Which one should you use?
Unlike English, Spanish does not use an indefinite article like un or una when stating a profession after the verb ser unless the profession is being modified by an adjective. While quiero ser médico is the standard, quiero ser doctor is a common alternative used widely in many Spanish-speaking regions.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, it is common to say Quiero estudiar medicina to mean "I want to study medicine." In Spain, the term médica is sometimes used instead of médico when referring to a female doctor, such as in Quiero ser médica.
How does it change in a sentence?
If the speaker is female, the noun médico changes to the feminine form médica, resulting in quiero ser médica.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly include the article un (a) before the profession, such as saying quiero ser un médico. In Spanish, quiero ser médico is the standard way to express this.
Did you know?
- The Spanish verb ser in this phrase actually absorbed a different Latin verb, sedēre, which means 'to sit'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, calling someone a doctor is a high social honor regardless of whether they practiced medicine.
- The Spanish verb ser is used here because becoming a doctor is viewed as an inherent change in identity or a permanent professional status.
Examples in context
- Él dijo: "quiero ser médico".He said, "I want to be a doctor."This sentence is useful for showing how to report a statement using quiero ser médico.Tatoeba #9676407 by baudelaire, translation #288327 by CK
- Estudio mucho porque quiero ser médico.I study hard because I want to be a doctor.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their future careers.
- ElenaJavier, ¿cuál es tu meta profesional?Javier, what is your professional goal?
- JavierLa verdad es que quiero ser médico.The truth is that I want to be a doctor.
- Elena¡Qué bien! Es una carrera muy noble.That's great! It is a very noble career.
- JavierSí, por eso voy a estudiar mucho.Yes, that is why I am going to study a lot.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries médico, ser, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
