Inklingo

How to Say "dizziness" in Spanish

English → Spanish

mareo

/mah-REH-oh//maˈɾeo/

nounA2general physical sensation
Use 'mareo' to describe a general feeling of lightheadedness, nausea, or unsteadiness, often caused by motion, heat, or illness.
A character sitting on a bench with swirling spiral lines above their head to indicate feeling dizzy.

Examples

Tengo un poco de mareo por el viaje en autobús.

I feel a bit of motion sickness from the bus trip.

Si te levantas muy rápido, puedes sentir mareo.

If you stand up too fast, you might feel dizzy.

Las pastillas son muy efectivas contra el mareo.

The pills are very effective against nausea.

Using 'Tener' and 'Sentir'

Unlike English where you 'are' dizzy (adjective), in Spanish you usually 'have' (tener) or 'feel' (sentir) 'mareo' (noun).

Plural vs. Singular

You can use the plural 'mareos' to talk about recurring spells of dizziness, but the singular 'mareo' is more common for a specific moment.

Don't use 'estar'

Mistake: “Estoy mareo.”

Correction: Tengo mareo OR Estoy mareado.

vértigo

nounA2physical sensation
Use 'vértigo' to describe a strong sensation of spinning or the feeling of the world moving around you, often associated with heights or inner ear problems.

Examples

Me da mucho vértigo mirar hacia abajo desde este balcón.

I get a lot of dizziness looking down from this balcony.

Mareo vs. Vértigo

Learners often confuse 'mareo' and 'vértigo'. Remember that 'mareo' is for general lightheadedness or motion sickness, while 'vértigo' specifically describes a spinning sensation, like when you look down from a great height.

Related Translations

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