Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| migraña | /miˈɡɾaɲa/ | feminine |
| jaqueca | /xaˈkeka/ | feminine |
| hemicránea | /emikɾanea/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| clavo | /ˈklabo/ | masculine |
A migraine is a type of headache that usually affects only one side of the head. To say you 'have a migraine', you typically use the verb tener (to have). While you can use sufrir (to suffer), that verb is more often reserved for describing long-term conditions.
Which one should you use?
migraña is the standard term used by both medical professionals and the general public. In contrast, jaqueca is a common, slightly more colloquial way to refer to a severe headache or migraine in everyday speech. For a more technical description, hemicránea is a medical term used specifically to describe a headache that affects only one side of the head.
Is it said differently in some regions?
jaqueca is most commonly used in Spain.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because migraña is a feminine noun, you must use the feminine indefinite article una when saying 'a migraine' (una migraña).
How do you pronounce it?
/miˈɡɾaɲa/
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Tom sufrió migrañas durante años.Tom suffered from migraine headaches for years.This sentence shows the use of migraña in the context of long-term suffering.Tatoeba #5926248 by arh, translation #5922347 by CK
- Tengo jaqueca.I have a migraine.This sentence demonstrates the use of jaqueca to express having a migraine.Tatoeba #1268911 by hayastan, translation #320325 by CK
- Ella tenía una migraña muy fuerte y no pudo salir de casa en todo el día.She had a very bad migraine and could not leave the house all day.This sentence shows how migraña can be used to describe a severe headache that prevents daily activities.
- Tengo una migraña muy fuerteI have a very strong migraine
- Sufro de migrañas frecuentesI suffer from frequent migraines
- Necesito ayuda médica, tengo una cefalea migrañosa intensaI need medical help, I have an intense migraine headache
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are talking in their living room during the afternoon.
- Mateo¿Estás bien, Elena?Are you okay, Elena?
- ElenaNo, tengo una migraña fuerte.No, I have a strong migraine.
- MateoLo siento mucho, ¿necesitas medicina?I am very sorry, do you need medicine?
- ElenaSí, por favor, Mateo.Yes, please, Mateo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “migraine” translations and entries migraña, jaqueca, hemicránea, clavo, 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.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries clavo, jaqueca, migraña, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
