Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Bladder in Spanish: Vejiga vs. Vesícula and How to Use Them
Vejiga · noun (feminine) · beh-HEE-gah
Bladder in Spanish is vejiga (la vejiga), referring to the urinary bladder. When you need to be medically precise, say vejiga urinaria. Be careful not to confuse it with vesícula biliar (gallbladder), which is a completely different organ located near the liver.
beh-HEE-gah — three syllables, stress on the second. The v sounds like a soft b. The g before a is a hard g as in 'go.'
El médico dijo que mi vejiga está sana.
The doctor said my bladder is healthy.
Bladder in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for bladder, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| vejiga | bladder | beh-HEE-gah | Default, widely understood |
| vejiga urinaria | bladder | full medical term — urinary bladder | |
| vesícula biliar | bladder | gallbladder — a completely different organ |
How Native Speakers Use Vejiga
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Medical appointment
Tengo una infección en la vejiga y necesito antibióticos.
I have a bladder infection and I need antibiotics.
Infección de vejiga or infección urinaria are common phrases at the doctor's office.
Describing symptoms
Siento presión en la vejiga cuando tomo mucha agua.
I feel pressure in my bladder when I drink a lot of water.
Vejiga alone is understood as the urinary bladder in everyday conversation.
Distinguishing from gallbladder
A mi abuela le extirparon la vesícula biliar el año pasado.
My grandmother had her gallbladder removed last year.
Vesícula biliar is always the gallbladder. Vejiga is always the urinary bladder. These are not interchangeable.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Vejiga
Confusing vejiga with vesícula
Incorrect: Me duele la vesícula. (meaning urinary bladder)
Correct: Me duele la vejiga.
Vesícula (short for vesícula biliar) refers to the gallbladder. Vejiga refers to the urinary bladder. Mixing them up can cause serious medical miscommunication.
Mispronouncing the stress
Incorrect: VEH-hee-gah (stress on first syllable)
Correct: beh-HEE-gah (stress on second syllable)
The stress falls on the second syllable: ve-JI-ga. Stressing the first syllable sounds unnatural and may cause confusion.
Lock in Bladder Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Vejiga used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using vejiga in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear El médico dijo que mi vejiga está sana. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Bladder in Spanish
- What is the difference between vejiga and vesícula?
- Vejiga is the urinary bladder (part of the urinary system). Vesícula biliar is the gallbladder (part of the digestive system, near the liver). They are entirely different organs despite both being translated as types of 'bladder' in English.
- How do I say 'bladder infection' in Spanish?
- Infección de vejiga or, more commonly in medical settings, infección urinaria (urinary infection) or cistitis (cystitis).
- Is vejiga used the same way in all Spanish-speaking countries?
- Vejiga is the standard medical and everyday term for urinary bladder across every Spanish-speaking region, with no significant regional alternatives.