medir la glucosa
/mediɾ la ɡlukosa/from spelling rules
To check blood sugar in Spanish is to medir la glucosa.
This phrase is used to describe testing the amount of glucose in the blood using a medical device. While medir la glucosa is the precise medical term, you may also hear revisar el azúcar en la sangre used as a common, more colloquial way to express the same idea. In clinical or formal medical settings, it is very common to include the word 'nivel' (level) to say medir el nivel de glucosa, meaning 'to measure the glucose level'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb medir (to measure) and the noun phrase la glucosa (the glucose).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the terms chequear and checar are often used to mean 'check'.
How do you pronounce it?
/mediɾ la ɡlukosa/
Did you know?
- In some regions, the phrase might be shortened even further to simply el piquete, which refers to the 'prick' or the sting of the needle rather than the act of measuring the sugar.
- In some regions, people use azúcar (sugar) as a shorthand for the entire condition of diabetes, saying someone tiene el azúcar alta to mean their blood glucose is high.
- The verb medir shares a common ancestor with the English word 'measure', both tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root *meh₁-.
Examples in context
- Juanita, una persona con diabetes, le pide a su amiga Gabriela que le ayude a medirle el azúcar en la sangre.Juanita, a person with diabetes, asks her friend Gabriela to help her measure her blood sugar.
- Necesito medir la glucosa antes de comer.I need to check my blood sugar before eating.
- El doctor me dijo que debo medir la glucosa a diario.The doctor told me I must check my blood sugar daily.
- Es importante medir la glucosa después de hacer ejercicio.It is important to check blood sugar after exercising.
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are at home in the morning.
- Elena¿Te sientes bien, Alejandro?Are you feeling okay, Alejandro?
- AlejandroSí, pero tengo que medir la glucosa primero.Yes, but I have to check my blood sugar first.
- ElenaEstá bien, yo te traigo el glucómetro.Okay, I will bring you the glucose meter.
- AlejandroMuchas gracias, Elena.Thank you very much, Elena.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries la, medir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
