How to Say "swelling" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “swelling” is “inflamación” — use this word when referring to the visible enlargement or puffiness of a body part due to injury, infection, or medical condition.
inflamación
Examples
Tengo mucha inflamación en el tobillo después de la caída.
I have a lot of swelling in my ankle after the fall.
creciente
kre-SYEN-tekɾeˈsjente
Examples
La creciente del río inundó las calles.
The river's rise flooded the streets.
El símbolo de la bandera es un creciente y una estrella.
The symbol on the flag is a crescent and a star.
Debemos tener cuidado con la creciente esta noche.
We must be careful with the rising tide/flood tonight.
Gender Changes Meaning
Use 'la creciente' (feminine) when talking about a river rising or a flood. Use 'el creciente' (masculine) when talking about the curved shape.
Flood vs. Rain
Mistake: “Hay mucha creciente hoy.”
Correction: Hay mucha lluvia hoy. Use 'creciente' only to describe the water level rising in a river or lake, not the rain itself.
tumor
too-MORtuˈmoɾ
Examples
El médico ordenó pruebas para saber si el tumor era maligno.
The doctor ordered tests to find out if the tumor was malignant.
Afortunadamente, el tumor resultó ser benigno y fácil de extirpar.
Fortunately, the tumor turned out to be benign and easy to remove.
La investigación se centra en la prevención de tumores cerebrales.
The research focuses on the prevention of brain tumors.
Masculine Noun Rule
Even though many Spanish nouns ending in -a are feminine, 'tumor' is masculine. Remember to use the masculine articles: 'el tumor' or 'un tumor'.
Incorrect Gender
Mistake: “La tumor es peligroso.”
Correction: El tumor es peligroso. (It is masculine, so use 'el' and masculine adjectives like 'peligroso'.)
Medical vs. Water Swelling
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