You're sweating. Your head thumps like a drum. Maybe you’re sitting in a pharmacy in Madrid or a clinic in Mexico City, and the one word you need is slipping through your fingers. It’s frustrating. It's actually a bit scary when you can’t describe how your body feels. If you want to know how do you say fever in Spanish, the short answer is fiebre.
But language isn't just a dictionary entry.
Real life is messier than a vocabulary list. If you tell a doctor "Tengo fiebre," they’ll understand you, sure. But what if it’s just a low-grade temperature? What if your kid is "burning up"? There are nuances to health talk that textbooks usually skip because they’re too busy teaching you how to order a taco or find the library.
Getting the Basics Right: Fiebre and Calentura
The most common way to say fever is la fiebre. It’s universal. From Spain to Argentina, everyone knows it. You use it with the verb tener (to have). So, "Tengo fiebre" means "I have a fever." Simple.
But here’s where it gets interesting. In many parts of Latin America, especially Mexico and Central America, you’ll hear people use the word calentura.
Now, be careful.
In a medical context, calentura often refers to a mild fever or a "raised temperature" that hasn't quite hit the "call the doctor" stage yet. However, in some regions, calentura can also have a slang connotation related to... well, being "heated" in a romantic sense. If you're at the doctor, stick to fiebre to be safe, but don't be shocked if the nurse asks if you've had calentura. Context is everything.
Knowing the Degrees of Heat
Sometimes you don't have a full-blown fever. You just feel "feverish." In Spanish, that’s febrícula. It’s a great word. It specifically describes that annoying low-grade fever, usually between 37.5°C and 38°C (around 99.5°F to 100.4°F).
If you want to describe the sensation of being feverish without using a noun, you can say estoy febril. It sounds a bit more formal, almost like something you’d read in a medical report.
Then there’s the casual way. "I think I have a temperature." In English, we say "a temperature" to imply a high one. In Spanish, you’d say, "Tengo temperatura." It’s a bit of a linguistic shorthand. Technically, everyone has a temperature, but in a pharmacy, they know exactly what you mean.
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The Symptoms That Tag Along
A fever rarely travels alone. It brings friends. Usually unwelcome ones. If you’re trying to explain your situation to a pharmacist (un farmacéutico), you’ll need a few more words to paint the full picture.
- Escalofríos: These are the chills. You know, that uncontrollable shivering even when you’re buried under three blankets. "Tengo escalofríos" is a vital phrase.
- Sudores: Sweats. If the fever is breaking, you might be drenched.
- Dolor de cuerpo: Body aches. This is that heavy, leaden feeling in your limbs.
- Cansancio: Fatigue. Just pure, unadulterated exhaustion.
Honestly, the most important thing is being able to say how long it has lasted. "Desde hace dos días" (For two days). Timing matters to doctors. They need to know if this is a quick virus or something that’s digging in for the long haul.
Measuring the Heat
Spanish-speaking countries use Celsius. If you tell a Spanish doctor your temperature is 102, they might think you’re actually an alien or currently boiling alive.
37 degrees Celsius is normal.
38 degrees is a fever.
39 degrees is "Get the ibuprofen now."
40 degrees is a genuine emergency.
If you’re using a thermometer (un termómetro), you might say, "El termómetro marca treinta y ocho punto cinco." (The thermometer reads 38.5). Knowing these numbers saves lives. Or at least saves a lot of confusion.
Cultural Nuances: How People Talk About Being Sick
In many Spanish-speaking cultures, there’s a heavy emphasis on "el sereno" or "el frío." You’ll often hear grandmothers (abuelas) warn that you got a fever because you walked barefoot on a cold floor or went outside with wet hair.
Whether or not the science holds up, the language reflects this.
You might hear someone say, "Le dio un aire," which literally means "an air gave it to him/her," implying a sudden chill caused the illness. While you don't need to believe in the "evil air" to speak the language, understanding that people view cold as a direct precursor to la fiebre helps you navigate conversations with locals.
Also, expect people to be very involved. If you have a fever in a small town in Spain or Colombia, everyone will have a remedy. "Tómate un té de manzanilla" (Drink some chamomile tea) or "Pon any paños de agua fría" (Apply cold water cloths). It’s coming from a place of care.
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When to Seek Help: The "Urgencias" Vocabulary
If the fever gets too high, you need the ER. In Spanish, this is Urgencias.
Don't look for a sign that says "Emergencias" in Spain; it's almost always Urgencias. In Latin America, both are used.
When you get there, you need to be direct.
"Mi hijo tiene mucha fiebre." (My son has a high fever.)
"No baja la fiebre." (The fever isn't going down.)
This last one is crucial. If you've taken medicine and the number is still climbing, you need to communicate that failure. Use the verb bajar (to go down/lower).
Medications You'll Encounter
Most people reach for the same stuff we do, but the names change slightly.
- Paracetamol: This is the go-to. In the US, we call it Acetaminophen (Tylenol). In the rest of the world, it’s Paracetamol.
- Ibuprofeno: Same thing, just spelled with an 'o' at the end.
- Antipirético: This is the fancy medical term for any "fever-reducer."
Most pharmacies in Spain or Mexico are "Farmacias de guardia," meaning there's always one open 24/7 in the neighborhood. Look for the glowing green cross. If you see that cross, help is inside.
Why "Fiebre" Matters Beyond the Flu
Interestingly, fiebre is used metaphorically all the time. Just like we have "Bieber Fever" or "Saturday Night Fever," Spanish speakers use it to describe an obsession or a craze.
"La fiebre del fútbol" isn't a medical condition—it’s just the World Cup happening.
"Tiene la fiebre del oro" means someone has gold fever.
So, if you hear someone talking about a fever in a stadium, don't call an ambulance. They’re just excited.
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A Quick Word on "Estar" vs "Tener"
English speakers always mess this up. We say "I am sick."
In Spanish, you have a fever (Tener fiebre), but you are sick (Estar enfermo).
If you say "Soy fiebre," you're saying "I am a fever," which sounds like you’re a character in a weird avant-garde play. Stick to Tengo. It’s safer. It's correct.
Real-World Practice
Imagine you’re calling into work.
"Hola, no puedo ir hoy. Tengo mucha fiebre y me duele todo el cuerpo."
(Hi, I can't go in today. I have a high fever and my whole body hurts.)
That’s it. Short, sweet, and effective. You don't need a PhD in Spanish linguistics to get your point across. You just need the right nouns and a bit of confidence.
Your Actionable Health Checklist in Spanish
If you’re feeling under the weather right now, or preparing for a trip, do these three things:
- Download a Celsius to Fahrenheit converter. Or just remember that 38°C is the "danger zone" start.
- Learn your "Tengo" phrases. Tengo fiebre, tengo frío, tengo dolor. It’s the Swiss Army knife of medical Spanish.
- Locate the "Farmacia de guardia." If you're traveling, Google Maps this immediately so you aren't wandering the streets at 3 AM with a headache.
Language is a tool. When you're sick, it's a survival tool. Knowing how do you say fever in Spanish is the first step, but knowing how to describe the "escalofríos" and the "cansancio" is what actually gets you the help you need.
Stay hydrated. Bebe mucha agua. ---
Next Steps for Your Health Vocabulary:
- Check your travel insurance to see which clínicas are covered in your destination.
- Save a note on your phone with your allergies translated into Spanish (e.g., "Soy alérgico a la penicilina").
- Purchase a digital thermometer that can toggle between Celsius and Fahrenheit to avoid doing mental math while you have a headache.