Spanish Phrases Every Nurse Should Know Before Their Next Shift

Nursing is presence. It is the ability to walk into a room, assess what is happening, communicate what needs to happen next, and make a patient feel that someone is actually with them in that moment. When a patient speaks Spanish and a nurse speaks only English, that presence gets filtered through gesture, guesswork, and gap-filling that no healthcare professional should have to rely on.

This guide gives nurses the Spanish phrases they need across the full range of bedside interactions: assessments, procedures, medication administration, discharge instructions, and the small human moments in between that make the difference between a patient who feels cared for and one who feels alone in a clinical environment.

Why Spanish Matters at the Bedside

Spanish is the most spoken non-English language in the United States, and Hispanic patients are one of the fastest-growing patient populations across hospital systems, urgent care clinics, long-term care facilities, and community health centers nationwide.

The clinical consequences of language gaps in nursing are well documented. Patients with limited English proficiency experience higher rates of adverse events, longer hospital stays, lower medication adherence, and worse satisfaction scores. They are less likely to report pain accurately, less likely to ask clarifying questions, and more likely to leave appointments or discharge instructions without fully understanding what they were told.

Professional interpreters are the clinical standard for complex conversations. But nursing is also full of continuous, rapid, bedside moments where a phone interpreter is not practical and the interaction cannot wait. Having functional Spanish phrases means those moments do not become gaps.

Greeting and Introduction Phrases in Spanish

The first interaction with a patient sets the tone for the entire care relationship. These phrases help you open that conversation professionally and with warmth.

• Hello, my name is [name] and I am your nurse. → Hola, mi nombre es [nombre] y soy su enfermero/a.

• I will be taking care of you today. → Yo me voy a encargar de su cuidado hoy.

• How are you feeling? → ¿Cómo se siente?

• I am here to help you. → Estoy aquí para ayudarle.

• Do you speak Spanish? → ¿Habla usted español?

• Do you prefer to speak in Spanish? → ¿Prefiere hablar en español?

• I will get an interpreter if you need one. → Le conseguiré un intérprete si lo necesita.

• Please let me know if you need anything. → Por favor dígame si necesita algo.

• You are in good hands. → Está en buenas manos.

• We are going to take good care of you. → Le vamos a cuidar muy bien.

  
  

Pain Assessment Phrases in Spanish

Accurate pain assessment is one of the most critical nursing functions, and it is one of the areas most compromised by language gaps. These phrases help you gather the information you need directly from the patient.

• Where does it hurt? → ¿Dónde le duele?

• Does it hurt here? → ¿Le duele aquí?

• Point to where the pain is. → Señale dónde siente el dolor.

• On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your pain? → En una escala del 1 al 10, ¿cómo califica su dolor?

• Is the pain constant or does it come and go? → ¿El dolor es constante o va y viene?

• Is the pain sharp or dull? → ¿Es un dolor agudo o sordo?

• Does the pain move anywhere? → ¿El dolor se corre hacia algún lado?

• When did the pain start? → ¿Cuándo empezó el dolor?

• Does anything make the pain better or worse? → ¿Hay algo que mejore o empeore el dolor?

• Is the pain worse when you move? → ¿El dolor empeora cuando se mueve?

  
  

Vital Signs and Physical Assessment Phrases in Spanish

These phrases help you explain what you are doing during routine assessments so patients understand and cooperate rather than tensing up from uncertainty.

• I need to take your blood pressure. → Necesito tomarle la presión.

• I am going to take your temperature. → Le voy a tomar la temperatura.

• I need to check your pulse. → Necesito tomarle el pulso.

• I am going to check your oxygen level. → Le voy a revisar el nivel de oxígeno.

• Take a deep breath. → Respire profundo.

• Hold your breath for a moment. → Aguante la respiración un momento.

• Breathe normally. → Respire con normalidad.

• I need to listen to your heart and lungs. → Necesito escuchar su corazón y sus pulmones.

• I am going to press on your abdomen. Tell me if it hurts. → Le voy a presionar el abdomen. Dígame si le duele.

• Please roll up your sleeve. → Por favor súbase la manga.

• I need to check your blood sugar. → Necesito revisar su azúcar en la sangre.

• Please open your mouth. → Por favor abra la boca.

  
  

Medication Phrases in Spanish

Medication communication is a patient safety issue. These phrases help you explain what you are giving, why, and what the patient should expect.

• I am going to give you your medication. → Le voy a dar su medicamento.

• This medication is for your pain. → Este medicamento es para el dolor.

• This medication is for your blood pressure. → Este medicamento es para la presión.

• This medication is for your infection. → Este medicamento es para la infección.

• Take this with water. → Tómelo con agua.

• Do not eat before taking this. → No coma antes de tomar esto.

• This may cause drowsiness. → Esto puede causar somnolencia.

• This may cause nausea. → Esto puede causar náuseas.

• Are you allergic to any medications? → ¿Es alérgico/a a algún medicamento?

