Spanish For Pharmacists

...AND CONTINUING EDUCATION.
COM
PRESENT:
SPANISH FOR PHARMACISTS
Author: Stephanie H. Langston

M.Ed. Foreign Language Education
A.B. Spanish
A.B.J. Telecommunication Arts
Former Pharmacy Technician & Interpreter for Revco (CVS) and Wal-Mart
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Spanish, Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Spanish, Georgia Perimeter College
Lawrenceville, Georgia
Owner & Developer of Hands on Spanish, a language service company
Monroe, Georgia
Accreditation
Educational Review Systems is approved by the American Council on

Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE) as a provider of Continuing
Pharmaceutical Education.
This program is acceptable for 6.0 hours of Continuing Education Credits
(0.6 CEUs)
ACPE Program I.D. Number:
The price of this course is: $50.00
© 2000 Hands on Spanish™ All Rights Reserved. The author of this course shall not be held
responsible for any harm which may come from a person’s usage (correct or incorrect) of the
information within.
GOALS & OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE:
After the successful completion of this course, participants should be able to:
1. correctly pronounce any word in Spanish,
2. understand basic Spanish grammar and use complete sentences when
communicating,
3. greet a Spanish-speaking patient and obtain personal information,
including drug allergies, medical conditions and medications that the
patient is already taking,
4. obtain information about a Spanish-speaking patient's insurance and
communicate any problems with that insurance,
5. tell the patient in Spanish when a prescription will be ready and if the
medication needs to be ordered,
6. communicate in Spanish any problems with refills and request that the
patient contact his/her physician,
7. give proper directions for taking a prescription and any necessary
warnings about the medicine and its possible side effects in Spanish and
8. discuss symptoms and over-the-counter medications with the
Spanish-speaking patient.
information within.
INTRODUCTION:
¡Bienvenidos! Welcome to Spanish for Pharmacists. Congratulations on your
decision to learn Spanish! You are to be commended for your willingness to go above
the call of duty to serve your customers in their native language. As you know, the
number of Spanish speakers living in the US is increasing rapidly and will continue the
uphill trend. By learning Spanish for your profession you are ensuring optimal service to
patients and optimal understanding on their part. Fewer errors and miscommunications
will be the end result. Liability is always a concern, ¿sí? Also, you are increasing your
customer base with the ability to service those who cannot speak English well. Spanish
speakers tend to be very loyal and they will continue to do business with you if you take
extra steps to make them comfortable. And trust me...the word will spread!
We at Hands on Spanish understand your hectic job. I personally worked as a

pharmacy technician while in college. I was used as an interpreter, as well. I learned
first-hand the types of information a pharmacist needs to know for better communication
with Spanish-speaking customers. We understand how demanding your job is and how
little spare time you have due to very long shifts.
Thus we have customized this program which will teach you only the Spanish
you need for your profession. We will teach vital pronunciation skills since you will be
speaking the language much more frequently than you will be writing it.
We then teach grammatical formulas that will enable you to put together any
necessary phrase or sentence for a variety of situations. You will only learn the
grammar you need. Our job is to teach you the communication skills necessary for your
job.
You will then learn some basic terminology good for any situation including
greetings, numbers, days and times. This section will prime you for what’s to come. It
will also enable you to engage in small talk with any Spanish speaker.
The last section is vital. It contains all of the specific pharmaceutical terminology
which you will need. It covers body parts, symptoms, conditions, drugs, allergies, SIGS,
insurance information and patient information, among other topics. This section contains
expressions that are already put together for your use as well as easy formulas for you
to create your own phrases.
Remember -- this is a reference course. You will not learn all of this content in
six hours. The teaching portion is meant to orient you to the subject matter. You will
learn by continuously practicing the phrases you find most helpful and useful. Practice
on the job as often as you can. The audio tapes and CDs (see the reference link to the
left) provide a way to practice outside of the pharmacy. You can pop them in the car or
at home for more oral practice. The more you listen to them and the more you practice
your new language, the more comfortable you will be communicating in it. Good luck!
¡Buena suerte!
information within.
LA PRONUNCIACIÓN
Is your Spanish pronunciation RED HOT?
Don't worry! It can be with a little help! The good news is that Spanish sounds as it
looks. Each vowel has the same pronunciation in every situation. There are only 3 stress
rules in Spanish. By contrast, a book on English pronunciation contains a section on
English stress rules which is 35 PAGES long! Once you have learned the sounds and
rules presented in this section, you will be able to pronounce ANY WORD IN
SPANISH!
Las Vocales
All vowels are always pronounced in Spanish. There is no silent "e."
Furthermore, they are always pronounced like this:
letter sound type
a ah strong *Note: Two strong vowels
e ay strong are two separate
i ee weak syllables: mu-se-o
o oh strong Otherwise, 2 vowels
u ew weak combine to form one
syllable: ciu-dad
The key to sounding as authentic as possible is to keep the vowels short.

Spanish vowels are very choppy; they are never drawn out as in English.
This is one reason that Spanish sounds faster than English.
Las Consonantes
If a consonant is not listed, it has the same pronunciation in English and
Spanish.
letter sound
c s (soft) before an "e" or "i" Try: cita, ciudad, centro
k (hard) before any other vowel Try: carta, comer, cura
* "cc" is pronounced "ks" Try: accento, lección
ch (one letter) ch Try: chico, muchacho
d softer than in English
"th" in the middle or at the end Try: dedo, ciudad
information within.
g h (soft) before an "e" or "i" Try: gente, gitano
g (hard) before other vowels Try: gato, golpe, gustar
h ALWAYS SILENT Try: hola, hasta
letter sound
j h Try: José, Juan
ll (one letter) y Try: llamo, llenar
ñ ny Try: español
q k (never kw) Try: que, quien
r like "dd" in "ladder" Try: hablar, carta
trilled /repeated at the Try: cara, receta
beginning of a word or
between vowels
rr (one letter) trilled/repeated Try: perro, jarra
t softer than in English Try: todo, receta
v like a soft "b" Try: varias, verde
x ks before vowels Try: examen
s before consonants Try: extra
z s Try: zapatos, lápiz
Stress Rules
The "stress" refers to the natural emphasis put on the strongest syllable of
a word. For example, the word "father" is stressed on the first syllable.
In Spanish, there are three simple rules that ALWAYS apply. Use these
rules along with the pronunciation guide above to help you pronounce any
Spanish word you encounter.
1. If a word ends in a vowel, an "n" or an "s", the natural stress falls on the
next-to-last syllable. Try: cara, receta, hablan, zapatos
2. Otherwise, the natural stress falls on the last syllable. Try: hablar,
ciudad, comer
3. Any exceptions to these rules will carry a written accent where the
stress should fall. Try: lápiz, José, alegría
Other Notes
1. Question marks and exclamation points are also written at the front of a
sentence/phrase, but they are upside-down. Ex: ¡Hola! ¿Cómo está usted?
2. Accent marks are extremely important in Spanish since they tell us how
information within.
to pronounce a word, and sometimes even tell us what a word means. For
example: esta = this, but está = is.
The accent mark/stress mark is always written the same way: ´
Accent marks are written over interrogative words: ¿Qué? ¿Quién?
The mark is over the strong vowel, not the weak one(s).
These words only carry the accent mark when they are used to ask
questions, never when they are used to give information.
Ex: ¿Qué dice el doctor? What does the doctor say?
Él dice que tiene prisa. He says that he's in a hurry.
When an accent mark is written over a word with only one syllable, it is to
distinguish that word from another without an accent mark.
Ex: el = the but él = he
si = if but sí = yes
tu = your but tú = you
TAKE TEST 1 NOW.
information within.
LA GRAMÁTICA
Don't worry! I've condensed it
and organized it for you!
In this section you'll learn just enough Spanish grammar to help you in your
specific profession. You'll learn about noun and adjective agreement,
articles, pronouns and verbs. So relax, take a deep breath and dive in!
LOS SUSTANTIVOS (NOUNS)

In Spanish, all nouns are either masculine or feminine. This is not to say
that " la computadora " is a girl and that " el teléfono " is a boy. Linguistic
gender is very different from how we view gender. Liguistic gender was
carried into Spanish from Latin. It is a very important part of each noun.
The gender of a noun determines the form of any adjective or article that
describes it. You will use the article "el" with masculine words and "la" with
feminine words. They both mean "the." Generally, if a noun ends in the
letter -o, it is masculine. If it ends in the letter -a, it is feminine. Of
course, there are exceptions: el agua , la mano, el día , la radio, etc. The
safest way to memorize the gender of a noun is to memorize its article ("el "
or " la " ) with it. You can color-code nouns on flash cards to help you
remember their gender. Here are some nouns for you to learn:
Masculine Nouns Feminine Nouns

