coronavirus
/koɾonaˈbiɾus/masculine
The English word 'coronavirus' is translated into Spanish as coronavirus.
coronavirus refers to a member of the family Coronaviridae. While coronavirus is widely used in formal Spanish conversations, the term SARS-CoV-2 is the official name used in scientific or medical contexts and COVID-19 is the official term used by international health organizations.
Meaning: member of the family Coronaviridae (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, you might encounter the terms el coronavirus or el Covid in casual conversations. In Mexico, people often refer to the virus as corona.
How does it change in a sentence?
coronavirus is a masculine noun, so it is preceded by the masculine article el.
How do you pronounce it?
/koɾonaˈbiɾus/
Did you know?
- The word corona means 'crown' in Spanish, reflecting the crown-like spikes of the virus's proteins.
- In Spanish-language news broadcasts, you will often hear a distinction between el virus and la enfermedad, even though they are used interchangeably in English.
- In several Latin American dialects, the pronunciation of the 'v' in coronavirus is often very similar to a 'b', making it sound like 'coronabirus'.
Examples in context
- Hay una nueva variante de coronavirus.There is a new coronavirus variant.This sentence is useful for discussing a new variant of coronavirus.Tatoeba #10569235 by Seael, translation #10569038 by Hybrid
- Trump llama al coronavirus "el virus chino".Trump calls the coronavirus the "Chinese virus."This sentence is useful for showing how someone refers to coronavirus.Tatoeba #8651519 by diegohn, translation #8630835 by soliloquist
- España se tambalea ante la embestida del coronavirus.Spain is reeling under the onslaught of the coronavirus.This sentence is useful for describing the impact of coronavirus on a country.Tatoeba #10021242 by manufrutos, translation #8637188 by Hybrid
- Estoy preocupado/a por el coronavirusI am worried about the coronavirus
- ¿Has escuchado hablar del Covid-19?Have you heard about COVID-19?
- El gobierno está tomando medidas para controlar la propagación del virusThe government is taking measures to control the spread of the virus
- ¿Sabes cómo prevenir la enfermedad?Do you know how to prevent the disease?
- Me he vacunado contra el coronavirusI have been vaccinated against the coronavirus
- Es importante mantener la distancia socialIt is important to maintain social distance
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are discussing news about a recent outbreak.
- Mateo¿Has leído sobre el nuevo coronavirus?Have you read about the new coronavirus?
- SofíaSí, es una noticia muy preocupante.Yes, it is very worrying news.
- MateoEspero que no sea algo grave.I hope it is nothing serious.
- SofíaOjalá, tendré que seguir las noticias.I hope so, I will have to follow the news.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coronavirus” translations and entries coronavirus, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
