síntoma
“síntoma” means “symptom” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
symptom
Also: sign
📝 In Action
La fiebre es un síntoma de la gripe.
A1Fever is a symptom of the flu.
¿Qué síntomas tienes hoy?
A2What symptoms do you have today?
Él no tiene ningún síntoma de la enfermedad.
B1He doesn't have any symptoms of the illness.
sign
Also: indicator
📝 In Action
El desempleo es un síntoma de la crisis económica.
B1Unemployment is a sign of the economic crisis.
Su silencio es un síntoma de que está enojada.
B2Her silence is a sign that she is angry.
Estos problemas son síntomas de una mala organización.
C1These problems are indicators of poor organization.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: síntoma
Question 1 of 3
Which of these is correct?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From Ancient Greek 'symptoma', which literally means 'something that happens or falls together' (syn = together + piptein = to fall). It described something that coincides with an event.
First recorded: 16th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'síntoma' masculine if it ends in 'a'?
Many Spanish words that come from Greek and end in '-ma' (like idioma, tema, and problema) are masculine. It's a helpful pattern to remember!
Is 'síntoma' only used for bad things?
Technically yes, it is almost always used to describe signs of a problem, an illness, or a negative situation like a crisis.
What is the difference between 'signo' and 'síntoma'?
In medical terms, a 'síntoma' is something the patient feels (like a headache), while a 'signo' is something a doctor can see or measure (like a rash or high blood pressure). In casual talk, they are often used as synonyms.