December 16, 2022

Talking About Viruses in Spanish

14 minutes

In this lesson, we practice expressing the following in Spanish:

Getting a viral illness
Passing a viral illness to someone else
A positive test result
Being contagious

Many thanks to my Spanish teachers, Gloria from Mexico and Elizabet from Guatemala, for their help on this lesson! >> Take classes with Gloria and Elizabet,

Members! Take the Quiz, download the PDF, and ask questions for this lesson in our Spanish for Infections Course.

Common Viral Illnesses1:26

el virus respiratorio sincitial
el virus respiratorio sincicial (alternative, not in audio)
RSV, respiratory syncytial virus,

el Covid
Covid

la influenza
influenza

la gripe / la gripa
a bad cold, or flu

un resfriado
a cold

To catch a virus2:58

DAR
Me dio influenza.
Mi dio gripa.
I got the flu.

This is an example of using DAR as a reverse construction verb to express getting an illness or symptoms. See our free lesson covering this use of the verb DAR: DAR to Express Symptoms

PEGAR
Me pegó la influenza.
I got the flu.

In this example, PEGAR is also used as a reverse construction verb, just like DAR above

CONTAGIARSE DE
Me contagié de gripe.
Me contagié de influenza.
I got the flu.

Challenge Interpretation5:58

A la pobrecita de mi hija, le pegó el virus respiratorio sincitial en la guardería.
My poor little daughter got the respiratory syncytial virus at daycare.

la pobrecita de mi hija
my poor little daughter

la guardería
daycare

el virus respiratorio sincitial
RSV, respiratory sincitial virus

Internaron a mi abuela porque se contagió de Covid.
They admitted my grandmother because she got Covid.

internar
to admit

To transmit a virus8:37

To transmit a virus using PEGAR y CONTAGIAR to express transmitting a virus from one person to another.

Surprisingly, most Spanish speakers do NOT use the verb DAR in this way. DAR can be used to say you caught a virus (Me dio gripe.) but not that you transmitted a virus.

PEGAR

Mi hermano me pegó la influenza.
My brother gave me the flu.

CONTAGIAR (DE)

Mi hermano le contagió el Covid a mi abuela.
Mi hermano le contagió de Covid a mi abuela.
My brother gave my grandmother Covid.

Test Results10:25

Di positivo por / en / a la / de / para influenza.
I tested positive for influenza.

Positive refers to EL RESULTADO. It is like saying,
"I got a positive result." > “Di (un resultado) positivo. You will also hear, "Di positivo en la prueba de.... " Being Contagious12:08

Ser contagioso / contagiosa / contagiose
to be contagious

Todavía soy contagiosa.
I am still contagious. (woman)

No creo que sigas siendo contagiosa.
I do not think you are still contagious.

Note the use of the SUBJUNCTIVE following a statement of doubt. Learn more about this use of this subjunctive: Quiz #2 – The Subjunctive in Noun Clauses. Related Lessons

Flu Symptoms in Spanish
Runny Nose in Spanish
Symptoms of COVID-19 in Spanish
Symptoms of the Ears, Nose, Throat, and Chest in Spanish

Member? Complete the Upper Respiratory Infections module in our Spanish for Infections course.

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By Molly Martin, MD

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