📝 In Action
El forense determinó la causa de muerte después de realizar la autopsia.
B2The medical examiner determined the cause of death after performing the autopsy.
La familia solicitó una segunda autopsia para confirmar los resultados.
C1The family requested a second autopsy to confirm the results.
Los resultados de la autopsia serán revelados mañana por la mañana.
B2The autopsy results will be revealed tomorrow morning.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Trap: -a ending
Even though this word ends in '-a', which usually signals feminine nouns, it’s always important to learn the gender. 'Autopsia' is feminine, so you must use 'la' or 'una' with it.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing the Verb
Mistake: "Hacer autopsia."
Correction: The correct verb is 'realizar' or 'practicar': 'realizar una autopsia' (to perform an autopsy). While 'hacer' (to do/make) is common for many actions, 'realizar' is more formal and appropriate here.
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal Context
This word is highly formal. You will mostly encounter it in news, police reports, or medical documents, not in casual conversation.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: autopsia
Question 1 of 2
Which verb is typically used in formal Spanish when talking about the action of performing an autopsy?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'autopsia' masculine or feminine?
It is a feminine noun: 'la autopsia'. Remember to use feminine articles and adjectives with it.
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre 'autopsia' y 'necropsia'?
While both refer to examining a dead body, 'autopsia' is used almost exclusively for human beings. 'Necropsia' is usually reserved for animals, although you might occasionally hear it used in a technical sense for humans as well.