Yo trabajo en un hospital.
I work at a hospital.
For many people a hospital is a workplace, and here a woman shows her card to prove she works at one.
From El poder de los centavos · Spanish audio
Spanish vocabularyA1 · Beginner
How to say "hospital" in Spanish
el hospital
nounmasculineplural: los hospitalessilent h
"Hospital" in Spanish is el hospital, spelled like the English word but said os-pee-TAHL. The h is silent and the stress lands on the last syllable. For someone who is in the hospital, Spanish says está en el hospital.
Hear "hospital" in a real movie scene
One scene where someone says it. The video starts and stops on that line.
Words you need at the hospital
Six words for an emergency or a checkup.
| Spanish | English | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| urgencias | emergency room | The word on the sign in Spain: Lo llevaron a urgencias. |
| la ambulancia | ambulance | Stress on -lan-: am-boo-LAHN-syah. |
| el médico, la médica | doctor | El doctor is also common, especially when you speak to one. |
| el enfermero, la enfermera | nurse | From enfermo, sick. |
| el centro de salud | local health center | In Spain, the place you go for a regular checkup. |
| estar ingresado | to be admitted | Mi tío está ingresado. My uncle is in the hospital. |
Tip: In an emergency in Spain, or anywhere in the European Union, call 112.
Grammar: el hospital, los hospitales
Four points for talking about hospitals.
Masculine, plural in -es
el hospital, un hospital, los hospitales. Nouns that end in -l add -es.Silent h, stress at the end
Say os-pee-TAHL. The word ends in -l, so the stress falls on the last syllable without an accent mark.Al hospital, en el hospital
Going there takes a, and a + el becomes al: Voy al hospital. Being there takes en: Está en el hospital.Near the hospital
To give directions, use estar: El hospital está cerca. El hospital está al lado del parque.Example sentences
Sentences from the Wordy Spanish course. Tap to listen.
El hospital está muy cerca.
The hospital is very close.
Está en el hospital.
He's in the hospital.
No, estamos en el hospital.
No, we're at the hospital.
El hospital está al lado de la iglesia.
The hospital is next to the church.
Common mistakes
Mistakes learners make with this word, and how to fix them.
✗HOS-pih-tal (pronunciation)
✓os-pee-TAHL
Drop the h sound completely and put the weight on the final syllable.
✗Voy a el hospital
✓Voy al hospital
A and el always merge into al.
✗Estoy en hospital
✓Estoy en el hospital
Spanish keeps the article here, even where British English says in hospital.
Practice: 3 quick exercises
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How to remember it
The Spanish hospital ends in a strong TAHL. Picture a very tall hospital building and say it like the building: os-pee-TALL.
Questions about "hospital" in Spanish
How do you say hospital in Spanish?
El hospital, said os-pee-TAHL with a silent h. The plural is los hospitales.
How do you pronounce hospital in Spanish?
Skip the h and stress the last syllable: os-pee-TAHL. The i sounds like the ee in see.
How do you say "in the hospital" in Spanish?
En el hospital: Mi abuela está en el hospital. To say you're going there, use Voy al hospital.
How do you say emergency room in Spanish?
In Spain it's urgencias. In much of Latin America you'll hear emergencias or la sala de emergencias.
