Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| enfermero | /enfeɾˈmeɾo/ | masculine |
| enfermera | /enfeɾˈmeɾa/ | feminine |
This noun refers to a person trained to provide care for the sick. Related verbs such as amamantar, dar el pecho or atetar are used when the context is to breastfeed a baby.
Which one should you use?
Use enfermero when referring to a male nurse and enfermera when referring to a female nurse.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word changes based on both gender and number. Use enfermero for a male nurse and enfermera for a female nurse. For plural groups, use enfermeros to refer to a group of male nurses or a mixed-gender group. Use enfermeras if the group consists only of female nurses.
How do you pronounce it?
/enfeɾˈmeɾo/
What mistakes should you avoid?
When stating someone's profession in Spanish, the indefinite article (un/una) is typically omitted, as seen in Ella es enfermera instead of Ella es una enfermera.
Did you know?
- While enfermera is the medical profession, the term nodriza was historically used for a 'wet nurse' who breastfed children not her own.
- The word enfermero shares a common ancestor with the English word 'infirmary', as both trace back to the same Latin roots related to being weak or sick.
- The suffix -ero in enfermero is a common Spanish way to turn an object or condition into a profession, similar to panadero for a baker.
Examples in context
- Su hija es enfermera.His daughter is a nurse.This sentence shows how to identify a daughter's profession using enfermera.Tatoeba #1341026 by hayastan, translation #287603 by CK
- La chica es enfermera.The girl is a nurse.This sentence uses enfermera to describe a girl's profession.Tatoeba #497525 by Shishir, translation #46459 by orge
- Ella es una enfermera.She is a nurse.This sentence shows a way to state that a woman is a nurse using enfermera.Tatoeba #563719 by Shishir, translation #313056 by CK
- La enfermera brinda una atención excelenteThe nurse provides excellent care.
- Es importante contar con enfermeros profesionales para una atención de calidadIt is important to have professional nurses to provide quality care.
- El hospital contrató a un enfermero tituladoThe hospital hired a licensed nurse.
- ¡Hola, enfermerita! ¿Cómo estás?Hi, little nurse! How are you?
- Los enfermeros están atendiendo a los pacientesThe nurses are taking care of the patients.
- 93 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo is talking to Elena about his new job.
- Elena¡Felicidades por tu nuevo trabajo!Congratulations on your new job!
- MateoGracias, Elena. Soy enfermero en el hospital.Thanks, Elena. I am a nurse at the hospital.
- Elena¿Es un hospital grande?Is it a large hospital?
- MateoSí, es un hospital muy grande.Yes, it is a very large hospital.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nurse” translations and entries enfermero, enfermera, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries enfermero, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
