COVID-19 HPI [for ER Providers]

Medical Spanish Dialogues

Topic: COVID-19, History of Present Illness (HPI)

Target Audience: Emergency medicine clinicians (doctors, PA’s, or NP’s)

Format: Mainly yes/no questions, a few with short answers

Video Version

First, I’ll walk you through the medical Spanish phrases for COVID HPI in video form.

You can listen to the pronunciation, and quiz yourself as you go along.

(PS: This video is also available as a podcast. Details below)

Written Version

If you prefer, here’s the written version of COVID HPI in Spanish.

Note: Parentheses mean the word(s) can be left out, and the phrase should still make sense.

English	Spanish
(Did you^† come here because…)	(Vino aquí porque…)
You^† have COVID?	Tiene COVID?
You^† were exposed to (someone with) COVID?	Estuvo expuesto a (alguien con) COVID?
You’d like to be tested for COVID?	Se quiere hacer una prueba de COVID?
How many days (have you^† felt sick)?	Hace cuántos días (que se siente enfermo)?
Is it severe?	Es fuerte?
Mild?	Leve?
Moderate?	Moderado?
(Do you^† feel) worse now?	(Se siente) peor ahora?
Better now?	Mejor ahora?
The same?	Sigue igual?
Were you^† tested?	Le hicieron una prueba?
Was it positive?	Salió positiva?
How many days ago?	Hace cuántos días?
Where?	Dónde?
Did you^† have COVID previously?	Tuvo una infección con COVID antes?
When?	Cuándo?
Were you^† admitted to the hospital (at that time)?	Ingresó al hospital (en esa ocasión)?
Have you^† been vaccinated?	Se vacunó?
With which one (or which brand)?	Con cuál (o qué marca)?
How many injections?	Cuántas inyecciones?
When?	Cuándo?
Has anyone else (at home) been sick?	Otra persona (en la casa) ha estado enferma?
Mom? Dad?	Mamá? Papá?
Siblings? Children?	Hermanos? Hijos?
Were they tested for COVID?	Ellos se hicieron la prueba de COVID?
Was it positive?	Salió positiva?

†: Spanish translation of these phrases can refer to “you” (usted), “he” (él), or “she” (ella). This may be helpful when obtaining history from a parent or other family member.

Wrapping Up

Thanks for checking out my COVID HPI dialogue. You’ll probably find these medical Spanish translations particularly useful if you work as a provider in emergency medicine.

For additional medical Spanish dialogues, or to check out my podcast, see below. 🙂

The "Learn Medical Spanish" Podcast

To hear these medical Spanish dialogues as a podcast, subscribe on your favorite platform!

(You can also find it by searching “Learn Medical Spanish” on just about any app.)

Ben

Ben has been practicing as a physician assistant, or PA (similar to a doctor) in emergency medicine, family practice and urgent care since 2014. He became fluent in Spanish while living in Guatemala for 2 years, and now tries to help other healthcare professionals learn medical Spanish so they can care for their patients more effectively.