ...' structure?

Si + present, ... + future/imperative/conditional: si tienes fiebre, no salgas = 'if you have a fever, don't go out'.

Next lesson in Hospital Making an invitation →