Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Hiccups in Spanish: Hipo
Hipo · noun · EE-poh
Hipo is the Spanish word for hiccups, those involuntary spasms of the diaphragm that produce a distinctive 'hic' sound. Unlike English, which typically uses the plural 'hiccups,' Spanish treats hipo as a singular, uncountable noun — you have hipo, not hipos. The expression tener hipo (to have hiccups) is the standard way to describe the condition.
Hipo is pronounced EE-poh with the stress on the first syllable. Remember that the h is always silent in Spanish, so the word begins with a vowel sound.
Llevo diez minutos con hipo y no se me quita.
I've had hiccups for ten minutes and they won't go away.
Hiccups in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for hiccups, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| hipo | hiccups | EE-poh | Default, widely understood |
| singulto | hiccups | medical/formal term |
How Native Speakers Use Hipo
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Describing the condition
El bebé tiene hipo después de cada comida.
The baby gets hiccups after every meal.
Common observation about infants, who frequently experience hiccups.
Seeking a remedy
Bebe agua al revés para que se te quite el hipo.
Drink water upside down so your hiccups go away.
Folk remedy commonly suggested in Spanish-speaking households.
Sudden onset
Me dio hipo en medio de la presentación y todos se rieron.
I got hiccups in the middle of the presentation and everyone laughed.
Uses the construction dar hipo, meaning hiccups struck unexpectedly.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Hipo
Pluralizing hipo
Incorrect: Tengo hipos desde hace una hora.
Correct: Tengo hipo desde hace una hora.
Spanish uses hipo as an uncountable noun; adding an -s creates a non-standard form that native speakers do not use.
Wrong verb construction
Incorrect: Estoy hipo.
Correct: Tengo hipo.
Hiccups in Spanish use the verb tener (to have) or dar (to give/strike), not estar (to be), because hipo describes a condition you possess rather than a state of being.
Lock in Hiccups 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 Hipo used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using hipo in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Llevo diez minutos con hipo y no se me quita. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
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Common Questions About Hiccups in Spanish
- Why is 'hipo' singular in Spanish when English says 'hiccups'?
- Spanish treats hipo as a mass noun representing the overall condition of diaphragm spasms, similar to how English treats 'thirst' or 'hunger.' Each individual spasm is not counted separately, so the plural form hipos is virtually never used in natural speech.
- What are common Spanish folk remedies for hiccups?
- Spanish-speaking cultures share many hiccup remedies: drinking water from the opposite side of a glass (beber agua al revés), holding your breath (aguantar la respiración), getting a sudden fright (un susto), and pressing a wet piece of thread on the forehead of a baby with hiccups. The effectiveness of these remedies varies widely.
- How do you say 'my hiccups won't stop' in Spanish?
- The most natural phrasing is no se me quita el hipo, which literally means 'the hiccups won't leave me.' Another common option is el hipo no se me pasa, using the verb pasar to convey that the condition is not passing or subsiding.