el papel (paper) la computadora (computer)
el bolígrafo (pen) la forma (form)
el libro (book) la caja (cash register)
el dinero en efectivo (cash) la tarjeta de crédito (credit card)
el cheque (check) la calculadora (calculator)
el cupón (coupon) la botella (bottle)
el lápiz (pencil) la farmacia (pharmacy)
el medicamento (medication) la receta (prescription)
el seguro (insurance) la medicina (medicine)
el hospital (hospital) la droga (drug)
el teléfono (telephone) la oficina (office)
el mensaje (message) la clínica (clinic)
**If the noun is a person, the linguistic gender is always the same as the
actual physical gender:
el hombre (man) la mujer (woman)
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el chico / el muchacho (boy) la chica / la muchacha (girl)
el niño (little boy - child) la niña (little girl - child)
el novio (boyfriend/fianceé) la novia (girlfriend/fianceé)
el amigo (friend -male) la amiga (friend- female)
el farmacéutico (male pharmacist) la farmacéutica (female pharmacist)
el técnico (male technician) la técnica (female technician)
el doctor (male doctor) la doctora (female doctor)
el enfermero (male nurse) la enfermera (female nurse)
el secretario (male secretary) la secretaria (female secretary)
el esposo / el marido (husband) la esposa / la mujer (wife)
el padre (father) la madre (mother)
el hijo (son) la hija (daughter)
el hermano (brother) la hermana (sister)
el abuelo (grandfather) la abuela (grandmother)
el tío (uncle) la tía (aunt)
el primo (cousin-male) la prima (cousin-female)
el paciente (patient-male) la paciente (patient-female)
el cliente (male customer) la cliente (female customer)
Now that you've learned about the gender of nouns, you must learn the
other aspect: number. This one is much easier. All nouns have two forms:
singular and plural. To make a singular noun plural, simply add an -s to the
end if the word ends in a vowel. Ex: amigo > amigos, farmacia > farmacias.
If the word ends in a consonant, add an -es to the end of the word.
Example: ciudad (city) > ciudades (cities).
LOS ADJETIVOS
Adjectives are words that describe nouns or pronouns. There are many
different types of adjectives. All adjectives have one thing in common,
however: THEY MUST ALL AGREE IN NUMBER AND IN GENDER WITH
THE NOUNS THAT THEY MODIFY. If the noun is masculine and singular,
then the adjective must also be masculine, singular. If the noun is feminine
and plural, then the adjective must be feminine and plural. You get the idea!
Let's begin with:
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Los Artículos
Articles always come BEFORE nouns, just like in English. For example,
"the car" is "el carro." All articles (like any other adjective) have four
forms: masculine singular, feminine singular, masculine plural and feminine
plural. There are two kinds of articles: definite and indefinite.
Definite articles refer to specific objects: "el amigo" (the friend).
They use definite articles much more frequently in Spanish than we do in
English. You've already learned the singular definite articles: el and la.
The plural forms are los and las. They all mean "the." Example:
masculine feminine
singular el amigo la amiga

(the male friend) (the female friend)
plural los amigos las amigas

(the male friends) (the female friends)
Indefinite articles refer to non-specific objects: "un amigo"

(a friend). The singular forms mean "a" or "an." The plural forms mean
"some." The indefinite articles are: un, una, unos & unas.
masculine feminine
singular un amigo una amiga

(a male friend) (a female friend)
plural unos amigos unas amigas

(some male friends) (some female friends)
Adjetivo Descriptivos
Descriptive adjectives almost always come AFTER nouns. For example,
"carro nuevo" means "new car." This will seem strange now, but will feel
normal after awhile.
If the adjective ends in the letter -o (masculine singular form), you
can change the -o to an -a (feminine singular form). You can add the letter
-s to either to make the plural form. Here is a chart to illustrate:
information within.
masculine feminine
singular amigo simpático amiga simpática

(nice male friend) (nice female friend)
plural amigos simpáticos amigas simpáticas

(nice male friends) (nice female friends)
If the adjective ends in the letter -e, you will not change the ending
to agree with the gender. You can think of the -e as standing for "either."
It is gender neutral. You will still need to add an -s to make the plural
forms. Example:
masculine feminine
singular amigo inteligente amiga inteligente

(intelligent male friend) (intelligent female friend)
plural amigos inteligentes amigas inteligentes

(intelligent male friends) (intelligent female friends)
Finally, a few adjectives end in a consonant, not a vowel. Therefore,

the masculine singular form is the one that ends in the consonant. Just add
an -a to the end to make it feminine. Add an -s to make the feminine form
plural and add an -es to make the masculine form plural (remember: if a
word ends in a consonant, you have to add an -es to make the word plural).
Example follows:
masculine feminine
singular amigo español amiga española

(Spanish male friend) (Spanish female friend)
plural amigos españoles amigas españolas

(Spanish male friends) (Spanish female friends)
information within.
Examples of Descriptive Adjectives /Ejemplos de Adjetivos Descriptivos
Here are some descriptive adjectives for you to learn. The form I'm giving
you is the masculine, singular. You must change the endings according to
the above rules in order to make these adjectives agree with the nouns that
you want to describe. In a later section, you’ll learn more about when to use
these adjectives.
PERMANENT CHARACTERISTICS:
grande (big) / pequeño (small) joven (young) / anciano (old-person)
bueno (good) / malo (bad) nuevo (new) / viejo (old - object)
alto (tall) / bajo (short) delgado (thin) / gordo (fat)
dulce (sweet) / agrio (sour) caro (expensive) / barato (inexpensive)
TEMPORARY CHARACTERISTICS:
sano (healthy) / enfermo (sick) fuerte (strong) / débil (weak)
mejor (better) / peor (worse) relajado(relaxed)/ preocupado(worried)
Adjetivos de Cantidad
Adjectives of quantity always come BEFORE nouns. The most obvious
are numbers: dos amigos, tres amigos, cuatro amigos, cinco amigos, etc.
Numbers just have one form. For example, there is only "cinco" (five).
There is no such thing as "cinca, cincos or cincas." The only number that
does change forms is the number "one," which we'll discuss later.
The most common adjectives of quantity which are not numbers are
the words: mucho & poco. The singular forms: "mucho/mucha" mean
"much of " or "a lot of" and "poco/poca" mean " a little of." When they are
in their plural forms, "muchos/muchas" mean "many" and "pocos/pocas" mean
"few."
masculine feminine
singular mucho dinero mucha comida
(much money) (a lot of food)
poco dinero poca comida

(a little money) (a little food)
plural muchos amigos muchas amigas
(many male friends) (many female friends)
pocos amigos pocas amigas

(few male friends) (few female friends)
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Adjetivos Posesivos
Possessive adjectives come BEFORE nouns. They let us know who owns
the object. For example: mi amigo = my friend. Possessive adjectives
agree with the objects that they describe, not with the people that own the
objects. For example: mis amigos = my friends. The word "mis" does not
imply that I am more than one person; instead, it states that I have more
than one friend. The possessive adjectives that you will need to know for
your profession are gender neutral; you will not change the endings to agree
with the gender of the object described. You will only need to add an -s to
describe more than one object. For example, "su" can mean "his," her,"
"your," or "their." It changes to "sus" to describe more than one object.
Examples follow.
singular mi amigo (my friend)

su amigo (his/her/your/their friend)
plural mis amigos (my friends)

sus amigos (his/her/your/their friends)
If you want to state the name of the person to whom something

belongs, you must state possession "the long way around." In English, we use
the 's as a short-cut. In Spanish, there is no such thing as an apostrophe-s.
To say "Teresa's car," you must say "el carro de Teresa" (the car of Teresa).
Thus, "Sara's medicine" would be "la medicina de Sara" (the medicine of
Sara).
Adjetivos Demonstrativos
Demonstrative adjectives let you know which objects are being
referred to. For example: "Yo quiero esta comida, no esa comida." means "I
want this food, not that food." Of course, there are four forms of
"this/these" in Spanish (so that gender and number agreement can be
achieved): este, esta, estos & estas. There are also four forms of
"that/those" : ese, esa, esos & esas. Example:
information within.
masculine feminine
singular este amigo esta amiga

(this male friend) (this female friend)
ese amigo esa amiga

(that male friend) (that female friend)
plural estos amigos estas amigas

(these male friends) (these female friends)
esos amigos esas amigas

(those male friends) (those female friends)
IMPORTANT LITTLE WORDS

There are two very important little words in Spanish that deserve
special mention: "a" and "de". Since they are prepositions (NOT
adjectives), they only have one form. The word "a" can mean "to" or "at".
The word "de" can mean "of" or "from". The meaning is determined by
context. For example: "Soy de Georgia." means "I'm from Georgia."
"Hablo un poco de español." means "I speak a little of Spanish."
Another important note about these words is that when they are
followed by the masculine, singular, definite article "el," then they form the
ONLY CONTRACTIONS IN SPANISH.
a + el = al de + el = del
al means "to the" or "at the" del means "of the" or "from the"
"Voy al hospital." "Juan es el padre del niño."
(I'm going to the hospital.) (Juan is the father of the child.)
PRONOMBRES (PRONOUNS)
Pronouns take the place of nouns. They eliminate redundancy. For
example: "Mary is my friend. Mary is nice. Mary is tall." sounds awful!
Instead, we would say: "Mary is my friend. She is nice and tall." In Spanish:
"María es mi amiga. Ella es simpática y alta." You will only need to learn
certain pronouns in order to speak Spanish for your profession. They are all
singular.
I = yo you = usted she = ella he = él
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"Yo" is first person. When speaking of yourself, you use first person.
When speaking about others, you use third person. Therefore, "usted, ella
& él" are all third person. Caution! Note the accent on "él." If you leave it
off, it changes the meaning of the word from " he " to " the."
One more important note about pronouns in Spanish is that you do not
have to use them. You should use them if your subject is unclear; however,
once the subject is clear, you may omit the pronoun. This is very different
from English. For example, in English, you must say , " He speaks French. He
is from France. He is tall." You cannot leave off the subject pronouns. In
Spanish, however, you can say, " Él habla francés. Es de Francia. Es alto."
We only used the word "él" once. Here's another example: "Yo hablo
español." and "Hablo español." both mean "I speak Spanish," even though the
word I only appears in the first sentence. PRONOUNS ARE VERY
IMPORTANT. WITHOUT THEM, WE WOULD NOT KNOW HOW TO
CHOOSE THE CORRECT FORM OF THE VERB TO AGREE WITH THEM.
Now for our final part of speech: the verb.
TAKE TEST 2 NOW.
LOS VERBOS
As I just mentioned, the pronouns tell you how to form your verbs.
For example, I wouldn't say " I walks to work." The word "walks" is the form
that you would use with " he & she. " Nor would I say "I to walk to work."
In that sentence, the verb has not even been conjugated (changed) at all! It
is in its infinitive or pure form. To make the verb agree with the subject, we
must take it out of its infinitive form and conjugate it into a form that does
agree with the subject. Therefore, the correct sentence would be, "I walk
to work." Does that make sense?
Los Infinitivos
Spanish has different endings for the different forms just like
English does. All Spanish infinitives end in one of the following combinations
of letters: -ar, -er, -ir. Those endings are the equivalent of saying "to"
in English. For example:
"hablar" means to speak "comer" means to eat "vivir" means to live
La Primera Persona Singular (yo)

We must also learn the form of each verb that we can use with the
pronoun "yo" (I). This is called the first person singular form of the verb.
The verb forms that agree with yo almost always end in the letter -o. It's
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a simple process. Simply take off the -ar, -er or -ir, and attach an -o.
Thus:
Yo hablo means I speak. Yo como means I eat. Yo vivo means I live.
You can also leave off the pronoun "yo" and they still mean the same thing.
This is because the verb endings imply the pronouns with which they match.
Hablo means I speak. Como means I eat. Vivo means I live.
La Tercera Persona Singular (usted, él, ella & "it" )

Finally, we need to learn the third person singular form of the verb.
This form is extremely important to learn because it is used with all of the
following pronouns: usted (you), él (he) and ella (she). It is also used
when the subject of a sentence is any other singular noun (not a person).
In English, we would use the pronoun "it" to refer to such singular nouns.
However, in Spanish, every noun has gender (masculine/feminine).
Therefore, there is no such single pronoun to refer to objects. However,
you can use this form of the verb to talk about singular objects.
To form the third person singular verb form, simply take off the
-ar and add an -a, or take of the -er or -ir and add an -e. See the
examples below which use the same verbs with different pronouns:
Él habla = He speaks. Él come = He eats. Él vive = He lives.

