Estás enfermo.
You're sick.
With these two words his parents accept that he's skipping school today, even though he's only faking. Notice estás, from estar.
From Un experto en diversiones · Spanish audio
Spanish vocabularyA1 · Beginner
How to say "sick" in Spanish
enfermo
adjectivefeminine: enfermaplural: enfermosused with estar
"Sick" in Spanish is enfermo. The ending follows the person, so a sick woman or girl is enferma. Being ill is a passing state, which is why Spanish pairs it with estar: Estoy enfermo, I'm sick.
Hear "enfermo" in real movie scenes
A fake illness and a real one. Each video starts and stops on that line.
Mi sobrina está enferma.
My niece is sick.
The person who's ill here is a girl, so the adjective switches to its feminine ending: enferma.
From Suits · Spanish audio
Telling someone you're unwell
Six phrases for a sick day, from vague to specific.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Estoy enfermo / Estoy enferma. | I'm sick. |
| Me encuentro mal. | I don't feel well. |
| Tengo fiebre. | I have a fever. |
| Tengo náuseas. | I feel sick to my stomach. |
| Estoy mareado / Estoy mareada. | I feel dizzy. |
| Hoy no voy, estoy enfermo. | I'm not coming in today, I'm sick. |
Tip: The same root gives you the hospital words: el enfermo is the patient, la enfermedad is the illness, and a nurse is el enfermero or la enfermera.
Grammar: enfermo, enferma
Four points that cover most sick days.
Match the patient
enfermo, enferma, enfermos, enfermas. Mis padres están enfermos. My parents are sick.Always estar
Illness comes and goes, so the verb is estar: Estoy enfermo, ¿Estás enferma?Getting sick
To fall ill is ponerse enfermo in Spain and enfermarse in much of Latin America: Me puse enfermo el lunes.Sick of something
Fed up is a different word: estar harto de. Estoy harto de la lluvia. I'm sick of the rain.Example sentences
Sentences from the Wordy Spanish course. Tap to listen.
Mi tío está enfermo.
My uncle is sick.
¿Tú también estás enfermo?
Are you sick too?
El conductor no está enfermo.
The driver isn't sick.
Estoy enferma, me quedo en casa.
I'm sick, so I'm staying home.
Common mistakes
Mistakes learners make with this word, and how to fix them.
✗Soy enfermo
✓Estoy enfermo
A flu or a cold doesn't define who you are. Temporary states take estar.
✗Mi sobrina está enfermo
✓Mi sobrina está enferma
The adjective takes the gender of the sick person, and a niece is female.
✗Estoy enfermo de mi trabajo (meaning fed up)
✓Estoy harto de mi trabajo
Enfermo only means ill. For being fed up with something, Spanish uses harto.
Real conversation: out sick today
A short dialog in the office hallway.
In the hallway you run into Óscar from the office next door, and the two of you start talking about a colleague you both know.
Hoy no viene. Está enfermo.
He isn't coming in today. He's sick.
¿Toma antibióticos?
Is he taking antibiotics?
Sí, desde el lunes. Mira esta foto.
Yes, since Monday. Look at this photo.
Your turn to answer
In the app you reply in Spanish for the last 2 lines.
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How to remember it
Enfermo sounds like infirm, and the infirmary is where you go when you're enfermo.
Questions about "sick" in Spanish
How do you say sick in Spanish?
Enfermo for a man or boy and enferma for a woman or girl. The plural is enfermos.
How do you say "I'm sick" in Spanish?
Estoy enfermo, or Estoy enferma if you're female. For a milder "I don't feel well", say Me encuentro mal.
Do you use ser or estar with enfermo?
Estar, since being sick is a state that changes: Mi tío está enfermo.
How do you say "I'm sick of it" in Spanish?
Estoy harto, or estoy harta for a woman. Enfermo is only for illness.
