Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Lead Poisoning in Spanish: Envenenamiento por Plomo
Envenenamiento por Plomo · noun · ehn-veh-neh-nah-MYEHN-toh pohr PLOH-moh
Envenenamiento por plomo is the standard Spanish expression for lead poisoning, the dangerous condition caused by the accumulation of the heavy metal lead in the body. Medical professionals may also use intoxicación por plomo or the specialized term saturnismo, which derives from Saturn, the planet alchemists historically associated with the element lead. This vocabulary is especially important for parents, healthcare workers, and community advocates in bilingual settings.
The phrase breaks into three words: ehn-veh-neh-nah-MYEHN-toh for envenenamiento, pohr for por, and PLOH-moh for plomo. The longest word carries its stress on the fifth syllable.
Los niños son especialmente vulnerables al envenenamiento por plomo.
Children are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning.
Lead Poisoning in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for lead poisoning, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| envenenamiento por plomo | lead poisoning | ehn-veh-neh-nah-MYEHN-toh pohr PLOH-moh | Default, widely understood |
| intoxicación por plomo | lead poisoning | medical/clinical alternative | |
| saturnismo | lead poisoning | technical medical term |
How Native Speakers Use Envenenamiento por Plomo
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Public health warning
La pintura vieja puede causar envenenamiento por plomo si se descascara.
Old paint can cause lead poisoning if it peels.
Common public health context about housing hazards.
Medical diagnosis
Los análisis de sangre confirmaron intoxicación por plomo en el paciente.
Blood tests confirmed lead poisoning in the patient.
Clinical setting using the medical variant.
Prevention
Es fundamental analizar el agua potable para prevenir el saturnismo.
It's essential to test drinking water to prevent lead poisoning.
Uses the technical term saturnismo in a prevention context.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Envenenamiento por Plomo
Confusing plomo with pluma
Incorrect: Tiene envenenamiento por pluma.
Correct: Tiene envenenamiento por plomo.
Pluma means feather or pen, while plomo means lead (the metal). Mixing them up changes the sentence from a serious medical condition to nonsense.
Using veneno alone
Incorrect: El plomo es un veneno muy peligroso.
Correct: El plomo es una sustancia tóxica muy peligrosa.
While plomo is toxic, calling it veneno (poison) directly is imprecise in medical Spanish; sustancia tóxica (toxic substance) or metal pesado (heavy metal) are the scientifically accurate descriptions.
Lock in Lead Poisoning Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
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See Envenenamiento por Plomo used by native speakers
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Common Questions About Lead Poisoning in Spanish
- What does 'saturnismo' mean?
- Saturnismo is the formal medical term for chronic lead poisoning, derived from the alchemical tradition of associating the metal lead with the planet Saturn. The term appears in medical literature, toxicology reports, and public health documents throughout the Spanish-speaking world, though envenenamiento por plomo is more accessible to general audiences.
- How do you ask about lead testing in Spanish?
- To request lead testing, you can say ¿Pueden hacer una prueba de plomo en la sangre de mi hijo? (Can you do a lead test on my child's blood?) or Quiero que analicen el nivel de plomo en el agua (I want the lead level in the water tested). These phrases are essential for parents in bilingual healthcare settings.
- What is the difference between 'envenenamiento' and 'intoxicación'?
- Envenenamiento implies poisoning by a specific toxic agent and tends to be used in everyday language, while intoxicación is the broader clinical term for any toxic substance exposure. In practice, both envenenamiento por plomo and intoxicación por plomo are correct and interchangeable when discussing lead poisoning in medical contexts.