Ella habla = She speaks. Ella come = She eats. Ella vive = She lives.
Usted habla = You speak. Usted come = You eat. Usted vive =You live.
This is also the verb form that you would use when talking about a
single person when using his/her name instead of the pronouns "él" and "ella"
(he and she). For example:
Juan habla. Juan come. Juan vive. (Juan speaks, eats & lives.)
Sara habla. Sara come. Sara vive. (Sara speaks, eats & lives.)
As was mentioned earlier, this is also the form that you use to refer to a
singular object. For example:
La muñeca habla.(The doll speaks.) El robot habla.(The robot speaks.)
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Now that you know how to use pronouns and verbs, it is time for you to start
building your verb repertoire. The verbs in this section will be most helpful
in your profession. You will learn what they mean in English and you will see
the infinitive (ending in -ar, -er & -ir), the first person singular
(conjugated for "yo" and ending in -o), and the third person singular (
conjugated for él, ella & usted and ending in -a or -e). I've noted any
irregular forms with this mark *. You will simply have to memorize these
forms since they do not follow the patterns you've learned. Also, some
Spanish verbs appear in bold. We will discuss these in the next section.
English Infinitive (Span) 1st person 3rd person
(to…) (-ar /-er /-ir) ( Yo…) (usted, él, ella)
to open abrir abro abre
to drink beber bebo bebe
to walk caminar camino camina
to close cerrar * cierro * cierra
to eat comer como come
to buy comprar compro compra
to understand comprender comprendo comprende
to know conocer * conozco conoce
to give dar * doy da
to ought to deber debo debe
to say/tell decir * digo * dice
to rest descansar descanso descansa
to hurt doler * duelo * duele
to sleep dormir * duermo * duerme
to return devolver * devuelvo * devuelve
to write escribir escribo escribe
to listen escuchar escucho escucha
to wait esperar espero espera
to be estar * estoy * está
to explain explicar explico explica
to sign firmar firmo firma
to talk/speak hablar hablo habla
to go ir * voy * va
to read leer leo lee
to call llamar llamo llama
to fill (out) llenar lleno llena
to mix mezclar mezclo mezcla
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to look/watch mirar miro mira
to need necesitar necesito necesita
to hear oír * oigo * oye
to pay pagar pago paga
to ask for pedir * pido * pide
to be able to poder * puedo * puede
to put/place poner * pongo pone
to prefer preferir * prefiero * prefiere
to ask preguntar pregunto pregunta
to prepare preparar preparo prepara
to want to querer * quiero quiere
to prescribe recetar * receto * receta
to pick up recoger * recojo recoge
to return regresar regreso regresa
to repeat repetir * repito * repite
to require requerir * requiero * requiere
to breathe respirar * respiro * respira
to know saber * sé sabe
to leave salir * salgo sale
to be ser * soy * es
to follow seguir * sigo * sigue
to fill surtir surto surte
to refill surtir de nuevo surto de nuevo surte de nuevo
to have tener * tengo * tiene
to take tomar tomo toma
to work trabajar trabajo trabaja
to bring traer * traigo trae
to use usar uso usa
to sell vender vendo vende
to come venir * vengo * viene
to see ver * veo * ve
to live vivir vivo vive
to return volver * vuelvo * vuelve
information within.
**There are a couple of other important verbs for you to learn. The verb
hay means there is/there are. "Hay" only has one form. Also, you should
know that "Me gusta..." means "I like..." (literally, it means "...is pleasing
to me). The other form, "Le gusta..." means "He/She/You/ like(s)..."
(literally, it means "...is pleasing to him/her/you).
Verbs That Have Similar Meanings

Certain verbs in Spanish have very similar meanings. However, you do
need to make a distinction since they are used differently. You can refer
back to the verb list as you note these differences:
Ser and estar: They both mean "to be." Use "ser" to describe the essence
of something/someone. Use "estar" to desribe the state of being of
something/someone. In other words, "ser" is used to decribe things that are
more permanent and "estar" is used to describe things that are more
temporary (like location and temporary conditions). "Ser" has many more
uses and you will learn these in other segments of this manual. Refer to p.9.
Use adjectives in the first section (permanent characteristics) w/ser and in
the second section w/estar (temporary characteristics).
* Soy americano. (I'm American.)
* Estoy enfermo. (I'm sick.)
Saber and conocer: They both mean "to know." Use "saber" when speaking
of factual or procedural knowledge. Use "conocer" when stating that you
know (are familiar with) a person or place.
* Ella sabe como tomar la medicina.
* Ella conoce a Juan.
Llenar and surtir: They both mean "to fill." However, "llenar" means "to fill
out" as in a form, while "surtir" means "to fill" as in a prescription.
* María llena la forma.
* Yo surto la receta.
Volver, devolver and regresar: They all mean "to return." Use "volver" or
"regresar" when speaking of a person returning to a location. Use "devolver"
to speak of an object that is being returned for a refund.
* Yo vuelvo a casa.
* Pepe devuelve la receta a la farmacia.
information within.
Preguntar and pedir: "Preguntar" means "to ask a question." "Pedir" means
"to ask for something (a favor, an object)."
* Yo pregunto a la paciente que tipo de seguro médico tiene.

(I ask the patient what type of medical insurance she has.)
* La paciente pide otro medicamento.
(The patient asks for another medication).
Using Two Verbs Together

Your Spanish will sound much more advanced once you are able to
combine two verbs. You will also drastically increase the number of things
you are able to communicate. You naturally combine verbs in English. For
example: "You need to fill out this form." "You should take this medicine
with water." "Can you return at 4:00?"
When you combine two verbs in Spanish, simply conjugate (change)
the first verb and leave the second verb in the infinitive. The first verb
will almost always be one of the following: deber, necesitar, poder,
querer, tener. THESE VERBS WILL HELP YOU OBTAIN IMPORTANT
INFORMATION FROM YOUR PATIENTS AND WILL ALSO ALLOW YOU
TO POLITELY TELL YOUR PATIENTS WHAT TO DO. Here are some
examples:
(deber) Usted debe tomar la medicina tres veces cada día.
You should take the medicine three times a (each) day.
(necesitar) Usted necesita tomar la medicina con agua.

You need to take the medicine with water.
(poder) ¿Puede usted volver a las cuatro?

Can you return at four?
(querer) Yo quiero explicar a usted esta medicina.

I want to explain to you this medicine.
(tener) Yo tengo que llamar a la doctora.

I have to call the doctor.
*When using the verb "tener" with another verb, you
must put "que" (pronounced "kay) after "tener."
information within.
The most polite way of making a request in Spanish is to use the word
"Pudiera..." [Could you (please)...]. Simply put an infinitive after it. Ex:
¿Pudiera llenar esta forma? Could you (please) fill out this form?
You can also use some very general expressions to express similar
sentiments. Again, just add an infinitive. For example:
(es necesario) Es necesario tomar toda la medicina.

It is necessary to take all of the medicine.
(es importante) Es importante no beber el alcohol con esta medicina.

It is important to not drink alcohol with this medicine.
(es posible) ¿Es posible recoger la receta hoy?

Is it possible to pick-up the prescription today?
El Futuro
There is a very easy way to express future plans in Spanish without
having to learn the future tense! The way that you are about to learn is so
accurate that it is not even considered cheating! In fact, you already do this
in English. Instead of saying "I will eat at 1:00," we normally say "I'm going
to eat at 1:00." The meaning does not change. In Spanish, simply use a form
of the verb " ir ", add the preposition "a" (to), and then add ANY VERB IN
THE INFINITIVE FORM. Examples follow. Can you determine what they
mean?
Yo voy a llamar al doctor.
Yo voy a usar la forma genérica de la medicina.
Yo voy a surtir la receta.
Ella va a pagar con un cheque.

Ella va a leer las direcciones.
Él va a comprar la receta para su madre.
¿Usted va a dar la medicina a su hijo?
El Pasado
There is also an easy way of expressing past actions in Spanish
(otherwise, you would have to learn BOTH past Spanish tenses! ). Again, we
information within.
do the same in English sometimes. For example, instead of saying "I took
the medicine," you can say "I have taken the medicine."
In Spanish, simply use either he (I have) or ha (you have/he has/she
has). "He" is pronounced "ay." "Ha" is pronounced "ah." Next, use the past
participle of ANY verb you wish to use. The past participle of the verb "to
take" in English would be "taken." Therefore, one would say, "I have taken
the medicine." To form the past participle in Spanish, simply take off the
infinitive endings and add either -ado (for -ar verbs) or -ido (for -er
and -ir verbs). Examples follow. See if you can determine what they mean.
Remember: -ar > -ado and -er / -ir > -ido
Yo he preparado la receta.
Yo he explicado la medicina a a la paciente.
Yo he hablado con el doctor.
Ella ha tomado la medicina.

