How to Say "dr." in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “dr.” is “dr.” — use this abbreviation when referring to a male doctor, whether they are a medical doctor or hold an academic doctorate. It is always preceded by the masculine definite article 'el'..
dr.
/dok-TOR/ (The way the title is spoken)/dokˈtoɾ/
Examples
Necesito una cita con el Dr. Ramírez.
I need an appointment with Dr. Ramírez.
La Dra. Ramírez me atendió muy bien en la clínica.
Dr. Ramírez took very good care of me at the clinic.
Necesito la receta firmada por el Dr. García.
I need the prescription signed by Dr. García.
El Dr. Soto es experto en literatura medieval.
Dr. Soto is an expert in medieval literature.
Always Capitalize and Use a Period
Even though you see the lowercase 'dr' sometimes, the correct written abbreviation is always capitalized and followed by a period: 'Dr.' (for male) and 'Dra.' (for female).
Pronouncing the Title
When you see 'Dr.' written down, you must say the full word 'Doctor' or 'Doctora' when speaking aloud.
Using the Abbreviation When Speaking
Mistake: “Hablé con el 'dr' Pérez.”
Correction: Hablé con el 'Doctor' Pérez. The abbreviation is only for writing, not speaking.
dra.
Examples
La Dra. Ramírez me atendió muy bien en la clínica.
Dr. Ramírez took very good care of me at the clinic.
Confusing Gendered Abbreviations
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.