marcapasos
/maɾkaˈpasos/
The English phrase cardiac pacemaker is translated into Spanish as marcapasos.
marcapasos refers to a small medical device implanted in the chest to help control the heartbeat.
Which one should you use?
While marcapasos is the standard term, Marcapasos cardíaco is a more formal way to express the full phrase and Estimulador cardíaco is an alternative formal term used specifically in Spain.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, you may encounter the formal term Estimulador cardíaco.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word marcapasos is invariant in form for both singular and plural use. To indicate whether you are talking about one or many, you must rely on the accompanying article, such as el marcapasos for one or los marcapasos for several.
How do you pronounce it?
/maɾkaˈpasos/
Did you know?
- Beyond medicine, marcapasos is used in sports and music to describe a person or device that sets the tempo for others to follow.
- The term marcapasos is a linguistic calque, meaning it was constructed by translating the English word 'pacemaker' literally into Spanish. It is a direct structural copy of the English concept rather than a word with independent Spanish roots.
- The components of the word, marca and pasos, behave like a single unit where the first part acts as an action. It literally describes a device that 'marks the steps' or 'marks the pace' of the heart's rhythm.
Examples in context
- El paciente recibió un marcapasos cardíaco para regular su ritmo cardíaco.The patient received a cardiac pacemaker to regulate their heart rhythm.
- Mi abuelo tiene un marcapasos, ¡y eso le permite llevar una vida activa!My grandfather has a pacemaker, and it allows him to lead an active life!
- El médico le implantó un marcapasos.The doctor implanted a pacemaker in him.
- Necesito revisar el funcionamiento del marcapasos.I need to check how the pacemaker is working.
- El paciente tiene un marcapasos moderno.The patient has a modern pacemaker.
Example conversation
At a hospital following a medical procedure.
- María¿Cómo está el abuelo después de la cirugía?How is grandfather after the surgery?
- JavierEstá bien, ya le pusieron el marcapasos.He is fine, they already gave him the pacemaker.
- MaríaQué bueno, me alegra mucho saberlo.That's good, I am very glad to know that.
- JavierSí, ahora su corazón está estable.Yes, now his heart is stable.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry marcapasos, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries marcapasos, CC BY-SA 4.0.
