operarse
/opeɾaɾse/from spelling rules
In Spanish, 'undergoing surgery' is expressed as operarse.
The phrase is used to describe the act of having a medical operation performed on one's body. You can use the reflexive verb operarse to indicate that the person is the one receiving the operation.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb operarse is reflexive and literally means 'to operate oneself'.
Which one should you use?
While operarse is the standard way to express the concept, you can use Sometiéndose a una cirugía for a more formal tone or Pasar por el quirófano for an informal expression.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because the verb is reflexive, the pronoun changes depending on who is undergoing the surgery. For example, use me opero to say 'I am undergoing surgery' and use the third-person pronoun se in phrases like se opera to say 'he/she undergoes surgery'. You can also use the passive construction ser operado/a to express that someone is being operated on.
How do you pronounce it?
/opeɾaɾse/
Did you know?
- The word quirófano comes from the Greek words for 'hand' and 'work', reflecting the ancient view of surgery as a manual craft.
- The reflexive form operarse is used even when the person is completely unconscious, despite the grammar suggesting they are performing the action on themselves.
- While operarse means undergoing surgery, the word operación is also used to describe a military strike or a police raid.
Examples in context
- La paciente está siendo intervenida quirúrgicamente por el equipo médico.The patient is being surgically intervened by the medical team.
- Amiga, mi hermano tiene que pasar por el quirófano mañana.Friend, my brother has to undergo surgery tomorrow.
- El señor está sometiéndose a una operación de cadera.The man is undergoing hip surgery.
- Mañana me operan de la rodilla.Tomorrow I am undergoing knee surgery.
- El atleta tuvo que operarse de la rodilla.The athlete had to undergo surgery on his knee.
- Ella decidió operarse para mejorar su vista.She decided to undergo surgery to improve her vision.
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are talking about a mutual friend in a cafe.
- Lucía¿Sabes si Juan se va a operarse mañana?Do you know if Juan is going to undergo surgery tomorrow?
- MateoSí, él se va a operarse de la espalda.Yes, he is going to undergo back surgery.
- LucíaEspero que su operación sea un éxito.I hope his surgery is a success.
- MateoYo también, espero que se recupere pronto.Me too, I hope he recovers soon.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
