alta hospitalaria
/alta ospitalaɾja/from spelling rules
The English phrase "hospital discharge" is translated into Spanish as alta hospitalaria.
This phrase refers to the official process of releasing a patient from a hospital once their treatment is complete. To express the specific action of discharging a patient, Spanish speakers use the verbal phrase dar el alta, which literally translates to "to give the discharge".
What does it mean word for word?
In this context, alta literally means a discharge or a release from a status or an institution.
Which one should you use?
Alta hospitalaria and Egreso hospitalario are both used to express the concept of a hospital discharge.
How do you pronounce it?
/alta ospitalaɾja/
Did you know?
- The opposite of dar el alta is dar de baja. This phrase is used not only for hospital admission but also to cancel a subscription, a phone plan or a gym membership.
- In Spain, dar el alta is also used in the context of employment. It refers to the official process of registering a worker with the Social Security system to begin a job.
- The word alta in this context shares a linguistic root with words meaning 'high' or 'tall', reflecting the idea of a patient being 'raised' or 'elevated' out of their sick status.
Examples in context
- ¡Qué bueno que recibiste el alta hospitalaria! Ahora podrás descansar y recuperarte completamente.How good that you received the hospital discharge! Now you can rest and fully recover.
- Le dieron el alta hospitalaria ayer.They discharged him from the hospital yesterday.
- El alta hospitalaria será mañana por la mañana.The hospital discharge will be tomorrow morning.
- Estamos esperando el alta hospitalaria del paciente.We are waiting for the patient's hospital discharge.
- Ya le dieron el alta hospitalaria tras la operación.He was already given his hospital discharge after the surgery.
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are talking in a hospital waiting room.
- Mateo¿Sabes si ya le dieron el alta hospitalaria?Do you know if they have given him the hospital discharge yet?
- LucíaNo, todavía estamos esperando el alta hospitalaria.No, we are still waiting for the hospital discharge.
- MateoEspero que el alta hospitalaria sea pronto.I hope the hospital discharge is soon.
- LucíaYo también, ya quiere volver a casa.Me too, he already wants to go home.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
