Inklingo

vacuna

ba-KOO-nahbaˈkuna

vacuna means vaccine in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

vaccineAlso: shot

NounfA2
General
A small medical glass vial and a syringe resting on a clean surface.

📝 In Action

La vacuna contra la gripe es anual.

A2

The flu vaccine is annual.

Mañana me ponen la segunda vacuna.

A2

I am getting the second shot tomorrow.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • inmunización (immunization)

Common Collocations

  • poner una vacunato give a vaccine
  • vacuna de refuerzobooster shot
  • vacuna contra la rabiarabies vaccine

Idioms & Expressions

  • no hay vacuna contra la estupideznothing can cure/fix stupidity

vaccinatesAlso: vaccinate!

VerbB1regular ar
A doctor gently applying a small bandage to a child's upper arm.
gerundvacunando
past Participlevacunado
infinitivevacunar

📝 In Action

El pediatra vacuna a los bebés hoy.

B1

The pediatrician vaccinates the babies today.

¡Vacuna a tu perro para protegerlo!

B1

Vaccinate your dog to protect it!

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • inocular (to inoculate)

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yovacunara
vacunaras
él/ella/ustedvacunara
nosotrosvacunáramos
vosotrosvacunarais
ellos/ellas/ustedesvacunaran

Present Subjunctive

yovacune
vacunes
él/ella/ustedvacune
nosotrosvacunemos
vosotrosvacunéis
ellos/ellas/ustedesvacunen

Indicative

Preterite

yovacuné
vacunaste
él/ella/ustedvacunó
nosotrosvacunamos
vosotrosvacunasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesvacunaron

Imperfect

yovacunaba
vacunabas
él/ella/ustedvacunaba
nosotrosvacunábamos
vosotrosvacunabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesvacunaban

Present

yovacuno
vacunas
él/ella/ustedvacuna
nosotrosvacunamos
vosotrosvacunáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesvacunan

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "vacuna" in Spanish:

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: vacuna

Question 1 of 2

If a doctor says 'Él vacuna al niño', what is happening?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
vacunar(to vaccinate)Verb
vacunación(vaccination)Noun
vacunado(vaccinated)Adjective
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology

From the Latin 'vacca', meaning 'cow'. This is because the first smallpox vaccines were derived from cowpox viruses found in cows.

First recorded: 18th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: vaccineFrench: vaccin

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is 'vacuna' related to cows?

Scientific history! The first vaccine was made using cowpox (viruela de las vacas) to protect people from smallpox, so they named the medicine after the cow ('vaca').

How do I say 'I have been vaccinated'?

You can say 'Estoy vacunado' (if you are male) or 'Estoy vacunada' (if you are female).