gusano del corazón
/ɡusano del koɾaθon/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'heartworm' is translated into Spanish as gusano del corazón.
gusano del corazón refers to the parasitic organism known as a heartworm. If you need to specify that you are referring to the heartworm type affecting cats, you can use Gusano del Corazón Felino.
Meaning: parasitic organism (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of gusano (worm), del (of the) and corazón (heart).
Which one should you use?
While gusano del corazón is the singular form, you can use gusanos del corazón to refer to multiple heartworms (plural).
How does it change in a sentence?
When pluralizing the term, only the noun gusano is changed to gusanos.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡusano del koɾaθon/
Did you know?
- While gusano is typically a biological term, it was used by Fidel Castro as a specific political slur for 'counter-revolutionaries' in Cuba.
- If you say something was done de corazón, you are not talking about a physical heart, but rather stating that it was done 'sincerely'.
- In Spanish, the word gusano is used broadly to describe almost any larva or worm, making it far more versatile than the English word 'worm'.
Examples in context
- Mi perro/gato tiene gusano del corazónMy dog/cat has heartworm
- El perro tiene un gusano del corazón.The dog has a heartworm.
- Es importante prevenir el gusano del corazón.It is important to prevent heartworm.
- El veterinario detectó el gusano del corazón en el gato.The veterinarian detected the heartworm in the cat.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are talking about their pet's health at the vet.
- Mateo¿Es grave el gusano del corazón?Is the heartworm serious?
- ElenaSí, Mateo, hay que tratarlo pronto.Yes, Mateo, it must be treated soon.
- MateoEntiendo, ¿qué necesita mi mascota?I understand, what does my pet need?
- ElenaNecesita medicación para el gusano del corazón.She needs medication for the heartworm.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries corazón, del, gusano, CC BY-SA 4.0.
