insulina
/insuˈlina/feminine
insulina is the Spanish word for insulin.
insulina is a common and formal term for the polypeptide hormone used in medical contexts. To emphasize that it is a hormone, you can use la hormona insulina. If you wish to highlight the concept of insulin as a treatment, use el tratamiento con insulina.
Meaning: polypeptide hormone (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
As a feminine noun, the substance is specifically referred to with the feminine article la, as in la insulina.
How do you pronounce it?
/insuˈlina/
Did you know?
- The term insulina shares the same root as ínsula, the Latin word for 'island', because the hormone is produced in the 'islets' of the pancreas.
- While English speakers say 'insulin shot', a Spanish speaker is more likely to say pinchazo de insulina, which literally translates to an 'insulin prick'.
- In Spanish, many medical terms ending in '-in' in English undergo a transformation to end in '-ina', such as 'insulina', 'aspirina', or 'vitamina'.
Examples in context
- Necesito insulina.I need insulin.Tatoeba #10696441 by Shishir, translation #10696108 by tokzyk
- La jeringa es el instrumento más usado para administrar la insulina.The syringe is the instrument most commonly used to administer insulin.Tatoeba #2888805 by Tono, translation #2888807 by _undertoad
- El médico me recetó insulina para tratar mi diabetes.The doctor prescribed me insulin to treat my diabetes.
- La insulina es esencial para el control del azúcar.Insulin is essential for blood sugar control.
Example conversation
Alejandro is at the pharmacy talking to Sofia, the pharmacist.
- Alejandro¿Tienen la insulina que me recetó el médico?Do you have the insulin my doctor prescribed?
- SofíaSí, Alejandro, la tengo aquí en la farmacia.Yes, Alejandro, I have it here at the pharmacy.
- AlejandroPerfecto, ¿puedo pagarla con tarjeta de crédito?Perfect, can I pay for it with a credit card?
- SofíaClaro que sí, pase por caja por favor.Of course, please go to the checkout.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “insulin” translations and entries insulina, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
