riñón
/riˈɲon/masculine
The English word "kidney" is riñón in Spanish.
riñón is a masculine noun referring to the organ in the body. To specify which kidney you are referring to, you can use el riñón derecho for the right kidney or el riñón izquierdo for the left kidney. Additionally, medical conditions related to this organ are often expressed using the preposition de followed by the organ name, such as in the phrase problemas de riñón (kidney problems).
Meaning: an organ in the body (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of riñón is riñones.
How do you pronounce it?
/riˈɲon/
Did you know?
- In Spain, the phrase tener los riñones blandos describes someone who lacks courage or is a coward, literally meaning to have 'soft kidneys'.
- In Spanish gastronomy, riñones are a prized delicacy, often served al Jerez with sherry wine, whereas kidney is less common in modern English diets.
- The Spanish word riñón shares its ancestry with the English word 'renal', both tracing back to the Latin 'ren'.
Examples in context
- Le quitaron un riñón.They removed a kidney.Tatoeba #7134930 by arh, translation #9662810 by DJ_Saidez
- Tengo problemas de riñón.I have kidney trouble.Tatoeba #9706741 by Shishir, translation #270666 by CK
- Mi médico me dijo que tengo un problema en el riñón izquierdo.My doctor told me I have a problem with my left kidney.
- Para prevenir enfermedades renales, es importante beber suficiente agua.To prevent kidney diseases, it's important to drink enough water.
- El riñón es un órgano vital.The kidney is a vital organ.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A doctor is explaining a medical report to a patient.
- MaríaEl riñón izquierdo parece estar bien.The left kidney looks fine.
- AlejandroQué alivio, ¿y el derecho?What a relief, and the right one?
- MaríaEl otro riñón también está sano.The other kidney is also healthy.
- AlejandroGracias por la buena noticia.Thank you for the good news.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kidney” translations and entries riñón, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries riñón, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
