Spanish vocabulary · Intermediate
How to Say Hives in Spanish: Urticaria & Ronchas
Urticaria · noun (feminine) · oor-tee-KAH-ryah
Hives in Spanish is urticaria (medical term) or ronchas (everyday word for the itchy welts). Urticaria refers to the condition; ronchas describes individual raised bumps.
oor-tee-KAH-ryah (urticaria) · RROHN-chahs (ronchas)
Me salió urticaria después de comer mariscos.
I broke out in hives after eating shellfish.
Hives in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for hives, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| urticaria | hives | oor-tee-KAH-ryah | Default, widely understood |
| ronchas | hives | colloquial — the individual welts or bumps | |
| sarpullido | hives | general rash — sometimes used loosely for hives |
How Native Speakers Use Urticaria
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Doctor visit
El médico diagnosticó urticaria causada por una alergia alimentaria.
The doctor diagnosed hives caused by a food allergy.
Urticaria is the clinical term doctors use in diagnosis.
Everyday description
Me salieron ronchas en los brazos y me pican mucho.
I got hives on my arms and they itch a lot.
Ronchas is what most people say in everyday conversation.
Pharmacy
¿Tiene algo para la urticaria? Me brotó anoche.
Do you have anything for hives? I broke out last night.
Brotar or salir are the verbs used when hives appear.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Urticaria
Confusing ronchas with granos
Incorrect: Me salieron granos por la alergia.
Correct: Me salieron ronchas por la alergia.
Granos = pimples/acne. Ronchas = hives/welts (raised, itchy patches from allergies).
Using colmenas (beehives)
Incorrect: Tengo colmenas en la piel.
Correct: Tengo urticaria. / Tengo ronchas.
Colmena = beehive (structure bees live in). The medical condition is urticaria or ronchas.
Lock in Hives 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 Urticaria used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using urticaria in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Me salió urticaria después de comer mariscos. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
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Common Questions About Hives in Spanish
- How do you say hives in Spanish?
- Medical: urticaria. Everyday: ronchas. Me salió urticaria = I broke out in hives.
- Difference between ronchas and sarpullido?
- Ronchas = specifically hives (raised welts from allergies). Sarpullido = general term for any rash.
- How do you say I am having an allergic reaction?
- Estoy teniendo una reacción alérgica. With hives: me está dando urticaria.