quimioterapia
/kimjoteˈɾapja/feminine
Chemotherapy in Spanish is quimioterapia.
The term refers to the chemical treatment used to kill or halt cancer.
Meaning: chemical treatment to kill or halt cancer (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word contains the prefix quimio-, which corresponds to the English prefix 'chemo-' and is derived from the Greek word for alchemy or chemistry.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a feminine noun, quimioterapia is preceded by the feminine article la (la quimioterapia) rather than the masculine el.
How do you pronounce it?
/kimjoteˈɾapja/
Did you know?
- The second half of the word, terapia, shares its roots with the Greek word for an 'attendant' or 'one who waits upon'.
- In Spanish medical settings, patients often refer to the process simply as la quimio, dropping the second half of the word entirely.
- While quimioterapia is the technical term, Spanish speakers may use the broader phrase tratamiento químico in casual conversation to describe the experience.
Examples in context
- La quimioterapia aflige mucho al cuerpo.Chemotherapy causes substantial damage to the body.This sentence shows how quimioterapia can affect the body.Tatoeba #2082250 by marcelostockle, translation #7917625 by fpp
- Muchos enfermos de cáncer pierden el pelo a causa de la quimioterapia.Many cancer patients lose their hair because of the chemotherapy.This sentence illustrates a side effect of quimioterapia.Tatoeba #755853 by Shishir, translation #744557 by darinmex
- Después del diagnóstico, el médico recomendó iniciar el tratamiento de quimioterapia lo antes posible.After the diagnosis, the doctor recommended starting chemotherapy treatment as soon as possible.
- El oncólogo describió los efectos secundarios comunes de la quimioterapia antes de comenzar el tratamiento.The oncologist described the common side effects of chemotherapy before starting the treatment.
- La quimioterapia es un tratamiento muy duro.Chemotherapy is a very hard treatment.
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are talking at a hospital.
- ElenaJavier, ¿cómo se siente tras la quimioterapia?Javier, how are you feeling after the chemotherapy?
- JavierMe siento muy cansado, Elena.I feel very tired, Elena.
- ElenaEs normal después de un proceso así.It is normal after a process like that.
- JavierSí, pero necesito descansar un poco.Yes, but I need to rest a little.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chemotherapy” translations and entries quimioterapia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries quimioterapia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
