Spanish vocabulary · Intermediate
How to Say Discharge in Spanish: Alta
Alta · noun (feminine) · AHL-tah
Discharge in Spanish has multiple translations depending on context. Hospital discharge is alta, electrical discharge is descarga, and bodily discharge is secreción.
Alta (hospital discharge) is pronounced AHL-tah, with stress on the first syllable.
El médico le dio el alta esta mañana.
The doctor discharged him this morning.
Discharge in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for discharge, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| alta | discharge | AHL-tah | Default, widely understood |
| descarga | discharge | electrical/weapon discharge | |
| secreción | discharge | medical bodily discharge |
How Native Speakers Use Alta
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Hospital discharge
Le dieron el alta después de tres días en el hospital.
They discharged her after three days in the hospital.
Medical context for leaving hospital.
Electrical discharge
La descarga eléctrica le quemó la mano.
The electrical discharge burned his hand.
Electrical safety context.
Military discharge
Recibió la baja del ejército por razones médicas.
He received a medical discharge from the army.
Military context uses baja, not alta.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Alta
Using alta for all meanings
Incorrect: La alta eléctrica fue peligrosa.
Correct: La descarga eléctrica fue peligrosa.
Alta refers only to hospital/medical discharge; electrical discharge is descarga.
Confusing alta with baja in military
Incorrect: Le dieron el alta del ejército.
Correct: Le dieron la baja del ejército.
Military discharge uses baja (low/out), while alta (high/in) means admission or registration.
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See Alta used by native speakers
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Common Questions About Discharge in Spanish
- How do you say discharge in Spanish?
- The translation depends on context: hospital discharge is el alta, electrical discharge is descarga, military discharge is baja, and bodily discharge is secreción.
- What does dar el alta mean?
- Dar el alta is a medical expression meaning to discharge a patient from the hospital, literally to give the high clearance for them to leave.
- Why is it el alta if alta is feminine?
- Alta is indeed feminine, but uses the article el (instead of la) because it begins with a stressed a- sound, following the same rule as el agua or el águila.