• Have you taken this medication before? → ¿Ha tomado este medicamento antes?

• I need to start your IV. → Necesito ponerle el suero.

• You will feel a small pinch. → Va a sentir un pequeño pinchazo.

• I am going to inject this into your IV line. → Le voy a inyectar esto en el suero.

  
  

Procedure and Care Phrases in Spanish

Narrating what you are about to do before you do it reduces patient anxiety and improves cooperation. These phrases help you communicate care actions clearly in real time.

• I need to change your bandage. → Necesito cambiarle la venda.

• I am going to clean the wound. → Le voy a limpiar la herida.

• This may sting a little. → Esto puede arder un poco.

• I need to draw some blood. → Necesito sacarle sangre.

• I need to insert a catheter. → Necesito insertar un catéter.

• Please stay still. → Por favor no se mueva.

• I need you to turn onto your side. → Necesito que se voltee de lado.

• Can you sit up for me? → ¿Puede sentarse?

• I am going to help you stand. → Le voy a ayudar a pararse.

• I need to check your incision. → Necesito revisar su incisión.

• I am going to remove the IV. → Le voy a quitar el suero.

• Press here with your finger. → Presione aquí con el dedo.

  
  

Medical History Questions in Spanish

These questions come up during admission, triage, and any time you need to build a clinical picture quickly.

• Do you have any medical conditions? → ¿Tiene alguna condición médica?

• Do you have diabetes? → ¿Tiene diabetes?

• Do you have high blood pressure? → ¿Tiene presión alta?

• Have you had surgery before? → ¿Ha tenido alguna cirugía antes?

• Are you currently taking any medications? → ¿Está tomando algún medicamento actualmente?

• Do you smoke? → ¿Fuma usted?

• Do you drink alcohol? → ¿Toma alcohol?

• Are you pregnant or could you be pregnant? → ¿Está embarazada o podría estar embarazada?

• When was your last menstrual period? → ¿Cuándo fue su último período menstrual?

• Do you have any allergies? → ¿Tiene alguna alergia?

• Has anyone in your family had heart disease or cancer? → ¿Alguien en su familia ha tenido enfermedades del corazón o cáncer?

  
  

Patient Education and Discharge Phrases in Spanish

Discharge instructions are one of the highest-risk moments in patient communication. Patients who do not understand what they were told are significantly more likely to return to the emergency department, miss follow-up appointments, or take medications incorrectly. These phrases help you close that gap before the patient leaves.

• The doctor has ordered that you... → El médico ha ordenado que usted...

• You need to rest for [number] days. → Necesita descansar por [número] días.

• Do not lift anything heavy. → No levante cosas pesadas.

• Keep the wound clean and dry. → Mantenga la herida limpia y seca.

• Change the bandage every day. → Cámbiese la venda todos los días.

• Take this medication [number] times a day. → Tome este medicamento [número] veces al día.

• Take this medication with food. → Tome este medicamento con comida.

• Do not drive while taking this medication. → No maneje mientras tome este medicamento.

• Your follow-up appointment is on [date]. → Su cita de seguimiento es el [fecha].

• Go to the emergency room if you experience... → Vaya a urgencias si experimenta...

• Call us if you have any questions. → Llámenos si tiene alguna pregunta.

• Do you understand these instructions? → ¿Entiende estas instrucciones?

• Can you repeat back what I told you? → ¿Puede repetirme lo que le dije?

  
  

Emotional Support Phrases in Spanish

Patients who are frightened, in pain, or facing serious diagnoses need more than clinical accuracy from their nurse. They need to feel that someone is present with them. These phrases take seconds to say and make a significant difference to a patient who is already in a vulnerable moment.

• I know this is difficult. → Sé que esto es difícil.

• You are not alone. → No está solo/a.

• We are going to take good care of you. → Le vamos a cuidar muy bien.

• Do not worry. → No se preocupe.

• Everything is going to be okay. → Todo va a estar bien.

• Your family can come in soon. → Su familia puede pasar pronto.

• Is there anyone you would like us to call? → ¿Hay alguien a quien le gustaría que llamáramos?

• I will be back to check on you shortly. → Regresaré a revisarle en un momento.

• Press the call button if you need anything. → Presione el botón de llamada si necesita algo.

• You are doing great. → Lo está haciendo muy bien.

  
  

How to Build These Phrases Into Your Nursing Practice

The nurses who communicate most effectively with Spanish-speaking patients are not necessarily the ones with formal Spanish training. They are the ones who committed to using what they know consistently in every patient interaction where it applies.

Start with the assessment phrases. Pain location, vital signs narration, and the comprehension check at discharge are the three highest-impact areas for patient safety. Learn those first and use them every time.

Keep a reference card accessible. A small laminated card with your most-used phrases, kept in your pocket or at the nurses station, gives you a quick lookup without breaking your clinical workflow.

Narrate before you act. The habit of saying what you are about to do before you do it, in the patient's language, is one of the simplest ways to reduce anxiety and build cooperation across every patient interaction.