Usted ha venido para comprar medicina para mi abuela.
Él ha seguído las direcciones.
¿Ha tenido usted estas síntomas antes?
Communicating Smoothly in Spanish

ASKING QUESTIONS IN SPANISH: This is accomplished by simply
reversing the order of the subject and verb:
Usted habla español. You speak Spanish.
¿Habla usted español? Do you speak Spanish?
ANSWERING QUESTIONS IN SPANISH: You can answer with a simple

" Sí " or " No." You could also begin the sentence with "Sí" or "No" and
follow it with the answer.
¿Habla usted español? Do you speak Spanish?
Sí, hablo español. Yes, I speak Spanish.
No, no hablo español. No, I don't speak Spanish.
MAKING A STATEMENT NEGATIVE:Simply put the word "no" before the verb.
Yo tomo la medicina. I take the medicine.
Yo no tomo la medicina. I don’t take the medicine.
Hablo español. I speak Spanish.
No hablo español. I don’t speak Spanish.
TAKE TEST 3 NOW.
information within.
LO BÁSICO
Yippee!! You're done with grammar!
Now let's get down to the basics!
Before we get to the very specific pharmaceutical terminology, you

must first learn the basics: greetings, courteous phrases, numbers, colors,
days, months, how to tell time, how to use question words, etc. So let's get
going!
Las Salutaciones Y La Cortesía

Greetings & Courtesy
Here you will find basic greetings and courteous phrases to help you
express your polite personality even in Spanish! I've also included some
phrases and questions to help you in tight situations!
English Spanish
Hello! ¡ Hola !
What's your name? ¿Cómo se llama usted?
What's his name? ¿Cómo se llama él?
What's her name? ¿Cómo se llama ella?
My name is... Me llamo...
Pleasure to meet you. Mucho gusto.
The pleasure is mine. El gusto es mío.
How are you? ¿Cómo está usted?
How is he? ¿Cómo está él?
How is she? ¿Cómo está ella?
Very well ! ¡ Muy bien !
Fairly well. Bastante bien.
Not good, I'm sick. Muy mal. Estoy enfermo.
And you? ¿ Y usted?
How old are you/ he/ she? ¿Cuántos años tiene?
How many months old is the baby? ¿Cuántos meses tiene el/la bebé?
I am ___years old. Tengo___ años.
and y
or o
Good morning. Buenos días.
information within.
Good afternoon. Buenas tardes.
Good night. Buenas noches.
sir / Mr. señor
m'am / Mrs. señora
Miss señorita
please por favor
thank you gracias
you're welcome de nada
I'm sorry. Lo siento.
Bless you. Salud.
Is there a problem? ¿Hay un problema?
It's not a problem. No es un problema.
It doesn't matter. No importa.
How wonderful! ¡ Qué bien !
How awful! ¡ Qué lástima !
Careful! ¡ Cuidado !
Look! Watch! ¡ Mire !
Listen up! ¡ Oye !
Help! (in danger) ¡ Socorro !
Help me, please. (calm request) Ayúdeme, por favor.
Of course. Claro.
One moment. Un momento.
Without a doubt! ¡ Sin duda !
I speak a little Spanish. Hablo un poco español.
Do you speak English? ¿ Habla usted inglés?
Slower, please. Más despacio, por favor.
Repeat, please. Repita, por favor.
again otra vez
What (did you say) ? ¿Cómo?
How do you say...? ¿Cómo se dice...?
Write it down, please. Escríbalo por favor.
What is it? ¿Qué es?
What does it mean? ¿Qué significa?
I don't understand. No comprendo.
I don't know. No sé.
Because... Porque.
Because of ... / Due to... Debido a...
Excuse me... Perdón...
information within.
Good-bye! ¡ Adiós !
See you later! ¡ Hasta luego !
See you tomorrow! ¡ Hasta mañana !
MORE BASICS
with con
without sin
Well… Pues...
for por / para
but pero
always siempre
never nunca
maybe tal vez
each/every cada
every time cada vez
before antes de
after después de
here (location) aquí
there (location) allí
deoderant el deoderante
soap el jabón
toothpaste la pasta dentífrica
shampoo el champú
dollar dólar
dollars dólares
cent(s) centavo(s)
LOS NÚMEROS
1 - 10: uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez
11-19: once, doce, trece, catorce, quince, dieciséis, diecisiete,
dieciocho,diecinueve
20-29: veinte, veintiuno, veintidós, veintitrés, veinticuatro, veinticinco,
veintiséis, veintisiete, veintiocho, veintinueve
30-39: treinta, treinta y uno, treinta y dos, treinta y tres, treinta y cuatro
treinta y cinco, treinta y seis, treinta y siete, treinta y ocho,
treinta y nueve
40 - 90: [ Follow the pattern for 30-39 ] cuarenta, cincuenta, sesenta,
setenta, ochenta, noventa
information within.
100-900: ciento, doscientos, trescientos, cuatrocientos, quinientos,
seiscientos, setecientos, ochocientos, novecientos
1.000 mil ** The decimal and comma are the
2.000 dos mil opposite in Spanish numbers.
1.000.000 millón
2.000.000 dos millón
1999 = mil, novecientos, noventa y nueve
There are 33 pills. Hay treinta y tres píldoras.
LOS COLORES
negro, bbllaannccoo,, gris, café, rosa , rojo, aam
maarriilllloo,, verde, azul,
violeta, anaranjado (orange)
LOS MESES
January - December (not capitalized in Spanish)
enero, febrero, marzo, abril, mayo, junio, julio, agosto, septiembre, octubre,
noviembre, diciembre
LOS DÍAS
(starting with Monday): lunes, martes, miércoles, jueves, viernes
sábado, domingo
QUESTION WORDS
VERY IMPORTANT WORDS TO LEARN!! YOU CAN USE THESE WORDS
ALONE TO GET INFORMATION WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO ASK
THE ENTIRE QUESTION.
Who? ¿ Quién ?
What? ¿ Qué ?
When? ¿ Cuándo ?
Where? ¿ Dónde ?
Where is …? ¿ Dónde está…?
Where’s the restroom? ¿ Dónde está el baño / la facilidad?
…OR ¿ Dónde están los servicios/los aseos?
Why? ¿ Por qué ?
information within.
Whose? ¿ De quién ?
How? ¿ Cómo ?
Which? ¿ Cuál ?
How much? ¿ Cuánto/a ?
How much is it (does it cost)? ¿ Cuánto cuesta ? OR ¿ Cuánto es?
How many? ¿ Cuántos/as ?
For how long? ¿ Hace cuánto tiempo ?
What time is it? ¿ Qué hora es ?
At what time? ¿ A qué hora ?
¿QUÉ HORA ES?

Let's answer that last question! When giving the current time, there
are certain steps for you to follow:
1. Start your sentence with " Son las... " unless you are closest to
one o'clock in which case you would say, " Es la..." If it is
3:20, you would start your sentence, "Son las..." However, if it
is 1:20, you would start your sentence, "Es la..."
2. State the NEAREST hour. If it is 4:15, you would begin your
phrase, " Son las cuatro..." However, if it is 4:45, you would
begin your phrase " Son las cinco..."
3. Connect the hour and the minutes with either:
" y " (and) or "menos" (minus). If it is the first half of the
hour (from one minute to thirty minutes past), then you will use
" y ." If it is the second half of the hour, you will use " menos."
Using the above examples, 4:15 would be "Son las cuatro y..."
4:45 would be "Son las cinco menos..."
4. Next, you need to state the number of minutes either after the
hour or before the hour that you stated (the latter will requiere
some math!). 4:15 would be "Son las cuatro y quince."
4:45 would be "Son las cinco menos quince."
5. Finally, add any descriptive phrases you'd like. You will find these
in the list below, along with some other helpful expressions you can
use when talking about time.
information within.
** Some Spanish speakers will use “para” when subtracting minutes from the next hour
and stating the minutes first. For example, instead of “Son las siete menos diez,” they
might say “Son las diez para siete,” which would translate to It’s ten till seven or it’s ten
of seven.
** There is an easier, more casual way of telling time. You can simply state the hour
and then add the number of minutes. For example, 4:50 could be stated Son las cuatro y
cincuenta.
** Many digital clocks in Spanish speaking countries and many schedules will display
military time. At 1:00 p.m., the military time would display 13:00 and so on until 24:00
which is midnight.
English Spanish
half (30 minutes ) past ...y media (or: y treinta)
quarter (15 minutes) past ...y cuarto (or: y quince)
quarter (15 minutes) until ...menos cuarto (or: menos quince)
on the dot ...en punto
a.m. ...de la mañana
p.m. (until ~6:00) ...de la tarde
p.m. (~6:00 until midnight) ...de la noche
midnight medianoche
noon mediodía
24 hours veinticuatro horas
hour(s) hora(s)
minute(s) minuto(s)
second(s) segundo(s)
day día
night noche
week semana
month mes
season estación
year año
now ahora
later más tarde
today hoy
tomorrow mañana
yesterday ayer
this weekend este fin de semana
information within.
next weekend el fin de semana que viene
next... ...que viene
last week la semana pasada
last... ...pasado/a
In Spanish, they do not say a.m. or p.m. to describe the part of day.
Instead, you will choose from: de la mañana, de la tarde, and de la noche.
Use de la mañana to talk about any morning hour from midnight to noon. De
la tarde refers to the afternoon hours. Depending upon what time supper is
eaten in each of the different Spanish speaking countries, de la tarde might
be used until 5, 6, 7, ,8 or 9 o’clock. De la noche is used from supper time
until midnight.
¿A qué hora?
When telling someone at what hour something will occur, follow the
exact same steps as above and use the same list of expressions to help you.
However, instead of beginning your sentence with "Es la..." or "Son las...", you
will begin your sentence with "A la..." or "A las..." Examples follow.
Paciente: Estoy aquí para recoger mi receta.

