testamento vital
/testamento bital/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'living will' is translated into Spanish as testamento vital.
A living will refers to a legal document that grants durable power of attorney to a surrogate decision-maker for healthcare purposes.
Meaning: document giving durable power of attorney to a surrogate decision-maker for healthcare purposes (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of testamento (will/testament) and vital (vital/living).
Which one should you use?
Voluntad anticipada is a formal alternative, and instrucciones previas de salud is used as a more technical synonym for a living will.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term voluntad anticipada is common in Spain and some Latin American countries.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the plural 'living wills', use testamentos vitales. In this form, both the noun and the adjective are pluralized.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, discussing a testamento vital is traditionally avoided as it can be seen as 'calling' death or inviting bad luck.
- Because testamento is a heavy, death-associated word, some families avoid using testamento vital in conversation to prevent sounding too blunt or morbid.
- While a 'will' in English can mean a desire or a legal document, the Spanish testamento is almost exclusively associated with the formal legal document left after death.
Examples in context
- Voy a visitar a mi abogado para dejar asentada mi voluntad anticipada.I'm going to visit my lawyer to record my living will.
- Deberíamos discutir qué incluir en nuestro testamento vital, amor.We should discuss what to include in our living will, darling.
- Debes redactar tu testamento vital pronto.You should draft your living will soon.
- El médico me preguntó sobre mi testamento vital.The doctor asked me about my living will.
- Tengo mi testamento vital guardado en la caja fuerte.I have my living will kept in the safe.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are discussing legal preparations at home.
- Lucía¿Ya preparaste tu testamento vital, Javier?Have you prepared your living will yet, Javier?
- JavierTodavía no, pero es muy importante.Not yet, but it is very important.
- LucíaYo ya completé el mío el mes pasado.I already completed mine last month.
- JavierTienes mucha razón, voy a hacerlo mañana.You are very right, I will do it tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “living will” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
