receta
neutral, Mexico
In Mexico a prescription is a receta or, more fully, a receta médica. The same word receta also means a cooking recipe.
Meaning: doctor's written order for medicine (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| receta | neutral, Mexico |
| receta médica | formal |
At the pharmacy you can say aquí está mi receta. Doctors write la receta and the pharmacist reads it to give you the medicine.
Which one should you use?
Context tells the two meanings apart. Receta de cocina is a recipe and receta médica is the doctor's note.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Many pharmacies in Mexico sell some medicines without a receta, but antibiotics and controlled drugs need one.
Did you know?
- The word receta comes from the Latin for "take", and old prescriptions began with that command.
Examples in context
- Necesito una receta para este medicamento.I need a prescription for this medicine.
- El doctor me dio la receta.The doctor gave me the prescription.
- ¿Tiene receta médica?Do you have a prescription?
Example conversation
Elena asks for her medicine at a pharmacy in Mexico City.
- ElenaBuenas tardes, busco este medicamento.Good afternoon, I am looking for this medicine.
- Farmacéutico¿Trae la receta?Do you have the prescription?
- ElenaSí, aquí está.Yes, here it is.
