mononucleosis
/mononukleˈosis/feminine
The English word mononucleosis is mononucleosis in Spanish. Wiktionary also lists mononucleosis infecciosa and enfermedad del beso.
Meaning: viral infection (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| mononucleosis | /mononukleˈosis/ | feminine |
| mononucleosis infecciosa | /mononukleosis infeɡθjosa/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /mononukleosis infeɡsjosa/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
| enfermedad del beso | /enfeɾmedad del beso/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
mononucleosis is a feminine noun used to refer to the viral infection. You may also encounter the colloquial phrase enfermedad del beso, which mirrors the English term 'kissing disease'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the preferred formal term is mononucleosis infecciosa. In Latin America, the term mononucleosis is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because the noun is feminine, it is preceded by the feminine article la (as in la mononucleosis).
How do you pronounce it?
/mononukleˈosis/
Did you know?
- The word núcleo inside mononucleosis shares a distant ancestor with the English word 'nut', as both derive from the Latin nux.
Examples in context
- La mononucleosis es muy agotadora.Mononucleosis is very exhausting.
- El médico confirmó que tiene mononucleosis.The doctor confirmed that he has mononucleosis.
- Tengo que descansar por la mononucleosis.I have to rest because of mononucleosis.
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are talking on the phone about his health.
- Alejandro¿Cómo te sientes hoy, María?How are you feeling today, María?
- MaríaNo estoy bien, tengo mononucleosis.I am not well, I have mononucleosis.
- AlejandroLo siento mucho, que te mejores pronto.I am very sorry, get well soon.
- MaríaGracias, Alejandro, necesito dormir mucho.Thank you, Alejandro, I need to sleep a lot.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mononucleosis” translations and entries mononucleosis, enfermedad del beso, 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 beso, del, enfermedad, mononucleosis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
