Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Diarrhea in Spanish: Diarrea
Diarrea · noun · dee-ah-RREH-ah
The Spanish word for diarrhea is diarrea, a feminine noun. Spelled with double r and no h, it closely resembles the English word but follows Spanish phonetics. Knowing this term is practical for travelers and anyone needing to communicate health symptoms to a Spanish-speaking doctor or pharmacist.
dee-ah-RREH-ah
El paciente presentó diarrea durante tres días consecutivos.
The patient experienced diarrhea for three consecutive days.
How Native Speakers Use Diarrea
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Doctor's office
Tengo diarrea desde ayer y no he podido comer nada.
I've had diarrhea since yesterday and haven't been able to eat anything.
Describing symptoms during a medical consultation.
Pharmacy visit
¿Tiene algo para la diarrea? Creo que fue algo que comí.
Do you have anything for diarrhea? I think it was something I ate.
Requesting over-the-counter medication at a pharmacy.
Travel health
Bebe agua embotellada para evitar la diarrea del viajero.
Drink bottled water to avoid traveler's diarrhea.
Health advice given to tourists visiting regions with different water quality.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Diarrea
Adding an h like in English
Incorrect: Tengo diarrhea.
Correct: Tengo diarrea.
Spanish does not use the English 'rrh' cluster. The correct Spanish spelling is diarrea — double r, no h.
Wrong gender article
Incorrect: El diarrea es muy molesto.
Correct: La diarrea es muy molesta.
Diarrea is a feminine noun. Use la and make any adjectives feminine: molesta, not molesto.
Lock in Diarrhea 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 Diarrea used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using diarrea in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear El paciente presentó diarrea durante tres días consecutivos. 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 Diarrhea in Spanish
- How do you spell diarrhea in Spanish?
- It is spelled d-i-a-r-r-e-a. Note the double r and the absence of the h found in the English spelling. The word ends in a, marking it as a feminine noun.
- What is a polite way to mention diarrhea in Spanish?
- In casual settings, people might say 'tengo suelto el estómago' (my stomach is loose) or 'me cayó mal la comida' (the food didn't agree with me). In medical settings, diarrea is used directly and is not considered impolite.
- How do you say 'traveler's diarrhea' in Spanish?
- The standard term is diarrea del viajero. It is a well-known phrase in Spanish-speaking medical and travel communities, especially in regions popular with tourists.