difteria
/difˈteɾja/feminine
The English word "diphtheria" is translated into Spanish as difteria.
difteria is a noun used to refer to an infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract.
Meaning: infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is feminine, so it is preceded by the feminine article la rather than el (e.g., la difteria).
How do you pronounce it?
/difˈteɾja/
Did you know?
- The name difteria refers to the 'leather-like' membrane that forms in the throat of an infected person.
- The Spanish word difteria is borrowed from the French word diphtérie.
- In Spanish medical terminology, many words ending in '-ia' like difteria or anemia follow the same gender pattern, making them part of a large group of feminine nouns.
Examples in context
- La toxina que causa la difteria es producida por una bacteria normalmente benigna cuando es infectada por un cierto virus.The toxin that causes diphtheria is produced by a normally benign bacterium when infected with a certain virus.This sentence is useful for discussing how a bacterium produces the toxin that causes difteria.Tatoeba #2063543 by marcelostockle, translation #2053891 by halfb1t
- La difteria es una enfermedad muy seria.Diphtheria is a very serious disease.
- Los médicos controlan la propagación de la difteria.Doctors control the spread of diphtheria.
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are talking about health news in a cafe.
- Lucía¿Has oído hablar de la difteria?Have you heard about diphtheria?
- MateoSí, es una enfermedad muy peligrosa.Yes, it is a very dangerous disease.
- LucíaEs importante vacunarse contra la difteria.It is important to get vaccinated against diphtheria.
- MateoTienes mucha razón, Lucía.You are very right, Lucía.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “diphtheria” translations and entries difteria, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries difteria, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
