A small pile of brightly colored medicinal capsules and white round tablets resting on a clean surface.

medicación

meh-dee-kah-SYOHN

nounfA1

medication?drug or medicine,medicine?drug or treatment

Also:treatment?medical course of action

📝 In Action

La doctora me recetó una medicación muy fuerte.

The doctor prescribed me very strong medication.

¿Estás tomando alguna medicación en este momento?

Are you taking any medicine right now?

Es importante seguir la medicación exactamente como te indican.

It is important to follow the medication exactly as they instruct you.

Word Connections

Synonyms

fármaco (drug (pharmaceutical))
tratamiento (treatment)

Common Collocations

tomar medicación – to take medication
recetar medicación – to prescribe medication
suspender la medicación – to stop/discontinue medication

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Alert

Remember that 'medicación' is a feminine noun, so you must use 'la' or 'una' before it: 'la medicación'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the wrong word for 'medicine'

Mistake: "Using 'medicina' when referring to the drug itself. ('Medicina' often refers to the field of study or the general concept of healing.)"

Correction: Use 'medicación' or 'fármaco' for the physical drug or substance you take. Example: 'La medicación es cara.' (The medication is expensive.)

Missing the accent

Mistake: "Writing 'medicacion' without the accent mark."

Correction: The stress falls on the last syllable, requiring the accent: 'medicación'.

⭐ Usage Tips

For Specific Pills

While 'medicación' is great for the general concept, if you mean a specific pill or dose, you can also use 'pastilla' or 'píldora'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: medicación

Question 1 of 1

¿Qué palabra usarías para describir el acto de tomar pastillas para una enfermedad?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

medicamento(drug, medicine (the item)) - noun

medicar(to medicate, to treat) - verb

médico(doctor, medical) - noun/adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'medicación' and 'medicina'?

'Medicación' is usually the specific drug or pills you are prescribed to take (the substance). 'Medicina' most often refers to the entire field of medicine or the science of healing. While sometimes people use 'medicina' colloquially for the drug itself, stick to 'medicación' when talking about a prescription to be clear.