Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Bone Marrow in Spanish: Médula Ósea & Tuétano
Médula ósea · noun (feminine) · MEH-doo-lah OH-seh-ah
Bone marrow in Spanish is médula ósea in medical contexts (the tissue inside bones that produces blood cells) and tuétano in culinary contexts (the fatty, edible marrow served in restaurants). Both refer to the soft interior of bones.
MEH-doo-lah OH-seh-ah (médula ósea) · tweh-TAH-noh (tuétano)
El trasplante de médula ósea salvó la vida del paciente.
The bone marrow transplant saved the patient's life.
Bone marrow in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for bone marrow, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| médula ósea | bone marrow | MEH-doo-lah OH-seh-ah | Default, widely understood |
| tuétano | bone marrow | culinary, the edible marrow |
How Native Speakers Use Médula ósea
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Medical procedure
Necesita un donante compatible para el trasplante de médula ósea.
She needs a compatible donor for the bone marrow transplant.
Trasplante de médula ósea is the standard medical term for bone marrow transplant.
Culinary context
El tuétano asado con sal y pan tostado es un plato exquisito.
Roasted bone marrow with salt and toast is an exquisite dish.
Tuétano is what you order at a restaurant when you want bone marrow to eat.
Biology class
La médula ósea roja produce glóbulos rojos y blancos.
Red bone marrow produces red and white blood cells.
Médula ósea roja (red) and amarilla (yellow) are the two types taught in biology.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Médula ósea
Confusing médula ósea with médula espinal
Incorrect: La médula ósea va por dentro de la columna vertebral.
Correct: La médula espinal va por dentro de la columna vertebral.
Médula ósea is bone marrow (inside bones). Médula espinal is the spinal cord (inside the spine). They are completely different structures.
Using tuétano in medical contexts
Incorrect: El doctor examinó mi tuétano.
Correct: El doctor examinó mi médula ósea.
Tuétano is the culinary/everyday term. In medical settings, always use médula ósea.
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Why word lists alone don't stick
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See Médula ósea used by native speakers
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Common Questions About Bone marrow in Spanish
- How do you say bone marrow in Spanish?
- In medical/scientific contexts: médula ósea. In cooking and food: tuétano. Both refer to the soft tissue inside bones.
- What is the difference between médula ósea and tuétano?
- They refer to the same substance but in different contexts. Médula ósea is the medical term; tuétano is the culinary term for edible bone marrow.
- How do you say bone marrow transplant in Spanish?
- Bone marrow transplant is trasplante de médula ósea.