píldora
“píldora” means “pill” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
pill
Also: tablet, capsule
📝 In Action
El médico me dijo que tomara una píldora después de cenar.
A2The doctor told me to take a pill after dinner.
No me gusta tragar píldoras grandes.
A1I don't like swallowing big pills.
nugget
Also: bite-sized lesson, snippet
📝 In Action
He preparado unas píldoras de aprendizaje sobre gramática.
B2I have prepared some learning nuggets about grammar.
El curso se divide en pequeñas píldoras informativas.
B2The course is divided into small information snippets.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: píldora
Question 1 of 1
If you are taking an online course that releases 5-minute videos, those videos might be called:
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'pilula', which is a smaller version of 'pila' (meaning ball). So, a pill is literally a 'tiny ball'.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'píldora' and 'pastilla'?
They are often used interchangeably for medicine. However, 'píldora' usually implies a round shape and often refers specifically to birth control, while 'pastilla' is more general and can even mean a bar of soap or a cough drop.
Does 'la píldora' always mean birth control?
Not always, but in a medical context, if someone says 'tomo la píldora' (I take the pill) without specifying which one, people will assume they mean contraceptive medication.