alta médica
/alta medika/from spelling rules
The English phrase "medical discharge" is translated into Spanish as alta médica.
alta médica is a noun used to describe the official release of a patient from a hospital after a doctor determines they no longer require active care. While alta médica is the noun for the discharge itself, doctors and medical staff commonly use the verbal phrase dar el alta to mean "to discharge (a patient)" or "to give the discharge".
What does it mean word for word?
The term alta literally translates to "height" or "high", but within a medical context, it refers to the act of being released or the point at which care is completed.
Did you know?
- In Spain, dar de alta is also the standard phrase used when a worker is officially registered for Social Security or when a new user is signed up for a service.
- The noun alta is feminine, but it uses the masculine article el in certain expressions like el alta because it starts with a stressed 'a' sound.
- While alta médica means discharge, the word alta is also used in sports to describe a player who has been cleared to return to competition after an injury.
Examples in context
- El médico me dio el alta médica.The doctor gave me a medical discharge.
- Luego de la hospitalización, el médico le dio el alta al paciente.After hospitalization, the doctor gave the patient medical discharge.
- El paciente recibió el alta médica ayer.The patient received medical discharge yesterday.
- Todavía estamos esperando el alta médica.We are still waiting for the medical discharge.
- Mañana le darán el alta médica.They will give him the medical discharge tomorrow.
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are talking on the phone about her recovery.
- SofíaHola Alejandro, ¡ya tengo el alta médica!Hello Alejandro, I already have my medical discharge!
- Alejandro¡Qué buena noticia, Sofía! ¿Cuándo vuelves?That's great news, Sofía! When are you coming back?
- SofíaSalgo del hospital ahora mismo.I am leaving the hospital right now.
- AlejandroTe espero en casa para ayudarte.I'll wait for you at home to help you.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
