sarampión
/saɾamˈpjon/masculine
The Spanish word for measles is sarampión.
The word sarampión refers to the disease caused by the M. morbillivirus.
Meaning: disease caused by M. morbillivirus (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun sarampión is masculine and is almost always used with the definite article el.
How do you pronounce it?
/saɾamˈpjon/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly treat measles as a plural noun, but in Spanish, sarampión is a singular masculine noun.
Did you know?
- The Spanish word sarampión comes from the Latin word sirimpiōnem, which referred generally to any kind of skin rash rather than specifically to this virus.
- In historical Spanish medical texts, sarampión was often grouped with other 'eruptive fevers', and the term was sometimes used interchangeably with other rash-inducing illnesses.
- If you use a plural verb with 'sarampión', such as saying 'el sarampión son…', you will sound much more incorrect to a Spanish speaker than an English speaker sounds when treating 'measles' as singular.
Examples in context
- Me dio el sarampión.I came down with measles.This sentence is useful for describing having contracted the disease with sarampión.Tatoeba #2266897 by cueyayotl, translation #2266896 by _undertoad
- El sarampión está erradicado.Measles has been eradicated.This sentence is useful for describing the eradication of sarampión.Tatoeba #7747537 by arh, translation #13373347 by DylanTonic
- El amor es como el sarampión. Todos debemos pasar por el.Love is like the measles, we all have to go through it.This sentence uses a metaphor comparing love to sarampión.Tatoeba #1581060 by termito2nd, translation #326281 by CM
- El sarampión es una enfermedad altamente contagiosa que afecta principalmente a los niños.Measles is a highly contagious disease that primarily affects children.
- Ayer mi hijo se contagió de las paperas. ¡Debemos tener cuidado para que no contraiga sarampión también!Yesterday my son got mumps. We should be careful so he doesn't contract measles too!
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a doctor's office.
- Lucía¿Es el sarampión lo que tiene el niño?Is it measles that the child has?
- MateoSí, el médico confirmó que es sarampión.Yes, the doctor confirmed it is measles.
- LucíaEspero que Mateo se recupere pronto.I hope Mateo recovers soon.
- MateoGracias, Lucía, lo cuidaré mucho.Thank you, Lucía, I will take good care of him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “measles” translations and entries sarampión, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sarampión, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
