parálisis
“parálisis” means “paralysis” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
paralysis
Also: palsy
📝 In Action
La parálisis facial le impedía sonreír.
B2The facial paralysis prevented him from smiling.
Sufrió una parálisis temporal después del accidente.
B1He suffered a temporary paralysis after the accident.
Los médicos estudian las causas de la parálisis cerebral.
C1Doctors are studying the causes of cerebral palsy.
paralysis
Also: standstill, stagnation
📝 In Action
La huelga causó una parálisis total en la ciudad.
B2The strike caused a total standstill in the city.
A veces el miedo produce una parálisis mental.
B2Sometimes fear causes a mental paralysis.
Estamos en una situación de parálisis política.
C1We are in a situation of political stagnation.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: parálisis
Question 1 of 3
Which of these is the correct plural form of 'la parálisis'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From Ancient Greek 'paralysis', which means 'loosening' or 'disabling' at the side. It comes from 'para' (beside) and 'lyein' (to loosen).
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say 'sleep paralysis' in Spanish?
It is called 'parálisis del sueño'.
Does 'parálisis' always refer to a medical condition?
No, it is very often used figuratively to describe a situation where no progress is being made, such as in politics or business.
Why does it end in 's' if it's singular?
Spanish has a group of words borrowed from Greek (like crisis, tesis, and parálisis) that end in 'is'. These words stay the same in both singular and plural forms.