alergia
/aˈleɾxja/feminine
The English word 'allergy' is alergia in Spanish.
alergia is a feminine noun used to describe a disorder of the immune system.
Meaning: disorder of the immune system (noun)
Which one should you use?
While alergia is the standard noun, you can also use the adjective alérgico (masculine) or alérgica (feminine) to describe a person who is allergic.
How does it change in a sentence?
When stating what you are allergic to, the noun alergia is followed by the preposition a. For example, you would say alergia a… to mean 'allergy to…'.
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈleɾxja/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying alergia de when you mean 'allergy to'. English speakers often mistakenly use the preposition de instead of a in this context.
Did you know?
- The word alergia entered the Spanish language through a detour, being borrowed from the German word Allergie rather than directly from Greek or Latin.
- While English uses 'allergy' as a noun, Spanish speakers often use the verb dar to describe the experience, saying me da alergia to mean 'it gives me an allergy'.
- In Spanish, the word alergia is often used colloquially to describe a strong dislike or intolerance for a person or a situation, similar to saying 'I'm allergic to your attitude'.
Examples in context
- Tengo alergia a la leche.I have an allergy to milk.This sentence shows how to use alergia to express an allergy to a specific food.Tatoeba #1702904 by marcelostockle, translation #32221 by CK
- ¿Puede recomendarme algún buen medicamento efp contra la alergia?Can you recommend a good over-the-counter allergy medicine?This sentence demonstrates asking for medication related to alergia.Tatoeba #7014174 by arh, translation #7010729 by CK
- ─¿Y ahora qué te da alergia? ¿Es el aceite de oliva de la ensalada? ─No, es el tomate."What's the reason for your allergy this time? Is it the olive oil in the salad?" "No, it's the tomatoes."This conversation shows how to ask about the cause of an alergia.Tatoeba #4637613 by lawka, translation #3771182 by Eldad
- Tengo una alergia al polen.I have an allergy to pollen.
- La hipersensibilidad alimentaria puede ser peligrosa.Food hypersensitivity can be dangerous.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Daniel are eating at a restaurant.
- Sofía¿Tienes alguna alergia alimentaria, Daniel?Do you have any food allergy, Daniel?
- DanielNo, no tengo ninguna alergia.No, I don't have any allergy.
- SofíaQué bueno, porque este plato tiene mucho ajo.That's good, because this dish has a lot of garlic.
- DanielPerfecto, me encanta el sabor del ajo.Perfect, I love the flavor of garlic.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “allergy” translations and entries alergia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alergia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
