vacuna
/ba-KOO-nah/
vaccine
A vial and syringe represent a vaccine, or 'vacuna' in Spanish.
📝 In Action
La vacuna contra la gripe es anual.
A2The flu vaccine is annual.
Mañana me ponen la segunda vacuna.
A2I am getting the second shot tomorrow.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender and Articles
Since this word ends in '-a' and is feminine, always use 'la' or 'una' before it.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Vaccine vs. Cow
Mistake: "Confusing 'vacuna' with 'vaca'."
Correction: While related historically, 'vaca' is the animal (cow) and 'vacuna' is the medicine (vaccine).
⭐ Usage Tips
Getting the shot
To say 'I got vaccinated,' Spanish speakers usually say 'Me puse la vacuna' (I put the vaccine on myself) or 'Me vacunaron' (They vaccinated me).
The act of a doctor giving a shot represents the verb 'vacuna', meaning he or she vaccinates.
vacuna(verb)
vaccinates
?action performed by a doctor or nurse
vaccinate!
?giving a command to someone
📝 In Action
El pediatra vacuna a los bebés hoy.
B1The pediatrician vaccinates the babies today.
¡Vacuna a tu perro para protegerlo!
B1Vaccinate your dog to protect it!
💡 Grammar Points
Third Person and Commands
The word 'vacuna' can mean 'he/she vaccinates' or it can be a command used with friends like 'Vaccinate!'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Action vs. Object
Mistake: "Using 'vacuna' when you mean the whole process."
Correction: Use 'vacunación' for the overall process/event, and 'vacuna' for the specific medicine or single action.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: vacuna
Question 1 of 2
If a doctor says 'Él vacuna al niño', what is happening?
📚 More Resources
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).