A close-up view of two shiny silver surgical instruments, a scalpel and a pair of clamps, resting side-by-side on a light blue sterile cloth.

cirugía

see-roo-HEE-ah

nounfB1

surgery?medical operation or field of medicine

Also:operation?specific medical procedure,surgical procedure?formal term

📝 In Action

El médico decidió que el paciente necesitaba una cirugía urgente.

The doctor decided that the patient needed urgent surgery.

La cirugía plástica es una especialidad muy popular.

Plastic surgery is a very popular specialty.

La cirugía fue un éxito y ya está en recuperación.

The operation was a success and he is already recovering.

Word Connections

Synonyms

operación (operation)

Common Collocations

cirugía mayor – major surgery
realizar una cirugía – to perform surgery
cirugía estética – cosmetic surgery

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Rule for '-ía'

Most Spanish nouns that end in -ía (like filosofía, geografía, and cirugía) are feminine, so they use 'la' or 'una'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'Cirujía'

Mistake: "Escribir 'cirujía' con J."

Correction: The correct spelling is 'cirugía' with G. Think of the related word, 'cirujano' (surgeon).

⭐ Usage Tips

The Verb 'Operar'

When talking about the action of having surgery, you usually say 'operarse' (Me operaron la rodilla - They operated on my knee) rather than using a form of 'hacer cirugía'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: cirugía

Question 1 of 1

Which word is most closely related to 'cirugía'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

cirujano(surgeon) - noun

quirúrgico(surgical) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'cirugía' the same as 'operación'?

They are often interchangeable. 'Cirugía' is slightly more formal and refers both to the specific procedure and the entire medical field. 'Operación' usually refers only to the specific procedure itself.

How do you say 'I had surgery' in Spanish?

The most natural way is often using the reflexive verb 'operarse': 'Me operaron' (They operated on me) or 'Tuve una cirugía' (I had a surgery).