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urgencia

oor-HEN-syahuɾˈxensja

“urgencia” means “urgency” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

urgency

Also: haste, pressure
NounfA2
A ringing red alarm bell on a plain background with motion lines.

📝 In Action

No hay ninguna urgencia, tómate tu tiempo.

A1

There is no urgency, take your time.

Atendieron el asunto con mucha urgencia.

B1

They handled the matter with great urgency.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • premura (haste/rush)
  • prisa (hurry)

Antonyms

  • calma (calm)
  • lentitud (slowness)

Common Collocations

  • con urgencia – urgently
  • tener urgencia – to be in a hurry/need

emergency, ER / Emergency Room

Also: crisis
NounfA2
A bright red ambulance with a blue light on top driving quickly.

📝 In Action

Es una urgencia médica, llame a la ambulancia.

A2

It is a medical emergency, call the ambulance.

Llevamos al abuelo a urgencias.

A1

We took grandpa to the emergency room.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • sala de urgencias – emergency room
  • de urgencia – emergency (as an adjective, e.g., 'operación de urgencia')

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "urgencia" in Spanish:

crisis→emergency→haste→pressure→urgency→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: urgencia

Question 1 of 2

How do you say 'I am going to the Emergency Room' naturally in Spanish?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
urgente(urgent) — Adjective
urgir(to be urgent / to urge) — Verb
urgentemente(urgently) — Adverb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'urgentia,' which comes from 'urgere,' meaning 'to press' or 'to push forward.' It describes the feeling of being pushed by time.

First recorded: 15th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: urgencyFrench: urgenceItalian: urgenza

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'urgencia' the same as 'emergencia'?

Mostly, yes. In a hospital, an 'emergencia' is technically more life-threatening than an 'urgencia,' but in daily life, they are used as synonyms.

Why is it plural in 'sala de urgencias'?

It's a language habit! Just like in English we might say 'Sports center' (plural) even if you only play one sport, Spanish views the ER as a place where many 'urgencies' are handled.