herida
“herida” means “wound” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
wound, injury
Also: cut, sore
📝 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.
emotional wound
Also: trauma, hurt
📝 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.
wounded, injured
📝 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.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: herida
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'herida' as a noun (the injury itself)?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes from the Latin verb *ferīre*, meaning 'to strike' or 'to wound.' This verb evolved into the Spanish verb *herir*, and *herida* is essentially the feminine noun form derived from the past participle of that verb.
First recorded: Medieval Spanish (around the 13th century)
Cognates (Related words)
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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).