torcido
/toɾˈθido/
The English word "sprained" is translated into Spanish as torcido.
Torcido is used to describe an injury caused by twisting a joint, such as an ankle or wrist, which results in pain and swelling. The term distensión can be used to reference a sprained muscle.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes. Use torcida for feminine nouns like muñeca (wrist) and use torcidos for masculine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/toɾˈθido/
What mistakes should you avoid?
In Spanish, it is more natural to say 'I have twisted my ankle' (me he torcido el tobillo) rather than saying 'my ankle is sprained' when reporting the injury.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, calling a person torcido has nothing to do with their physical health, but is an insult implying they are 'crooked' or 'dishonest' in character.
- Because torcido comes from the Latin torqueō, it shares the same ancestral root as the English word 'torque', which refers to a twisting force in physics.
- The word torcido is used for any object that is not straight, such as a crooked picture frame. This makes it far more versatile than the English 'sprained'.
Examples in context
- Me torcí el tobillo jugando fútbol.I sprained my ankle playing soccer.
- El fisioterapeuta me dijo que tengo una distensión en el brazo.The physiotherapist told me I have a sprained arm.
- Tengo una torcedura en la muñecaI have a sprain in my wrist
- Me torcí la rodilla corriendo en la montaña.I sprained my knee while running in the mountains.
- Tengo un esguince leve en el dedo. No duele demasiado.I have a minor sprain in my finger, it doesn't hurt too much.
- Tengo el tobillo torcido.I have a sprained ankle.
Example conversation
Mateo tells Elena why he is walking with a limp.
- MateoHola Elena, me he torcido el pie.Hi Elena, I sprained my foot.
- Elena¡Qué mal! ¿Cómo pasó, Mateo?That's too bad! How did it happen, Mateo?
- MateoMe tropecé mientras caminaba al trabajo.I tripped while walking to work.
- ElenaDeberías ponerte hielo ahora mismo.You should put some ice on it right now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry torcido, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries torcido, CC BY-SA 4.0.
