Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Pharmacy in Spanish: Farmacia, Botica, and Droguería
Farmacia · noun (feminine) · far-MAH-syah
Pharmacy in Spanish is farmacia, the universal word for a place that dispenses medications. Botica is an older synonym still heard in parts of Spain and Peru. In Colombia, droguería commonly refers to a store selling toiletries and household products alongside basic medicines — it is not a drug store in the illicit sense.
far-MAH-syah — three syllables, stress on MAH. The c before i sounds like s in Latin America and like th in most of Spain.
Voy a la farmacia a comprar unas pastillas para el dolor de cabeza.
I'm going to the pharmacy to buy some headache pills.
Pharmacy in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for pharmacy, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| farmacia | pharmacy | far-MAH-syah | Default, widely understood |
| botica | pharmacy | old-fashioned or regional (Spain, Peru) | |
| droguería | pharmacy | Colombia (household goods and toiletries store) |
How Native Speakers Use Farmacia
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Buying medicine
La farmacia de la esquina está abierta las veinticuatro horas.
The pharmacy on the corner is open twenty-four hours.
Many Spanish-speaking cities have farmacias de turno (on-duty pharmacies) that rotate overnight shifts.
Asking for help
Pregúntale al farmacéutico si necesitas receta para ese medicamento.
Ask the pharmacist whether you need a prescription for that medicine.
The pharmacist is el/la farmacéutico/a. In many countries, pharmacists can recommend over-the-counter remedies directly.
Colombian usage
En Colombia fui a la droguería a comprar champú y crema dental.
In Colombia I went to the droguería to buy shampoo and toothpaste.
Droguería in Colombia functions more like a convenience store with a pharmacy counter, selling toiletries, snacks, and basic medicines.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Farmacia
Translating drugstore literally
Incorrect: Voy a la tienda de drogas.
Correct: Voy a la farmacia.
Droga in Spanish primarily means drug in the illicit sense. Tienda de drogas would sound like a place selling illegal drugs. Always use farmacia for a pharmacy.
Using botica where it's not understood
Incorrect: ¿Dónde hay una botica por aquí? (in Mexico or Argentina)
Correct: ¿Dónde hay una farmacia por aquí?
Botica is old-fashioned and regionally limited. Outside of Peru and parts of Spain, most speakers won't use it in daily conversation. Farmacia is universally understood.
Lock in Pharmacy 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 Farmacia used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using farmacia in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Voy a la farmacia a comprar unas pastillas para el dolor de cabeza. 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 Pharmacy in Spanish
- How do you say pharmacy in Spanish?
- Pharmacy is farmacia — the standard word across the entire Spanish-speaking world. The pharmacist is el/la farmacéutico/a. Botica is an older synonym used in some regions, and droguería in Colombia refers to a store selling toiletries and basic medicines.
- What is a farmacia de turno?
- A farmacia de turno (also farmacia de guardia in Spain) is a pharmacy that stays open overnight or on holidays on a rotating schedule. Most neighborhoods post the schedule so residents know which pharmacy is available after hours.
- Do you need a prescription at a farmacia?
- It depends on the country and the medicine. Many Spanish-speaking countries allow pharmacists to sell a wider range of medications over the counter than in the US. Antibiotics and controlled substances generally require a receta (prescription), but practices vary.