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How to Say "diseased" in Spanish

English → Spanish

enfermo

en-FER-moenˈfeɾmo

adjectiveA1general
Use 'enfermo' when referring to a person, animal, or plant that is sick or unwell.
A storybook illustration of a child lying sick in bed under a colorful blanket, looking unwell and holding a tissue to their nose.

Examples

El perro está enfermo y no quiere comer.

The dog is diseased/sick and doesn't want to eat.

Hoy no voy a la escuela porque estoy enfermo.

I'm not going to school today because I'm sick.

Mi gato ha estado enfermo toda la semana.

My cat has been ill all week.

Tiene una mente enferma y retorcida.

He has a sick and twisted mind.

Matches the Person/Thing it Describes

This word changes to match if you're talking about someone masculine, feminine, or a group. enfermo (masculine), enferma (feminine), enfermos (masculine plural), enfermas (feminine plural).

Use 'estar' for Being Sick

To say someone is sick right now, you almost always use the verb estar. For example, Él está enfermo. (He is sick). It describes a temporary state or condition.

Using 'ser' instead of 'estar'

Mistake: “Mi padre es enfermo.”

Correction: Mi padre está enfermo. Using 'ser' makes it sound like being sick is a permanent part of his identity, which is very rare. For the temporary state of being sick, always use 'estar'.

Forgetting to Match Gender

Mistake: “Mi hermana está enfermo.”

Correction: Mi hermana está enferma. Because 'hermana' is feminine, the word describing her must also end in '-a'.

patológico

adjectiveB2formal/technical
Use 'patológico' to describe tissue, conditions, or processes that are medically abnormal or affected by a specific disease, often in a scientific or diagnostic setting.

Examples

Se encontraron células patológicas en la biopsia.

Pathological/diseased cells were found in the biopsy.

General vs. Technical Use

Learners often confuse 'enfermo' and 'patológico' by using the more general 'enfermo' in technical medical contexts. Remember that 'patológico' is specifically for medically abnormal conditions or tissues, while 'enfermo' is for general sickness in living beings.

Related Translations

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