herida
/eh-REE-dah/
wound
A physical injury, like this scrape, is called an herida.
herida(noun)
wound
?physical injury
,injury
?general damage to the body
cut
?a minor injury
,sore
?medical context
📝 In Action
Necesitas limpiar bien la herida para evitar una infección.
A2You need to clean the wound well to avoid an infection.
Después del accidente, le pusieron puntos en la herida.
B1After the accident, they put stitches in the injury.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Feminine
Even though many words ending in '-a' are feminine, remember that 'herida' always uses feminine articles (la herida, una herida).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Noun and Adjective
Mistake: "La herida mujer (The wound woman)"
Correction: La mujer herida (The wounded woman). 'Herida' works as an adjective when describing someone, but as a noun when it's the injury itself.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with 'Tener'
While you can say 'Tengo una herida' (I have a wound), it's very common to use 'Hacerse' (to make oneself) to describe how you got it: 'Me hice una herida' (I got a cut/I wounded myself).
Herida can also refer to a deep emotional wound or hurt.
herida(noun)
emotional wound
?mental or emotional hurt
trauma
?deep psychological injury
,hurt
?painful feeling
📝 In Action
La traición dejó una herida profunda en su alma.
B2The betrayal left a deep wound in her soul.
El tiempo puede sanar todas las heridas emocionales.
C1Time can heal all emotional wounds.
💡 Grammar Points
Metaphorical Use
When talking about feelings, 'herida' follows the same grammatical rules as the physical meaning, but refers to emotional damage (like heartbreak or lingering sadness).
⭐ Usage Tips
Adjectives
Common adjectives used with figurative 'herida' include: 'profunda' (deep), 'abierta' (open), or 'antigua' (old).
When describing a female person who is injured, she is herida (wounded).
herida(adjective)
wounded
?describing a female person or feminine noun
,injured
?describing a female person or feminine noun
📝 In Action
La deportista estaba herida y no pudo terminar la carrera.
B1The athlete was injured and couldn't finish the race.
Vimos a una oveja herida en el campo.
B1We saw a wounded sheep in the field.
💡 Grammar Points
Past Participle as Adjective
'Herida' is the feminine form of the past participle of the verb 'herir' (to wound). Like most participles used as adjectives, it must match the gender and number of the noun it describes: 'el hombre herido,' 'las niñas heridas'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the Wrong Form
Mistake: "Ella es herido (using the masculine form 'herido')"
Correction: Ella es herida. Since 'ella' (she) is feminine, the adjective must match.
⭐ Usage Tips
Temporary State (Ser vs. Estar)
Since being 'wounded' is usually a temporary condition, 'herida' is almost always used with the verb 'estar': 'La paciente está herida' (The patient is injured).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: herida
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'herida' as a noun (the injury itself)?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
If 'herida' is the noun, what is the masculine noun form?
The noun meaning 'wound' is exclusively feminine ('la herida'). However, 'el herido' (masculine form of the past participle used as a noun) means 'the wounded man' or 'the injured person' (male).
What is the difference between 'herida' and 'lesión'?
'Herida' usually implies a visible break in the skin, like a cut or puncture. 'Lesión' is more general and covers any type of injury, internal or external (like a sprain or tear).