Farmacéutico: Su receta no está lista. (It's not ready.)
Paciente: Pues, ¿qué hora es?
Farmacéutico: Ahora, son las cuatro y veinte.
Paciente: ¿A qué hora necesito volver?
Farmacéutico: ¿Pudiera volver a las seis menos cuarto?
¿Qué Hora Es...?
12 12 12 12
9 3 9 3 9 3 9 3
6 6 6 6
TAKE TEST 4 NOW.
information within.
EL VOCABULARIO FARMACEÚTICO
Now let's get to the nitty gritty!
"The good news is that we have this medicine. The bad news
is that your insurance doesn't cover it and it costs 85 dollars!" Okay, since
you give the good news first, so will I!
The good news is that you will learn the specific terminology for your
field in this section and that many of them will look like and sound like the
words that you are used to using in English! The reason is because most
medical terminology comes from Latin. Almost all of Spanish comes from
Latin !
The bad news is that this is the longest, most detailed section in the
whole manual! There are many types of medicine and symptoms to learn.
This section is meant to be very comprehensive so that you can use it as a
reference section. It will be presented, when possible, in alphabetical order
in English.
PARTES DEL CUERPO

There are times when patients may speak of parts of the body where
they are experiencing pain or discomfort in order to seek your advice about
the proper medicine to take. Later, you will learn how to ask which parts
hurt, for how long, and what symptoms the patient has. For now,
concentrate strictly on the anatomy! This section will be presented so that
the Spanish words are in alphabetical order, since the patients will be telling
you what parts are causing them problems. This way, you can find the
English meaning more quickly. Remember, to make these parts plural, simply
add and -s (or an -es if the word ends in a consonant) !
Spanish English
abdomen abdomen
amígdalas / anginas tonsils
ano anus
boca mouth
brazo arm
cabeza head
cadera hip
canal urethra
information within.
cara face
codo elbow
corazón heart
costilla rib
cuello neck
cuero cabelludo scalp
dedo finger
dedo del pie toe
diente tooth
encías gums
espalda back
espinilla (de la pierna) shin
estómago stomach
frente forehead
garganta throat
hígado liver
hombro shoulder
ingle groin
labio lip
lengua tongue
mano hand
mejilla(s) cheek(s)
miembro penis
muela tooth/molar
muñeca wrist
muslo thigh
nalgas buttocks
nariz nose
narices nostrils
oído inner ear
ojo eye
oreja outer ear
pantorrilla calf
pecho chest
pene penis
pie foot
piel skin
pierna leg
information within.
pulmón lung
recto rectum
riñón kidney
rodilla knee
seno breast
testículos testicles
tobillo ankle
uretra urethra
vagina vagina
vejiga bladder
vientre abdomen (lower)
SOME RX BASICS
You will be learning more about giving directions, warnings, side
effects, names of medications, etc. in later sections. This section contains
very basic information to get you started.
English Spanish
bottle la botella
childproof lid la tapa a prueba de los niños
container el envase
easy-open lid la tapa que abre facilmente
entrance la entrada
exit la salida
form la forma
generic drug la medicina genérica
generic form of… la forma genérica de…
juice el jugo
label (that you put on the bottle) la etiqueta
milk la leche
name-brand drug la medicina de marca registrada
new prescription la receta nueva
overdose una dosis excesiva
poisoning un envenenamiento/una intoxicación
patient information sheet la hoja de información sobre la medicina
refill el surtido nuevo
restroom el aseo/el baño/la facilidad/el servicio
telephone el teléfono
information within.
El Seguro Médico / Medical Insurance
Insurance--the necessary evil! Here's how to speak about it in Spanish.
Do you have insurance? ¿Tiene usted seguro médico?
I need your insurance card. Necesito su tarjeta de seguro médico.
What type of insurance do you have? ¿Qué tipo de seguro médico tiene?
What is the policy number? ¿Cuál es el número de la póliza?
Any change in your insurance? ¿Algún cambio de seguro médico?
We don't accept this insurance. No aceptamos este tipo de seguro.
The insurance won't cover this drug. Su seguro médico no paga esta
medicina.
It only pays for the generic. Solamente paga la forma genérica.
Should we fill it without insurance? ¿Quiere que la surtimos sin seguro?
There's a problem with the insurance. Hay un problema con el seguro.
We're going to call the company. Vamos a llamar a la compañía de seguro
You need to call the company. Debe llamar a la compañía de seguro.
Frases Importantes / Important Phrases

May I help you? ¿Cómo puedo servirle?
Do you need help? ¿Necesita ayuda?
Calm down, please. Cálmese, por favor.
I'm speaking with the doctor. Estoy hablando con el/la doctor/a.
I have to call the doctor. Tengo que llamar al / a la doctor/a.
We don't have this drug. No tenemos esta medicina.
We have to order this drug. Tenemos que pedir esta medicina.
It contains the same ingredients. Contiene los mismos ingredientes.
Can you wait _#__ minutes? ¿Puede usted esperar _#_ minutos?
Can you return in _#_ minutes? ¿Puede usted volver en _#_ minutos?
Can you return at_(time)_? ¿Puede usted volver a la(s) (hora)__?
Can you return tomorrow? ¿Puede usted volver mañana?
You have to call your doctor. Tiene que llamar a su doctor/a.
You have to see your doctor. Tiene que ver a su doctor/a.
There’s only one refill left. Sólo queda un surtido nuevo.
The prescription is not ready. La receta no está lista.
The prescription will be ready___ La receta va a estar lista___
YOUR PRESCRIPTION IS READY! ¡ SU RECETA ESTÁ LISTA !
The prescription is ready for… La receta está lista para…(name)
information within.
Written Information/Patient Information
In addition to using these words and phrases orally, you can write
them on forms and/or signs. On the next two pages, you will find
reproducible signs/forms that you may use. Here are a few helpful phrases:
Consultation area las consultas

Pick-up prescriptions here. Puede recoger las recetas aquí.
Drop-off prescriptions here. Puede dejar las recetas aquí.
**Hands on Spanish grants permission to reproduce the next two pages to

use as patient information sheets in your pharmacy. Where the English
translations do not appear on the following patient information sheet, you
will find them in the actual text of this course.
information within.
Whenever possible, we fill prescriptions with
generic medications. They are less expensive
and are approved by the FDA. Please let us
know if you prefer namebrand medications.
Cuando sea posible, surtimos las recetas con

medicinas genéricas. Son más baratas y
aprobadas por la Administración de Medicinas y
Comestibles. Por favor, díganos si usted
prefiere las medicinas de marca registrada.
Confidential Patient Information Sheet

Hoja Confidencial de Información sobre el/la Paciente
________________________________________________________________
Please complete this form so that we can check your prescriptions against health conditions
and drug allergies. This information will remain confidential. It is your responsibility to
update this information. Thank you. Por favor, llene esta forma para que podamos
revisar sus recetas contra ciertas condiciones y alergias que usted tiene. Esta
información es confidencial. La responsibilidad de poner al día esta información es
suya. Gracias.
Patient's full name/el nombre completo ______________________________________

last/apellido first/nombre initial/inicial
Address/dirección_______________________________________________________
City/ciudad__________________ State/estado________ Zip code/zona postal_______
Home phone/número del teléfono de su casa ( )______________________
Work phone/número del teléfono de su trabajo ( )______________________
Date of birth/fecha de nacimiento __________/___________/___________

mes fecha año
Sex/sexo_________
D.L.# or S.S. #/número de su licensia de conducir /seguro social___________________
information within.
____________________________________________________________________
DRUG ALLERGIES/ALERGIAS A MEDICINAS
none /ninguna _______ codeína_______ medicamento a base de sulfa______

aspirina_______ eritromicina_______ tetracyclina______
cefalosporina_______ penicilina_______ other/otra ___________________
____________________________________________________________________
MEDICAL CONDITIONS/CONDICIONES MÉDICAS
____asma ____angina ____hipertensión/alta presión arterial

____glaucoma ____úlceras ____condición del tiroideo
____migraña ____cáncer ____condición del corazón
____epilepsia ____diabetes ____condición respiratoria
____está embarazada ____condición de la próstata
____le da de pecho ____otra(s)_____________
______________________
______________________
____________________________________________________________________
MEDICATIONS THAT YOU ARE TAKING/MEDICAMENTOS QUE ESTÁ TOMANDO
(...PRESCRIPTION & NON-PRESCRIPTION/...QUE NECESITA RECETA Y NO)
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
OTHER QUESTIONS/OTRAS PREGUNTAS
1. ¿Tiene usted una tarjeta de seguro médico? sí_____ no_____

(Por favor, dénos la tarjeta con esta forma.)
Do you have an insurance card? If so, leave it with us.
2. ¿Prefiere usted que surtamos la receta con la forma genérica? sí_____ no_____
Do you prefer generic drugs?
3. ¿Prefiere usted que pongamos una tapa a prueba de los niños? sí_____ no_____
Do you prefer a child-proof cap?
4. ¿Fuma usted? sí_____ no_____
Do you smoke?
5. ¿Toma usted el alcohol? sí_____ no_____
Do you drink alcohol?
La firma____________________________________ La fecha ____/____/____
information within.
Los Síntomas/Las Condiciones / Symptoms / Conditions
It’s vital that you be able to understand the symptoms that a patient
has. This section can be used as a reference when a Spanish-speaking
patient lists his/her symptoms for you. You can also use it to determine
what to ask of patients.
Let’s practice a few. If a patient gives you information, he/she will
use the first person (yo) form of the verb. If you ask a patient a question
about him or her (or even about someone else), you will use the third person
form of the verb (usted, él, ella). For example:
Yo.... Usted / Él / Ella...

Yo estoy embarazada. ¿Está usted embarazada?
I am pregnant. Are you pregnant?
¿Está ella embarazada?
Is she pregnant?
Yo estoy dándole de pecho. ¿Está usted/ella dándole de pecho?
I am breast-feeding. Are you/Is she breast-feeding?
Yo estoy contagioso/a. ¿Está usted/él/ella contagioso/a?
I am contagious. Are you/Is he/she contagious?
Yo estoy mareado/a. ¿Está usted/él/ella mareado/a?
I am dizzy. Are you/Is he/she dizzy?
Yo soy hemofíloco/a. ¿Es usted/él/ella hemofílico/a?
I am hemophilic. ¿Are you/Is he/she hemophilic?
Use the verbs above when talking about those conditions/symptoms.

However, for the rest of the conditions/symptoms that you will need to
know, you can use the verb tener (to have). You can simply ask, “¿Tiene
usted/él/ella ...?” and listen for, “ Yo tengo...” Here’s a sample dialogue
to illustrate the use of the extremely important verb tener.
Paciente: Estoy enfermo.

