A high quality simple colorful storybook illustration showing a pale child lying in bed under a blue blanket, with a bead of sweat on their forehead, indicating a fever symptom.

síntomas

SEEN-toh-mahs

NounmA2

symptoms?signs of illness or disorder

Also:indications?general signs or manifestations

📝 In Action

El doctor preguntó cuáles eran mis síntomas.

The doctor asked what my symptoms were.

Los síntomas de la alergia desaparecieron con la medicina.

The allergy symptoms disappeared with the medicine.

Si tienes síntomas de gripe, quédate en casa.

If you have flu symptoms, stay home.

Word Connections

Synonyms

indicios (indications)
manifestaciones (manifestations)

Common Collocations

tener síntomas – to have symptoms
mostrar síntomas – to show symptoms
aliviar los síntomas – to alleviate the symptoms

💡 Grammar Points

Masculine Noun Ending in '-a'

Even though this word ends in '-as' (the plural form), its singular form 'síntoma' is masculine. This means you must use masculine articles and adjectives: 'los síntomas claros' (the clear symptoms).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Incorrect Gender Assumption

Mistake: "La síntomas"

Correction: Los síntomas. Remember that while most Spanish words ending in '-a' are feminine, 'síntoma' is one of the important exceptions that is masculine.

⭐ Usage Tips

Natural Usage

In Spanish, we often use the verb 'tener' (to have) when talking about symptoms: 'Tengo síntomas de resfriado' (I have cold symptoms).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: síntomas

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'síntomas'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

síntoma(symptom (singular)) - noun

sintomático(symptomatic) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

If 'síntomas' ends in 'as', why is it masculine?

'Síntoma' is an exception to the general rule. It comes from Greek and retains its masculine gender in Spanish, just like other common words like 'problema' (problem) and 'tema' (topic). Always use 'los síntomas'.