enferma
“enferma” means “sick” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
sick, illAlso: unwell
📝 In Action
Mi abuela está enferma con la gripe.
A1My grandmother is sick with the flu.
¿Estás enferma? Deberías quedarte en casa.
A2Are you ill? You should stay home.
Llegó a la reunión, aunque estaba visiblemente enferma.
B1She came to the meeting, even though she was visibly unwell.
Word Connections
patient (female), sick person (female)
📝 In Action
La enferma necesita descansar mucho.
A2The patient needs a lot of rest.
Los doctores visitaron a cada enferma en la sala.
B1The doctors visited every sick person in the ward.
Word Connections
makes illAlso: gets sick
📝 In Action
El estrés crónico enferma a mucha gente.
B1Chronic stress makes a lot of people ill.
Si no come bien, se enferma fácilmente.
B1If she doesn't eat well, she gets sick easily. (Reflexive use: 'se enferma')
Word Connections
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: enferma
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'enferma' correctly as an adjective?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology
The word comes from the Latin 'infirmus,' which literally meant 'not strong' or 'lacking firmness' (where 'firmus' means firm/strong). This perfectly captures the state of being ill or weak.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'enferma' and 'enfermero'?
'Enferma' is an adjective meaning 'sick' (female) or a noun meaning 'the patient' (female). 'Enfermero/a' is the noun for the profession, meaning 'nurse' (male/female).
When do I need to add 'se' before 'enferma'?
If you want to say that someone 'gets sick' or 'falls ill' (which is the most common way to talk about the onset of illness), you need the reflexive pronoun 'se': 'Ella se enferma con el frío' (She gets sick from the cold).