Farm: ¿Tiene usted dolor (pain) de cabeza?
Paciente: No. Tengo dolor del estómago.
Farm: ¿Tiene usted la acidez del estómago?
Paciente: No. Tengo la diarrea.
Farm: Usted debe tomar el Immodium A-D ®.
You see? You will ask the patient “¿Tiene usted...?” and fill in the blank
with ANY of the symptoms or conditions that follow. If the person
information within.
asking is not the patient, you will ask “¿Tiene ella...?” or “¿Tiene él...?”
and fill in the blank with ANY of the symptoms/conditions below. If the
answer/information comes directly from the patient, listen for, “(Yo)
tengo...” If it comes from someone else, listen for, “ Ella tiene...” or “Él
tiene...”
Yo tengo... Él tiene... Ella tiene...

¿Tiene él...? ¿Tiene ella...? ¿Tiene usted... ?
... (fill in with any of the following).
...Spanish ...English
...hambre ...hunger (hungry)
...sed ...thirst (thirsty)
...sueño ...sleepy
...frío ...cold (temperature)
...calor ...hot
...fiebre ...a fever
dificultad en respirar difficulty breathing
dificultad en caminar difficulty walking
dificultad en tragar difficulty swallowing
dificultad en ver difficulty seeing
dificultad en dormir difficulty sleeping
la fatiga fatigue
la somnolencia drowsiness
**dolor de...(add ANY body part) pain of the/ache in the (body part)...
dolor de cabeza headache
una migraña migraine
un calambre a cramp
dolor del estómago stomach ache
dolor menstrual menstrual cramps
la náusea nausea
diarrea diarhea
revuelto el estómago an upset stomach
OR trastorno estomacal
acidez del estómago heartburn
indigestión indigestion
los vómitos vomiting spells
information within.
el estreñimiento constipation
la intolerancia a la lactosa lactose intolerance
dolor de garganta sore throat
la bronquitis bronchitis
la amigdalitis tonsillitis
la influenza/la gripe flu
un resfriado / un catarro a common cold
los síntomas de alergias allergy symptoms
una tos a cough
la congestión congestion
mocosidad/moquera a runny nose
líquido en los ojos watery eyes
una boca seca dry mouth
úlceras en los labios coldsores
úlceras en la boca mouth ulcers/canker sores
un virus a virus
una bacteria a bacteria
una infección del tracto urinario a urinary tract infection
la orinación frecuente frequent urination
una infección del oído ear infection
hongos a yeast infection
el mareo dizziness/light-headedness
desmayos fainting spells
la debilidad weakness
un trastorno del sueño a sleep disorder
una pérdida de peso weight loss
un aumento de peso weight gain
poco apetito poor appetite
una cortada a cut
una herida a wound
una inflamación swelling / inflamation
una quemadura a burn
una quemadura de sol sunburn
una quemadura al orinar a burning during urination
una picadura a bite/sting
una picazón an itch
la tiña inguinal jock itch
el pie de atleta athlete’s foot
information within.
un callo a callus
una ampolla a blister
el acne acne
una erupción a rash
la varicela chicken pox
la asma asthma
la angina angina
el glaucoma glaucoma
la catarata cataract
la visión nublada blurred vision
la epilepsia epilepsy
úlceras ulcers
una quiste a cyst
el cáncer cancer
la SIDA AIDS
la artritis arthritis
la disentería dysentery
el trastorno de hiperactividad ADHD
...y un déficit de atención
la hepatitis hepatitis
la anemia anemia
la meningitis meningitis
una tos ferina whooping cough
las diabetes diabetes
un coágulo a blood clot
un nivel alto de colesterol high cholesterol
hipertensión/alta presión arterial high blood pressure
hipotensión/baja presión arterial low blood pressure
una condición del corazón a heart condition
un marcapaso a pacemaker
una condición del tiroideo a thyroid condition
una condición de la próstata a prostate condition
una condición respiratoria a respiratory condition
la enfermedad de los riñones kidney disease
la enfermedad de los pulmones lung disease
la pulmonía pneumonia
la enfermedad de Alzheimer Alzheimer’s disease
la enfermedad del corazón heart disease
information within.
la enfermedad de transmisión sexual STD
la enfermedad venérea venereal disease
la enfermedad del hígado liver disease
** “dolor de...” means “a pain/ache in/of the...” “Tengo dolor de cabeza,”

then, means “I have a headache/I have a pain in my head.” Sometimes you
will hear this instead: “Me duele la cabeza,” which means, “My head hurts.”
They both have the same meaning. I just want you to be able to recognize
them both!
Follow-up Questions
Some follow-up questions for you to ask once you determine a patient's
symptoms (and some words of advice) are:
¿Hace cuánto tiempo? For how long?

¿Es la primera vez? Is this the first time?
¿Cuándo fue la última vez? When was the last time?
Debe ver a su doctor/a. You should see your doctor.
Debe ir al hospital. You should go to the hospital.
¡ Llame nueve, uno, uno! Call 911 !
Debe tomar... You should take...(name medicine).
Efectos Adversos
Now that you know these conditions and symptoms, it will be easy to
tell your patients about side effects of any medication. Simply skim
through the list to see which symptoms might be possible, and say, " Esta
medicina puede causar..." (This medicine could cause...). Then, you will
simply fill in the blank with ANY symptom from the list above!
La Medicina
FINALLY! In this section, you'll learn the Spanish names of medications.
First, you will learn the drug preparations/routes. Next, it will be helpful to
learn how to say the different types of over-the-counter medicine. If you
do not see one listed, it is because it is referred to by the brandname (the
same as the English brandname). You can also use some of these when
talking about prescriptions.
information within.
DRUG ROUTES/PREPARATIONS
English Spanish
oral oral
orally por boca
topical tópica
vaginal vaginal
vaginally vaginalmente
capsule una cápsula
cream una pomada / una crema
drops unas gotas
elixir un elixir
injection una inyección
inhaler un inhalador
liquid una líquida
lotion una loción
lozenge una pastilla
nose drops unas gotas para la nariz
pill una píldora
powder un polvo
rectally rectalmente
spray un atomizador
suppository un supositorio
suspension una suspensión
syrup un jarabe
tablet una tableta
OTC (La medicina que no necesita receta) & other products

English Spanish
thermometer el termómetro
cough syrup el jarabe para el tos
cough drops las pastillas para el tos
nose drops unas gotas para la nariz
ibuprofen la ibuprofena
tylenol® el tylenol ®
acetaminophen el acetaminofén
aspirin la aspirina
cotton el algodón
bandage un vendaje
information within.
band-aid ® una curita
tape esparadrapo
antihistamine el antihistamínico
pseudophedrine la seudofedrina
decongestant el descongestionante
appetite suppressant el supresor del apetito
sleeping pill una medicina somnífera
vitamins las vitaminas
antacid el antiácido
oil el aceite
ointment el ungüento
calamine lotion la crema de calamina
hydrocortisone la hidrocortisona
hydrogen peroxide el peróxido de hidrógeno
rubbing alcohol el alcohol para fricciones
contraceptive un contraceptivo
condom un condón
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS (RECETAS) & DRUG CATEGORIES

Spanish English (if Spanish meaning unclear)
el albuterol
la ampicilina
los analgésicos
los anestésicos
la anfetamina
los antiácidos
los antibióticos
los anticonvulsivos
los antidepresivos
los antimaláricos
los antisépticos
los astringentes
la cafeína
los catárticos cathartics
los descongestionantes decongestants
los diuréticos
los eméticos emetics
los emolientes
information within.
el estrógeno
los esteroides
el fenobarbital
la insulina
los laxantes laxatives
los medicamentos para diabetes medications for diabetes
los narcóticos
la penicilina
las píldoras anticonceptivas birth control pills
los purgantes purgatives
los sedantes sedatives
los estimulantes stimulants
los medicamentos para Tiroide thyroid pills
los tranquilizantes tranquilizers
**Note: as you can see, most prescription medications go by the same name
in English and Spanish. There are many that do not appear on this list
because they are called in Spanish by the same brandname that they are in
English.
TAKE TEST 5 NOW.
DIRECCIONES
When advising patients on how to take medication, simply say, "Tome
usted..." or just “Tome…” and fill in the blanks with quantity and
frequency, telling them when and how to take it (use expressions in the
next three sections and make any necessary modifications using what you
have learned so far).
Tome… Take…
You will first need to tell the patient HOW MUCH to take:
Quantity/La Cantidad
una onza one ounce
dos onzas two ounces, etc.
...y media ...and a half
un cuarto de... a fourth of...
una tercera de... a third of...
la mitad de... a half of...
una cucharada one tablespoon
information within.
dos cucharadas two tablespoons
una cucharita one teaspoon
dos cucharitas two teaspoons
una gota one drop
dos gotas two drops
un gotero lleno one dropperful
dos goteros llenos two droppers full
un aplicador lleno one applicatorful
dos aplicadores llenos two applicators full
un litro a liter
un mililitro a milliliter
un gramo a gram
un miligramo a milligram
un cuarto de tableta ¼ tablet
una mitad de tableta ½ tablet
una tableta one tablet
dos tabletas two tablets
una píldora one pill
dos píldoras two pills
una cápsula one capsule
dos cápsulas two capsules
Frequency/La Frecuencia
una vez al día once daily
dos veces al día twice daily
tres veces al día three times daily
# veces al día # times a day
cada dos días every two days / every other day
una vez a la semana once weekly / once a week
dos veces a la semana twice weekly / twice a week
# veces a la semana # times a week
hasta que no hay más until gone
When? How?/ ¿Cuándo? ¿Cómo?

como dirigido por su doctor as directed by your doctor
si la necesite… as needed…
…para aliviar el dolor …for pain
por la mañana/tarde/noche in the morning/afternoon/evening
information within.
con las comidas with meals
con un alimento with food
después de las comidas after meals
antes de las comidas before meals
antes del desayuno before breakfast
después de la cena after supper
con el almuerzo with lunch
con las comidas with meals
entre las comidas between meals
en ayunas on an empty stomach
con agua with water
mezclada con un alimento mixed with food
mezclada con líquidos mixed with liquids
antes de acostarse before bedtime
cuando tenga...(dolor de, etc.) when you have...(pain, etc.)
cuando tome... when you take/eat/drink...
sólo cuando lo necesite only when you need it
cada cuatro horas every four hours
cada seis horas every six hours
por boca by mouth
ahora mismo right now
¿Por qué? Why?

