otitis externa
/otitis eɡsteɾna/from spelling rules
In Spanish, swimmer's ear is otitis externa.
This phrase refers to an infection of the outer ear canal, which is often caused by water staying in the ear after swimming.
Which one should you use?
While otitis externa is the precise medical term, otitis del nadador is a descriptive term more likely to be used by a layperson.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
otitis externa is the formal medical designation used by doctors and in clinical settings. For a more descriptive but still formal approach, you can use La otitis del nadador or La otitis externa acuosa (which specifically means watery external ear infection).
How do you pronounce it?
/otitis eɡsteɾna/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, people might refer to ear issues using the term oído, which refers to both the organ of hearing and the physical ear canal.
- The word otitis derives from the Ancient Greek ōtós meaning 'ear' and the suffix -itis.
- The suffix -itis in otitis is used across many Spanish medical terms to denote inflammation, such as gastritis or artritis.
Examples in context
- ¿Sabes qué es la otitis del nadador?Do you know what swimmer's ear is?
- El médico confirmó que tengo otitis externa.The doctor confirmed that I have swimmer's ear.
- La otitis externa es común después de ir a la piscina.Swimmer's ear is common after going to the pool.
- Necesito gotas para tratar mi otitis externa.I need drops to treat my swimmer's ear.
Example conversation
Daniel tells Sofía why he cannot go to the beach.
- DanielNo puedo ir a la playa hoy.I can't go to the beach today.
- Sofía¿Por qué no, Daniel?Why not, Daniel?
- DanielTengo otitis externa y me duele el oído.I have swimmer's ear and my ear hurts.
- SofíaQué mal, espero que te mejores pronto.That's too bad, I hope you feel better soon.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries otitis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
