enfermedad degenerativa
/enfeɾmedad dexeneɾatiba/from spelling rules
To say degenerative disease in Spanish, use enfermedad degenerativa.
enfermedad degenerativa is the medical term for an illness in which tissues or organs get steadily worse over time, such as some diseases of the nerves or joints.
What does it mean word for word?
enfermedad means disease and degenerativa means degenerative.
How does it change in a sentence?
enfermedad is feminine, so the adjective takes the feminine form degenerativa.
How do you pronounce it?
enfermedad degenerativa is pronounced /enfeɾmedad dexeneɾatiba/.
Did you know?
- In Spanish, enfermedad can be used as a metaphor for something obsessive or an extreme passion, such as saying someone has a 'disease' for gambling.
- In some Spanish dialects, especially in certain Latin American medical settings, physicians might refer to the 'process' of the disease as el cuadro, meaning 'the picture' of the illness.
- The word enfermedad is a distant relative of the English word 'infirmity', both tracing back to the concept of being 'not firm' or 'weak'.
Examples in context
- Él padece una enfermedad degenerativa de la columna.He suffers from a degenerative disease of the spine.
- Esa enfermedad degenerativa es muy difícil de tratar.That degenerative disease is very difficult to treat.
- El médico diagnosticó una enfermedad degenerativa.The doctor diagnosed a degenerative disease.
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are discussing a relative's medical news in a living room.
- Alejandro¿Es una enfermedad degenerativa?Is it a degenerative disease?
- MaríaSí, Alejandro, es una enfermedad degenerativa.Yes, Alejandro, it is a degenerative disease.
- AlejandroLo siento mucho, María.I am very sorry, María.
- MaríaGracias, es una situación complicada.Thank you, it is a complicated situation.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries enfermedad, CC BY-SA 4.0.
