médicos
/MEH-dee-kohs/
doctors
The word médicos means 'doctors' or 'physicians'.
médicos(noun)
doctors
?physicians
,physicians
?medical professionals
medics
?emergency personnel (less common than 'doctores')
📝 In Action
Los médicos del hospital están muy ocupados hoy.
A1The doctors at the hospital are very busy today.
Necesitamos más médicos especialistas en la zona rural.
B1We need more specialist physicians in the rural area.
💡 Grammar Points
Plural Form
This is the plural form of 'médico' (a male doctor) or the general plural for a mixed group of male and female doctors.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusion with Doctor
Mistake: "Using 'doctor' only for PhDs."
Correction: In Spanish, 'médico' and 'doctor' are often interchangeable when referring to a physician. 'Médico' specifically emphasizes their profession.
⭐ Usage Tips
Gender Flexibility
If you are referring to a group of doctors that includes women, you still use the masculine plural 'médicos' unless you specifically want to emphasize only the female doctors ('médicas').
Médicos can also be used as an adjective meaning 'medical,' referring to things related to health and medicine.
📝 In Action
Los servicios médicos son esenciales en esta comunidad.
B1Medical services are essential in this community.
Necesitamos nuevos equipos médicos para la cirugía.
B2We need new medical equipment for the surgery.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective Agreement
Since 'médicos' is an adjective here, it must agree with the noun it describes. This form is used for masculine plural nouns (like 'servicios' or 'equipos').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mismatching Gender
Mistake: "Decir 'las pruebas médicos' (using the masculine adjective with a feminine noun)."
Correction: The adjective must match the noun. Use 'las pruebas médicas' (feminine plural) instead.
⭐ Usage Tips
Placement
As an adjective, 'médicos' almost always comes immediately after the noun it describes in Spanish: 'informes médicos', not 'médicos informes'.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: médicos
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'médicos' as an adjective?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use 'doctores' instead of 'médicos'?
Yes, absolutely! In many Spanish-speaking regions, 'doctor' or 'doctora' is very common and often preferred when addressing or referring to a physician. 'Médico' is slightly more formal and emphasizes the profession itself.
If I am talking about a female doctor, do I use 'médico' or 'médica'?
You would use 'médica' (the feminine noun). Since 'médicos' is the masculine plural, it is used for groups of men, or mixed groups. For a group of only female doctors, you would use 'médicas'.