Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Stem Cells in Spanish: Células Madre
Células Madre · noun · SEH-loo-lahs MAH-dreh
Células madre (literally 'mother cells') is the Spanish term for stem cells, capturing the idea that these cells give rise to all other specialized cell types. The alternative células troncales (trunk cells) uses the tree-trunk metaphor instead. Both terms appear in medical literature, though células madre dominates in everyday usage and media.
Say SEH-loo-lahs MAH-dreh. Note that madre does not change to plural — it functions as an invariable modifier in this compound noun.
La investigación con células madre podría curar enfermedades degenerativas.
Stem cell research could cure degenerative diseases.
stem cells in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for stem cells, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| células madre | stem cells | SEH-loo-lahs MAH-dreh | Default, widely understood |
| células troncales | stem cells | technical/scientific alternative |
How Native Speakers Use Células Madre
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
medical research
Los científicos lograron cultivar células madre en el laboratorio.
Scientists managed to grow stem cells in the laboratory.
Células madre is standard in research contexts.
treatment hope
La terapia con células madre ofrece esperanza para pacientes con leucemia.
Stem cell therapy offers hope for leukemia patients.
Terapia con células madre is the full phrase.
cord blood banking
Decidimos guardar las células madre del cordón umbilical del bebé.
We decided to store the stem cells from the baby's umbilical cord.
Cord blood banking uses standard células madre terminology.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Células Madre
pluralizing madre
Incorrect: Las células madres son fundamentales para la medicina regenerativa.
Correct: Las células madre son fundamentales para la medicina regenerativa.
In the compound noun células madre, the word madre functions as an invariable descriptor and does not take the plural 's' — similar to how 'horas punta' (peak hours) works.
translating stem literally
Incorrect: Las células tallo pueden regenerar tejidos.
Correct: Las células madre pueden regenerar tejidos.
Tallo means 'plant stem' and is not used in this biological context — the metaphor in Spanish uses madre (mother) rather than the botanical stem concept.
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Common Questions About stem cells in Spanish
- Why doesn't madre become madres in the plural?
- In Spanish compound nouns where a noun modifies another noun (like ciudad dormitorio or célula madre), the modifying noun often remains singular even when the main noun is plural. This is a fixed pattern: células madre, not células madres.
- What does troncal mean in células troncales?
- Troncal comes from tronco (trunk), using the metaphor of a tree trunk from which branches grow. Just as a trunk gives rise to branches, stem cells give rise to specialized cells. This term is more common in academic papers than in general media.
- How do I say 'stem cell research' in Spanish?
- The standard phrase is investigación con células madre. You may also encounter investigación sobre células madre (research about stem cells) in news articles and scientific publications.