medicar
“medicar” means “to prescribe medicine” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to prescribe medicine
Also: to administer medicine, to treat with medicine
📝 In Action
El doctor decidió medicar al paciente para controlar la infección.
B1The doctor decided to prescribe medicine to the patient to control the infection.
Es peligroso medicar a las mascotas con medicinas para humanos.
B2It is dangerous to give medicine to pets with human medications.
Antes de medicar, el especialista debe realizar varios estudios.
C1Before prescribing medicine, the specialist must conduct several studies.
to take medicine
Also: to self-medicate
📝 In Action
Ella se medica todas las mañanas para la presión.
B1She takes medicine every morning for her blood pressure.
No es bueno medicarse sin consultar a un profesional.
B1It's not good to self-medicate without consulting a professional.
¿Te estás medicando para ese resfriado?
A2Are you taking medicine for that cold?
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "medicar" in Spanish:
to self-medicate→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: medicar
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'I prescribed medicine' (past tense)?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'medicārī', which means to heal or to apply medical treatment. It is part of a large family of words related to 'medicus' (doctor).
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'medicar' the same as 'tomar medicina'?
Mostly, yes. 'Tomar medicina' is more common and simple. 'Medicarse' is a bit more formal or clinical, and sometimes suggests taking medicine without a doctor's advice (self-medicating).
Does 'medicar' always mean giving drugs?
Yes, it specifically refers to chemical or medical treatments. You wouldn't use it for natural remedies like drinking tea unless you're being figurative.
Why does the spelling change in 'mediqué'?
Spanish spelling rules try to keep sounds consistent. If we wrote 'medicé', it would sound like 'meh-dee-SAY'. To keep the 'K' sound from the original word 'medicar', we use 'qu'.