Does receta mean recipe or prescription?

Receta carries both meanings in Spanish. When used alone, context determines whether it refers to a cooking recipe or a medical prescription. At a pharmacy or clinic, receta is understood as a prescription. At home or in a restaurant, it means a recipe. Adding médica (receta médica) or de cocina (receta de cocina) eliminates any ambiguity.

How do you say 'over-the-counter' in Spanish?

Medicines sold without a prescription are described as sin receta (without prescription) or de venta libre (free sale). For example, Este analgésico es de venta libre means 'This painkiller is over-the-counter.'

How do you say 'refill a prescription' in Spanish?

The most common expressions are renovar la receta or pedir una nueva receta. Some pharmacies and clinics also use resurtir la receta in Mexico, which specifically means to refill or restock the prescription medication.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

PRESCRIPTION in Spanish: RECETA MÉDICA

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

Receta Médica · noun · reh-SEH-tah MEH-dee-kah

A medical prescription is called receta médica in Spanish, and here lies a common point of confusion: receta also means 'recipe' in a cooking context. When you add médica (medical), the meaning becomes unambiguous. In formal or legal documents, prescripción médica may appear, but in everyday conversation at pharmacies and clinics, receta or receta médica is what you will hear and need to say.

reh-SEH-tah MEH-dee-kah

El doctor me dio una receta médica para el antibiótico.

The doctor gave me a prescription for the antibiotic.

Prescription in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for prescription, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
receta médica	prescription	reh-SEH-tah MEH-dee-kah	Default, widely understood
receta	prescription		informal/shortened
prescripción	prescription		formal/technical

How Native Speakers Use Receta Médica

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

At the doctor's office

Necesito que me haga una receta para este medicamento.

I need you to write me a prescription for this medication.

Hacer una receta means 'to write a prescription' in medical Spanish.

At the pharmacy

No puedo venderte este antibiótico sin receta médica.

I cannot sell you this antibiotic without a prescription.

Sin receta means 'without a prescription'—over-the-counter medicines are sold sin receta.

Refilling medication

¿Puedo renovar mi receta por teléfono o tengo que ir al consultorio?

Can I renew my prescription by phone or do I have to go to the office?

Renovar la receta is the standard way to say 'refill a prescription.'

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Receta Médica

Confusing recipe and prescription

Incorrect: Traje la receta del pastel a la farmacia. (mixing contexts)

Correct: Traje la receta médica a la farmacia.

Without the word médica, receta can mean either a cooking recipe or a medical prescription. At a pharmacy the context is clear, but adding médica removes any doubt.

Using prescripción in casual speech

Incorrect: ¿Me puede dar una prescripción para la alergia?

Correct: ¿Me puede dar una receta para la alergia?

While prescripción is technically correct, it sounds overly formal in everyday speech. Receta is what doctors, pharmacists, and patients actually use in conversation.

Lock in Prescription 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 Receta Médica used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using receta médica in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear El doctor me dio una receta médica para el antibiótico. 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 Prescription in Spanish

Does receta mean recipe or prescription?: Receta carries both meanings in Spanish. When used alone, context determines whether it refers to a cooking recipe or a medical prescription. At a pharmacy or clinic, receta is understood as a prescription. At home or in a restaurant, it means a recipe. Adding médica (receta médica) or de cocina (receta de cocina) eliminates any ambiguity.
How do you say 'over-the-counter' in Spanish?: Medicines sold without a prescription are described as sin receta (without prescription) or de venta libre (free sale). For example, Este analgésico es de venta libre means 'This painkiller is over-the-counter.'
How do you say 'refill a prescription' in Spanish?: The most common expressions are renovar la receta or pedir una nueva receta. Some pharmacies and clinics also use resurtir la receta in Mexico, which specifically means to refill or restock the prescription medication.