Royal District Nursing Service
Workplace words and phrases
— Spanish
Guidelines for Use
RDNS is committed to the Multicultural Victoria Act 2004, which informs RDNS' policies to
ensure people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds can enjoy
access to RDNS' services equally, and are treated with respect and sensitivity.
RDNS' clients originate from 145 countries and speak 74 languages.
Each of RDNS' nursing centres provides services to local CALD communities, which vary
markedly from centre to centre. Some centres may have large population groups from
single ethnic backgrounds; others may have several groups of varying ethnicity.
RDNS recognises that effective communication is essential to the delivery of high quality
services and communicates with people who speak little or no English with the use of
accredited interpreters (on-site and telephone), the provision of translated materials, and
wherever possible employing staff who can provide services to clients in a language
other than English.
In addition, RDNS makes available this information sheet which comprises common
words and phrases that might be used when a client from a non-English speaking
background is experiencing an episode of care from RDNS.
Whilst this document was originally developed for use by RDNS staff, it may of use to you
or people you know and as a result is freely available for download and use.
This document includes information on the following:
Introduction to the language
Topic 1: Greetings
Topic 2: Making / changing appointments
Topic 3: Medical problems
Topic 4: farewell
RDNS remains committed to providing the best possible care to all of our clients.
© RDNS
January 2007
Page 1 of 7
ACHS L1
Royal District Nursing Service
Workplace words and phrases
— Spanish
Introduction to the Spanish Alphabet
∑
Apart from Spain, Spanish is spoken in more than 20 countries, from Mexico in North America to
Chile and Argentina in South America. Although the Spanish spoken in each country is linguistically
considered a dialect and each of them has its own accent, it is the same language. A simple way of
explaining the difference would be to think of the difference between the English spoken in
Australia, America and England. The Spanish alphabet has 29 letters.
Although I have provided the pronunciation for the phrases below, I think that it is better to attempt
to read the phrases in their written form first just following the indications in relation to the
pronunciation of the vowels and certain consonants.
Note that certain letters are pronounced differently in different countries. (Spain versus a South
American country)
∑
∑
Spanish Letter
English Equivalent Closest Pronunciation
in English
A
A
Casa /’kasa/ as in father
B
B
Boca /’boka/ as in bin
C
C
Cama /’kama/ as in cap,
followed by a, o, u
Cinco /’sinko/ as in sin, followed
by e and i
Ch
Ch
Chico /’t∫eeko/ as in church
D
D
Dolor /do’lor/ as in den
E
E
Seco /’seko/ as in pen
F
Fino /’fino/ as in feast
G
G
Gota /’gota/ as in goat
H
H
H is mute in Spanish, except in
the combination ‘ch’
I
I
Fin /fin/ as in sin
J
J
Jefe /’hefe/ pronounced as a
strong h.
K
K
Kilo
L
L
Lejos /’lehos/ as in light
LL
LL
Llave /’yave/ as in yet
M
M
Mano /’mano/
N
N
No
Ñ
Ñ
Niño /’ninyo/ as in onion
O
O
Oro /’oro/ as in dot
P
P
Peso /’peso/ as in pin
Q
Q
Que /ke/
F
© RDNS
January 2007
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ACHS L1
Royal District Nursing Service
R
Workplace words and phrases
— Spanish
R
Barco /’barko/
Rama /’rrama/ (stronger
pronounciation)
Perro /’perro/
S
S
Solo /’solo/
T
T
Tapa /’tapa/
U
U
Uña /’unya/ as in boot
V
V
Vaso /’vaso/
W
W
Whisky
X
X
Y
Y
Xilofón
Yacare /yaka’re/
Z
Z
© RDNS
Zapato /sa’pato/
January 2007
Page 3 of 7
ACHS L1
Royal District Nursing Service
Workplace words and phrases
— Spanish
Topic 1: GREETINGS
English
Spanish
Closest Pronunciation in
English
Hello
Hola
/ola/
Good morning
Buenos días
/bwenos deeas/
Good afternoon
Buenas tardes
/bwenas tardes/
Good night
Buenas noches
/bwenas noches/
What is your name?
¿Cuál es su nombre?
