Does paciente change form for masculine and feminine?

The word itself stays the same in both cases—paciente never changes to pacienta or paciento. What changes is the article in front of it: el paciente for a male patient and la paciente for a female patient. When used as an adjective, it remains paciente regardless of the subject.

How do you say 'Be patient' in Spanish?

The most common way is ten paciencia (have patience) using the informal tú command, or tenga paciencia for the formal usted form. You can also say sé paciente (be patient), which uses the imperative of the verb ser.

Is paciente a cognate of the English word patient?

Paciente is a true cognate—it looks similar to the English word and carries the same meanings, both as a noun (a medical patient) and as an adjective (showing patience). This makes it one of the easier Spanish vocabulary words for English speakers to remember accurately.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

PATIENT in Spanish: PACIENTE

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Paciente · noun/adjective · pah-see-EHN-teh

The Spanish word paciente mirrors the English word 'patient' in both of its meanings. As a noun, el/la paciente refers to a person receiving medical care. As an adjective, paciente describes someone who shows patience and calm in difficult situations. Unlike many Spanish nouns, paciente does not change form based on gender—you simply switch the article: el paciente (male patient) or la paciente (female patient). This makes it one of the more straightforward Spanish words for English speakers to learn and remember.

pah-see-EHN-teh

El médico revisó al paciente con mucho cuidado.

The doctor examined the patient very carefully.

How Native Speakers Use Paciente

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Medical context (noun)

La paciente de la habitación doce necesita otra dosis de medicamento.

The patient in room twelve needs another dose of medication.

La paciente uses the feminine article to indicate a female patient.

Describing a personality trait (adjective)

Tienes que ser más paciente con los niños pequeños.

You have to be more patient with small children.

Here paciente functions as an adjective describing a quality a person should have.

Waiting calmly

Fui paciente durante toda la espera en la oficina de correos.

I was patient during the entire wait at the post office.

Ser paciente and estar paciente can both work, though ser implies a general trait.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Paciente

Changing the adjective form for gender

Incorrect: Ella es pacienta con su hermano.

Correct: Ella es paciente con su hermano.

Paciente does not have separate masculine and feminine adjective forms. The same word is used regardless of the subject's gender.

Confusing the article for the noun

Incorrect: El paciente embarazada fue atendida.

Correct: La paciente embarazada fue atendida.

When referring to a female patient, the article must be la, not el. The noun paciente stays the same, but the article must match the person's gender.

Lock in Patient 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 Paciente used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using paciente in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear El médico revisó al paciente con mucho cuidado. 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 Patient in Spanish

Does paciente change form for masculine and feminine?: The word itself stays the same in both cases—paciente never changes to pacienta or paciento. What changes is the article in front of it: el paciente for a male patient and la paciente for a female patient. When used as an adjective, it remains paciente regardless of the subject.
How do you say 'Be patient' in Spanish?: The most common way is ten paciencia (have patience) using the informal tú command, or tenga paciencia for the formal usted form. You can also say sé paciente (be patient), which uses the imperative of the verb ser.
Is paciente a cognate of the English word patient?: Paciente is a true cognate—it looks similar to the English word and carries the same meanings, both as a noun (a medical patient) and as an adjective (showing patience). This makes it one of the easier Spanish vocabulary words for English speakers to remember accurately.