para la toz for cough
para la infección for infection
para los nervios for nerves
para el estómago for stomach
para la artritis for arthritis
para la circulación for circulation
para relajar los músculos for relaxing the muscles
para aliviar el dolor for the aleviation of pain
para bajar su… in order to lower your…
…presión de sangre …blood pressure
…el nivel de azúcar en la sangre …blood sugar level
**As you can see, you can put almost anything after “para” which means “for”
You can list a body part, a symptom, a condition, a verb (aliviar = aleviate,
relajar = relax, bajar = lower), etc.
information within.
SKIPPING DOSES/OMITIRSE DOSIS
Si usted omite una dosis... If you skip a dose...
...tómela en cuanto se acuerde. ...take it as soon as you remember.
...espere hasta la siguiente dosis. ...wait until the next dose.
...no tome una dosis extra. ...don't take an extra dose.
STORAGE/ALMACENAMIENTO
Almacene usted esta medicina.... Store this medicine...
...al tiempo ...at room temperature
...en el refrigerador ...in the refrigerator
...fuera de la luz del sol ...out of direct sunlight
...fuera del alcance de los niños ...out of the reach of children
...lejos de altas temperaturas ...away from heat
...en un sitio seco ...in a dry place
…en un sitio fresco …in a cool place
Conserve en su envase original… Keep in original container…
…para evitar que pierda su potencia. …to prevent loss of potency.
OTHER DIRECTIONS/OTRAS DIRECCIONES

Aplique Apply
Aplique externamente. Apply externally.
Aplique en las areas afectadas. Apply to affected areas.
Aplique sobre la piel. Apply to skin.
Aplique a la herida. Apply to wound.
Inserte Insert
Échese Instill
Inyecte # unidades debajo de la piel Inject_#_U subcutaneously.
Póngase Put
Coloque Place (locate)
Mastique Chew
Aplique con masaje Massage into …
Friccione… Rub into…
Inspire dos aires. Take two puffs.
Rocie… Spray…
Rocie el polvo… Sprinkle powder…
Trague Swallow
information within.
Tráguela(s) entera. Swallow it (them) whole.
Haga gárgaras Gargle
Agite Swish
Escupa Spit
Expectore Expectorate
Póngala debajo de la lengua. Put it under your tongue.
Empiece Start
Diluya en agua. Dilute in water.
Disuelva Dissolve
Pare de tomar. Discontinue use.
Agítese bien antes de usarse. Shake well before using.
Cierre bien después de cada uso. Close tightly after each use.
OTHER DESCRIPTIONS/OTRAS DESCRIPCIONES

left izquierdo/a
right derecho/a
both ambos/as
each cada
liberally libremente
sparingly una pequeña cantidad
lightly ligeramente
OTHER WARNINGS/OTRAS ADVERTENCIAS

Evite usted el alcohol mientras que está tomando esta medicina.
Avoid alcohol while taking this medicine
No conduzca mientras que está tomando esta medicina.
Don’t drive while taking this medicine.
No tome aspirina sin saberlo su doctor.
Don’t take aspirin without your doctor knowing it.
No tome leche, antiácido o hierro dentro de una hora de tomar esta medicina
Avoid milk, antacids and iron one hour before taking this medicine.
Evite usted el sol mientras que está tomando esta medicina.
Avoid the sun while taking this medicine.
No tome esta medicina si está embarazada.
Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant.
Para uso externo solamente.
External use only.
information within.
Llámenos con preguntas o problemas.
Call us with questions or problems.
Llame a su doctor si tenga problemas.
Call your doctor if you have problems
Deje de tomar el medicamento si...
Stop taking the medicine if...
No use después de esta fecha: __
Don’t use after this date: __
No tome este medicamento al mismo tiempo como otros medicamentos.
Don’t take this medicine at same time as other medicines.
SAMPLE SIGS / DIRECTIONS:

These combinations of directions were requested by pharmacists who took
this course. We hope you find them useful!
Take two tablets Tome dos tabletas

…two times a day …dos veces al día
…with food …con alimento
…for seven days …por siete días
…in each month. …de cada mes.
…Skip three months. …No las tome por tres meses.
…Repeat. …Repita.
Take one tablet Tome una tableta

…three times a day …tres veces al día
…for seven days …por siete días
…until gone. …hasta que no hay más.
Then, take… Luego, tome…
TAKE TEST 6 NOW.
information within.
SPANISH FOR PHARMACISTS --- TEST QUESTIONS
TEST 1 -- PRONUNCIATION
Multiple choice:
1. How many different sounds does the vowel “a” make in Spanish?
a. five
b. one
c. three
d. two
2. There are four letters in the Spanish alphabet that are not in the English
alphabet. You would have noticed them when going through the pronunciation
section. Which of the following is not a letter in the Spanish alphabet?
a. ch
b. rr
c. ll
d. ã
3. What sound does the letter “h” make in Spanish?

a. “h” as in “hi”
b. “j” as in “jam”
c. it is silent
d. “o” as in “oak”
4. What sound does the letter “j” make in Spanish?

a. “h” as in “hi”
b. “j” as in “jam”
c. it is silent
d. “g” as in “George”
5. What sound does “ll” make in Spanish?

a. “l” as in “later”
b. “y” as in “yellow”
c. “r” as in “Roy”
d. “d” as in “ladder”
information within.
6. What sound does the letter “r” make in Spanish?
a. “l” as in “later”
b. “y” as in “yellow”
c. “r” as in “Roy”
d. “d” as in “ladder”
7. What sound does the letter “v” make in Spanish?

a. “v” as in “Victor”
b. “f” as in “far”
c. “b” as in “hub”
d. “m” as in “mine”
8. Which of the following correctly depicts how the word “universidad” would be
pronounced in Spanish? (the syllable that is bold is the stressed syllable)
a. “u-ni-ver-si-dad”
b. “u-ni-ver-si-dad”
c. “u-ni-ver-si-dad”
d. “u-ni-ver-si-dad”
9. Which of the following correctly depicts how the word “necesito” would be
pronounced in Spanish? (the syllable that is bold is the stressed syllable)
a. “ne-ce-si-to”
b. “ne-ce-si-to”
c. “ne-ce-si-to”
d. “ne-ce-si-to”
10. How will you know if a Spanish word does not follow the normal stress rules?
a. You will see this mark above it ^
b. You will see this mark above it `
c. You will see this mark above it ´
d. You will not know; you will have to learn each exception through
memorization
TEST 2 -- GRAMMAR Nouns and Adjectives

True / False:
T F 1. If a noun ends in the letter “a” in Spanish, it is most likely feminine.
information within.
T F 2. If a noun ends in the letters “o” in Spanish, it is most likely feminine.
T F 3. To make any noun plural in Spanish, simply add an “s” [for example:
ciudad (city) would become ciudads (citys) ]
T F 4. The articles “un,” “una,” “unos,” and “unas” all mean “the.”
T F 5. The article “el” is used with masculine nouns.
T F 6. All adjectives must agree in number and gender with their nouns.
T F 7. Descriptive adjectives come before nouns in Spanish (for example:

“nuevo carro” or “bonita chica”
T F 8. “Your prescriptions” in Spanish would be expressed “sus recetas”
T F 9. “Many prescriptions” in Spanish would be expressed “mucha recetas”

T F 10. “These prescriptions” in Spanish would be expressed “estas recetas.”
T F 11. “Those prescriptions” in Spanish would be expressed “estas recetas.”
T F 12. Pronouns take the place of adjectives.
T F 13. In Spanish, the pronoun for “he” is “el” with no accent on the “e.”
T F 14. The pronoun “yo” means “I.”
T F 15. The following sentence is written correctly (true or false?):

“Pepe está enfermo. Ella necesita una receta.”
TEST 3 -- GRAMMAR Verbs

Multiple Choice:
1. If a verb is conjugated it:

a. is in its pure “dictionary” form
b. has been changed to match the pronoun it needs to agree with
information within.
2. If a verb is in its infinitive form it:
a. is in its pure “dictionary” form
b. has been changed to match the pronoun it needs to agree with
3. The first person form of most verbs (the form that agrees with “yo”)
a. ends in an “a”
b. ends in an “e”
c. ends in an “o”
4. The third person form of most verbs that end in –ar (the form that agrees with
“usted,” “él” and “ella”)
5. The third person form of most verbs that end in –er (the form that agrees with
“usted,” “él” and “ella”)
6. Which of the following verbs means “to have” ?

a. tomar
b. tener
c. explicar
d. esperar
7. Which of the following verbs means “to wait” ?

a. tomar
b. tener
c. explicar
d. esperar
8. Which of the following verbs means “to explain” ?

a. tomar
b. tener
c. explicar
d. esperar
information within.
9. Which of the following verbs means “to take” ?
a. tomar
b. tener
c. explicar
d. esperar
10. Which of the following means “I fill” as in “I fill out a form”?

a. “Yo soy”
b. “Yo estoy”
c. “Yo lleno”
d. “Yo surto”
11. Which of the following means “I am” as in “I am tall”?

a. “Yo soy”
b. “Yo estoy”
c. “Yo lleno”
d. “Yo surto”
12. Which of the following means “I am” as in “I am sick”?

a. “Yo soy”
b. “Yo estoy”
c. “Yo lleno”
d. “Yo surto”
13. Which of the following means “I fill” as in “I fill this prescription”?

a. “Yo soy”
b. “Yo estoy”
c. “Yo lleno”
d. “Yo surto”
14. Which of the following corrrectly represents “I need to take my medicine.”?

a. “Necesitar tomo mi medicina.”
b. “Necesita toma medicina.”
c. “Necesito tomo mi medicina.”
d. “Necesito tomar mi medicina.”
15. How would you say “I don’t have insurance.”?