/kwal es soo nombre/
I am a nurse from the District Yo soy enfermera de District
Nursing Service
Nursing Service
Yo soy enphermera de District
Nursing Service
My name is
Mi nombre es
Mee nombre es
Mr / Mrs
Señor/Señora
Senyor/senyora
I am happy to see you again
Me alegro de verlo de nuevo
Me alegro de verlo de nwevo
No
No
No
Yes
Si
See
Good
Bueno
Bweno
Do you understand me?
¿Me comprende?
¿Me komprrende?
I understand
Entiendo
Entyendo
I don’t understand you
No entiendo
No entyendo
Do you need an interpreter?
Necesita un intérprete
¿Nesesita oon interprete?
I need an interpreter
Yo necesito un intérprete
Yo nesesito oon interprete
© RDNS
January 2007
Page 4 of 7
ACHS L1
Royal District Nursing Service
Workplace words and phrases
— Spanish
Topic 2: MAKING / CHANGING APPOINTMENTS
English
Spanish
What day can I visit you?
¿Que día puedo visitarlo?
Ke dee a pwedo visitahlo
At what time?
¿A qué hora?
A ke ora
Monday
Lunes
Loones
Tuesday
Martes
Martes
Wednesday
Miércoles
Mee erkoles
Thursday
Jueves
Hueves
Friday
Viernes
Saturday
Sabado
Vee ernes
Sunday
Domingo
Morning
Mañana
Manyana
Midday
Mediodía
Me deeo deea
Afternoon
Tarde
Tarde
At Night
Noche
noche
I need to……
Necesito
Nesesito….
Hacer una llamada por teléfono
Aser oona yamada por telephono
Hablar…
Ablar
Con su doctor
Kon soo doctor
Con su familia
Kon soo familya
Con su hijo
Kon soo iho
Con su hija
Kon soo iha
Con su esposo
Kon soo esposo
Con su esposa
Kon soo esposa
Con su hermano
Kon soo ermano
Con su hermana
Kon soo ermana
Necesito cambiar el día de visita
Nesesito kambee ar el deea de
visita
Make a phone call
Speak……
to your doctor
to your family
to your son
to your daughter
to your husband
to your wife
to your brother
to your sister
I need to change our visit
time
© RDNS
Closest Pronunciation
in English
Sabado
Domingo
January 2007
Page 5 of 7
ACHS L1
Royal District Nursing Service
Workplace words and phrases
— Spanish
Topic 3: MEDICAL PROBLEMS
English
Spanish
Closest Pronunciation
in English
How are you?
¿Cómo está?
Komo ehta?
Where does it hurt?
¿Dónde le duele?
Donde le dwele?
The chemist will bring your
tablets this afternoon /
tomorrow
El farmacéutico le traerá sus
pastillas esta tarde/mañana
El pharmaseutiko le traera soos
pastiyas esta tarde/manyana
Show me the medications
that you are taking
Muéstreme los medicamentos que
toma
Mwestreme los medikamentos ke
toma
I want you to take your
medicine
Quiero que tome sus medicinas
Kjero ke tome soos medisinas
Can you get yourself some
water?
¿Puede usted buscar agua?
Pwede oosted booskar agwa?
I need to……
Necesito…
Nesesito…
Check your blood pressure
Controlar su presión arterial
Kontrolar soo presee on
Take your pulse
Tomar el pulso
Tomar el poolso
Change your dressing
Cambiar los vendajes
Kambeear los vendahes
Ambulance
Ambulancia
Ambulansee a
Doctor
Doctor
Doctor
Medicine
Medicina
Medisina
Are you constipated?
¿Está usted estreñido?
Esta usted estrenyido?
Do you have diabetes?
¿Tiene diabetes?
Tee ene dee abetees
© RDNS
January 2007
Page 6 of 7
ACHS L1
Royal District Nursing Service
Workplace words and phrases
— Spanish
Topic 4: FAREWELL
English
Spanish
You can ring me on …….
Me puede llamar al….
Me pwede yamar al…
Thank you
Gracias
Grasias
I’m pleased to have met you
Me alegro haberlo conocido
Me alegro aberlo konosido
You are welcome
De nada
De nada
Good - bye
Adios
Adee os
Keep well
Cuidese
Kwidese
Take care / All the best /
Good luck
Cuidese/Que le vaya bien/Buena
suerte
Kwidese/ke le vaya bjen/bwena
swerte
© RDNS
Closest Pronunciation
in English
January 2007
Page 7 of 7
ACHS L1