You're standing in a pharmacy in Madrid or maybe a clinic in Mexico City, and your stomach is doing backflips. You need to tell someone you threw up in Spanish, but your brain freezes. Most people reach for a literal translation and end up saying something that sounds like a textbook from 1950.
Language isn't just about vocabulary. It’s about not sounding like a robot when you’re literally losing your lunch. Honestly, the way you say you're sick depends entirely on who you are talking to—your doctor, your mother-in-law, or the guy cleaning the floor at the train station.
The Most Common Way to Say Threw Up in Spanish
The heavy hitter is vomitar. It’s universal. Every Spanish speaker on the planet knows exactly what you mean when you say, "Vomité." It’s clinical, it’s direct, and it’s accurate. But let’s be real: how often do you use the word "vomit" in English when you're hanging out with friends? You probably say "puked," "got sick," or "tossed my cookies." Spanish has the same layers of nuance.
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If you want to sound more like a native and less like a Rosetta Stone recording, you need to use the phrase devolver. It literally translates to "to return," which is a pretty polite way of describing the situation. When a mother tells a pediatrician that her toddler threw up in Spanish-speaking households, she’ll often say, "El niño devolvió."
Regional Variations You Might Not Know
Language is regional. In Spain, you might hear someone say they have "ganas de vomitar," which is the precursor—the nausea. But if the deed is already done, they might use echar las papas. This is very informal. It’s the equivalent of saying you "tossed your potatoes." Use this with friends at a bar, but maybe not with your boss.
In parts of Latin America, specifically Mexico, you might encounter guacarear. It’s onomatopoeic. It sounds like the noise one makes during the act. It’s visceral. It’s gross. It’s perfect for describing a rough night after too many street tacos or a bad bout of food poisoning.
Why Context Matters More Than Grammar
Think about the physical sensation of being ill. You're dizzy. Your throat hurts. You aren't thinking about verb conjugations. However, if you use the wrong word, you might accidentally tell a doctor you "returned" a gift at a store instead of returning your dinner to the earth.
- Vomitar: Safe for all settings.
- Devolver: Common, slightly more "polite" or indirect.
- Trasbocar: You’ll hear this in some rural areas or older generations; it’s a bit old-school.
- Echar: Sometimes people just say "Eché todo," meaning "I threw it all up."
If you’re at a pharmacy, keep it simple. "He vomitado" (I have vomited) works in Spain, while "Vomité" (I vomited) is more common in the Americas. Don't overcomplicate it. When you're sick, brevity is your best friend.
The Nuance of "Sentirse Mal"
Sometimes you don't need to be graphic. If you just feel like you're about to have an incident where you threw up in Spanish, you can say "Estoy revuelto" or "Tengo el estómago revuelto." This means your stomach is "scrambled" or upset. It’s a great way to signal that things are heading south without going into the gory details.
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Medical professionals will often ask if you have náuseas. This is a cognate, so it's easy to remember. But if the actual event happened, they will ask about emesis (the medical term) or simply ask, "¿Hubo vómito?" (Was there vomit?).
Cultural Attitudes Toward Getting Sick
In many Spanish-speaking cultures, there is a very specific focus on "el frío." You’ll often hear that you got sick because you walked barefoot on a cold floor or because you drank something too cold while you were sweating. While modern medicine might disagree with these old-wives' tales, acknowledging them can actually help you navigate a conversation with a local pharmacist or an older host.
If you tell someone you threw up in Spanish, they might ask if you ate something "pesado" (heavy). Fat, grease, and late-night meals are usually blamed long before a virus is considered.
The Survival Phrases You Actually Need
If you're in the middle of a crisis, you don't need a paragraph. You need these:
- "¡Me siento mal!" (I feel bad!)
- "Voy a vomitar." (I am going to throw up.)
- "¿Dónde está el baño?" (Where is the bathroom?)
- "Necesito una bolsa." (I need a bag.)
It sounds basic. It is basic. But when your adrenaline is spiking and your stomach is cramping, these are the only words that will come out.
Actionable Steps for the Next Time You're Sick Abroad
If you find yourself in a situation where you've threw up in Spanish, don't panic about the perfect word. Start with vomitar and let the listener guide the rest of the conversation.
If you are looking for relief at a farmacia, ask for something for "el asco" or "la náusea." In many Spanish-speaking countries, pharmacists have more leeway to recommend medications than they do in the US or UK. They might suggest a "suero" (an electrolyte drink like Pedialyte) to keep you hydrated.
- Step 1: Identify your setting. If it's formal, stick to vomitar or devolver.
- Step 2: Use the past tense. "Vomité" is the most useful form of the verb you will ever learn in a crisis.
- Step 3: Describe the cause if you can. "Fue la comida" (It was the food) or "Tengo gripe" (I have the flu).
- Step 4: Rehydrate. Ask for "Suero oral." It's the gold standard for recovery in Latin America and Spain.
Understanding these distinctions does more than just help you communicate a physical symptom. It shows a level of cultural immersion that goes beyond the classroom. You aren't just a tourist with a stomach ache; you're someone who understands the subtle ways people express discomfort and care for one another in a different language.
Focus on the "suero," stay near a bathroom, and remember that devolver is your most polite bet for explaining why you missed that dinner invitation.