a. “No yo tengo seguro médico.”
b. “Yo no tengo seguro médico.”
c. “Yo tengo no seguro médico.”
d. “Nada yo tengo seguro médico.”
information within.
TEST 4 -- BASIC VOCABULARY
Multiple Choice:
1. Which of the following is not an appropriate way to greet someone in Spanish?

a. “¡ Hola ! ¿Cómo está usted?”
b. “¡ Buenos días !”
c. “¡ Hasta luego !”
d. “¿Cómo se llama usted?”
2. If you are having trouble understanding a Spanish speaker, which of the following
requests of that person would not help you?
a. “Más despacio, por favor.”
b. “Repita, por favor.”
c. “Más rápido, por favor.”
d. “Otra vez, por favor.”
3. Which of the following represents the number 2,539 ?

a. dos millón cincocientos treinta y nueve
b. dos mil cincocientos treinta y nueve
c. dos mil quinientos treintinueve
d. dos mil quinientos treinta y nueve
4. If a capsule were pink and purple, it would be

a. rojo y verde
b. rosa y violeta
c. rojo y violeta
d. rosa y verde
5. How would you say, “It will be ready Monday, July 24th .” ?
a. “Estará lista miércoles, el veinticuatro de junio.”
b. “Estará lista martes, el veinticuatro de julio.”
c. “Estará lista lunes, el veinticuatro de junio.”
d. “Estará lista lunes, el veinticuatro de julio.”
6. Which of the following means “How much?”?

a. “¿Cuándo?”
b. “¿Cuánto?”
c. “¿Cuál?”
d. “¿Como?”
information within.
7. Which of the following is not a way to say “It is 5:45.”
a. Son las cinco y cuarenta y cinco.
b. Son las seis menos cuatro.
c. Son las seis menos cuarto.
d. Son las seis menos quince.
8. Which of the following is not a way to say “It is 1:15.”

a. Son las una y cuarto.
b. Es la una y cuarto.
c. Es la una y quince.
9. Which of the following means “The prescription will be ready at 7:45.”

a. “La receta estará lista a las siete y cuarto.”
b. “La receta estará lista a las siete menos cuarto.”
c. “La receta estará lista a las ocho menos cuarto.”
d. “La receta estará lista a las siete menos quince.”
10. Which of the following means “at 3:30 p.m.”?

a. “a las tres y media de la mañana”
b. “a las tres y media de la noche”
c. “a las tres y media de la tarde”
d. “a las tres y treinta de la noche”
TEST 5 -- PHARMACEUTICAL VOCABULARY

Multiple Choice:
1. Which of the following would not be a complaint of a person who was suffering
from “el gripe”?
a. “Tengo fiebre.”
b. “Tengo una tos.”
c. “Tengo una erupción.”
d. “Tengo dolor del estómago.”
information within.
2. Which of the following would be a complaint of a person who was suffering
from “la varicela”?

from symptoms of “la indigestión”?

from symptoms of “una migraña”?
d. “Tengo dolor de cabeza.”
5. Which of the following over-the-counter medications would you recommend to a

patient suffering from “una picadura”?
a. aspirina
b. hidrocortisona
c. el antihistamínico
d. el antiácido

patient suffering from “dolor de cabeza”?
a. aspirina
b. hidrocortisona
d. el antiácido
information within.
patient suffering from “indigestión”?
a. aspirina
b. hidrocortisona
d. el antiácido

patient suffering from “mocosidad”?
a. aspirina
b. hidrocortisona
d. el antiácido
9. Which of the following would you ask a patient if you wanted to know if there had
been any change in his or her insurance since the last time he/she had a prescription
filled?
a. ¿Tiene usted seguro médico?
b. ¿Qué tipo de seguro médico tiene?
c. ¿Cuál es el número de la póliza?
d. ¿Algún cambio de seguro médico?
10. Which of the following would you say to a patient if he had to go in to see his doctor
before a prescription could be refilled?
a. Tiene que llamar a su doctor/a.
b. Tiene que ver a su doctor/a.
c. Tenemos que pedir esta medicina.
d. Tengo que llamar al / a la doctor/a.
TEST 6 -- PHARMACEUTICAL VOCABULARY

True / False:
T F 1. “Tome una tableta tres veces al día después de las comidas.”

means “Take one tablet three times a day before eating.”
T F 2. “Tome dos cápsulas cada dos días.”

means “Take two capsules every other day.”
information within.
T F 3. “Tome una cucharita y media dos veces al día.”
means “Take one and a half tablespoons full twice a day.”
T F 4. “Tome la medicina como dirigido por su doctor.”

means “Take the medicine only when you need it.”
T F 5. If a prescription is for cough, you would say

“Es para aleviar el dolor.”
T F 6. If a prescription is for high blood pressure, you would say

“Es para bajar su presión de sangre.”
T F 7. A patient missed her birth control pill and wants to know what
to do. You would say “Tómela en cuanto se acuerde.”
T F 8. You need to tell a patient to store some liquid medicine in the

refrigerator. You would say
“Almacene usted esta medicina al tiempo.
T F 9. To write “swish and spit,” you would need to write

“Agite y escupa.”
T F 10. “Evite usted el sol mientras que está tomando esta medicina”
means “Avoid alcohol while taking this medicine.”
information within.
CONCLUSION:
A FINAL NOTE:
Do not try to memorize all of this at once! You have learned an
incredible amount in a short period of time. Review a little at a
time and use the PDF printout as a reference. Practice as often
as possible on the job. You will learn then in the most natural of
ways: you will first learn those things that you say the most
often. You will be guided by necessity which is the most powerful
motivator! Also, do not be afraid to make mistakes; we learn
from them. Do not wait until your Spanish is perfect before you
practice. It will never get there without practice! Enjoy your
new language!
information within.
Presents the “Spanish for Pharmacists”
Audio Accompaniment Program
What is in the Audio Accompaniment?
It contains the Spanish pronunciation for everything that is presented in the live course . It
covers the entire content of the manual. It also contains the grammatical explanations and all
of the pharmaceutical terminology categorized.
It reinforces what you have learned. Use the audio program to increase your retention rate
from 30% (average from instruction alone) to 60% and higher.
Allows you to gain additional oral practice, which will improve your level of confidence when
using Spanish on the job. You can listen to it in the privacy and comfort of your own home.
Also, turn Drive time into practice time by listening to the program in your car. You can
practice at your pace and repeat any problem areas. You will have constant access to this
study aid.
What does it cost?
The cost of the Audio Program is only $49.99, plus $3.20 shipping and handling charges. The
program consists of five compact discs. The cost is the same for the cassette tape version.
How can I purchase the program?
Please mail a check or money order payable to:
Hands on Spanish
3600 Briscoe Dr, Suite 7
Monroe, GA 30655
or
Buy securly online with your Visa or Mastercard at:
http://www.handsonspanish.com/audioprogram.html
Please Select the Audio Format: Compact Disc ___ Cassette Tape _____
Number of Copies: _______
* Please allow 10 business days from the date we receive your order for shipment of the Audio Program.
information within.

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...AND CONTINUING EDUCATION.

SPANISH FOR PHARMACISTS

Author: Stephanie H. Langston

Educational Review Systems is approved by the American Council on

We at Hands on Spanish understand your hectic job. I personally worked as a

The key to sounding as authentic as possible is to keep the vowels short.

TAKE TEST 1 NOW.

LOS SUSTANTIVOS (NOUNS)

Masculine Nouns Feminine Nouns

singular el amigo la amiga

plural los amigos las amigas

Indefinite articles refer to non-specific objects: "un amigo"

singular un amigo una amiga

plural unos amigos unas amigas

singular amigo simpático amiga simpática

plural amigos simpáticos amigas simpáticas

singular amigo inteligente amiga inteligente

plural amigos inteligentes amigas inteligentes

Finally, a few adjectives end in a consonant, not a vowel. Therefore,

singular amigo español amiga española

plural amigos españoles amigas españolas

poco dinero poca comida

pocos amigos pocas amigas

singular mi amigo (my friend)

plural mis amigos (my friends)

If you want to state the name of the person to whom something

singular este amigo esta amiga

ese amigo esa amiga

plural estos amigos estas amigas

esos amigos esas amigas

IMPORTANT LITTLE WORDS

La Primera Persona Singular (yo)

Yo hablo means I speak. Yo como means I eat. Yo vivo means I live.

Hablo means I speak. Como means I eat. Vivo means I live.

La Tercera Persona Singular (usted, él, ella & "it" )

Él habla = He speaks. Él come = He eats. Él vive = He lives.

La muñeca habla.(The doll speaks.) El robot habla.(The robot speaks.)

Verbs That Have Similar Meanings

* Yo pregunto a la paciente que tipo de seguro médico tiene.

Using Two Verbs Together

(necesitar) Usted necesita tomar la medicina con agua.

(poder) ¿Puede usted volver a las cuatro?

(querer) Yo quiero explicar a usted esta medicina.

(tener) Yo tengo que llamar a la doctora.

(es necesario) Es necesario tomar toda la medicina.

(es importante) Es importante no beber el alcohol con esta medicina.

(es posible) ¿Es posible recoger la receta hoy?

Ella va a pagar con un cheque.

Ella ha tomado la medicina.

Communicating Smoothly in Spanish

ANSWERING QUESTIONS IN SPANISH: You can answer with a simple

Before we get to the very specific pharmaceutical terminology, you

Las Salutaciones Y La Cortesía

¿QUÉ HORA ES?

Paciente: Estoy aquí para recoger mi receta.

TAKE TEST 4 NOW.

PARTES DEL CUERPO

Frases Importantes / Important Phrases

Consultation area las consultas

**Hands on Spanish grants permission to reproduce the next two pages to

Cuando sea posible, surtimos las recetas con

Confidential Patient Information Sheet

City/ciudad____________ State/estado Zip code/zona postal_

Date of birth/fecha de nacimiento ____/_/_______

none /ninguna ___ codeína_ medicamento a base de sulfa____

asma angina hipertensión/alta presión arterial

1. ¿Tiene usted una tarjeta de seguro médico? sí_ no_

La firma________________________________ La fecha //