Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| estoy enfermo | /estoi enfeɾmo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| estoy enferma | /estoi enfeɾma/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
While estoy enfermo and estoy enferma specifically refer to physical illness, the phrase estoy mal can be used more broadly to mean you are feeling unwell or doing badly in a general or emotional sense. If you have a specific ailment, you might use Estoy resfriado/resfriada to say "I have a cold" or Tengo gripe to say "I have the flu".
Which one should you use?
The choice between the two forms depends on the gender of the person speaking. Use estoy enfermo if the speaker is male and estoy enferma if the speaker is female.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions, the phrase me encuentro mal may be used instead of me siento mal to convey that you are feeling unwell.
How does it change in a sentence?
These phrases use the verb estar because being sick is considered a temporary state or condition.
Did you know?
- The word enfermo shares a common ancestor with the English word 'firm'. In Latin, the prefix 'in-' meant 'not', so an 'enfermo' is literally someone who is 'not firm' or 'not strong'.
- If you want to say you are 'sick' in a way that implies disgust or nausea, you might say tengo asco instead of using words for illness. This describes the feeling of being repulsed by something rather than a clinical sickness.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, if you want to say you are 'sick' from exhaustion or being overwhelmed, you might say estoy agotado or even estoy muerto ('I am dead'). This shifts the focus from a medical ailment to a total lack of energy.
Examples in context
- Estoy enfermo, así que no puedo escribirte.I'm sick, so I can't write to you.This example shows how to use estoy enfermo to explain why you cannot write to someone.Tatoeba #5701754 by baudelaire, translation #13014168 by araneo
- Dijeron que no podría trabajar si estoy enfermo.They said I couldn't work if I'm sick.This example shows how to use estoy enfermo in a conditional context regarding work.Tatoeba #9476962 by hayastan, translation #9065714 by CK
- Estoy enferma.I'm sick.This example shows the use of the feminine form estoy enferma.Tatoeba #1989704 by Shishir, translation #780304 by vgigregg
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro calls Lucía to explain why he cannot go to the party.
- Lucía¿Por qué no vienes a la fiesta?Why aren't you coming to the party?
- AlejandroLo siento, Lucía, pero estoy enfermo.I am sorry, Lucía, but I'm sick.
- Lucía¡Qué lástima! ¿Necesitas algo?That's a shame! Do you need anything?
- AlejandroNo, solo necesito descansar.No, I just need to rest.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I'm sick” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries enfermo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
