Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Steroids in Spanish
Esteroides · noun · ehs-teh-ROY-dehs
The Spanish word for steroids is 'esteroides,' a near-cognate of the English term. In medical settings, esteroides can refer to corticosteroids used to treat inflammation, or anabolic steroids associated with muscle building.
Pronounce 'esteroides' as ehs-teh-ROY-dehs. The stress falls on the third syllable, and the 'oi' diphthong sounds like 'oy' in English.
El doctor le recetó esteroides para la inflamación.
The doctor prescribed steroids for the inflammation.
steroids in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for steroids, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| esteroides | steroids | ehs-teh-ROY-dehs | Default, widely understood |
| anabólicos | steroids | specifically anabolic steroids | |
| corticosteroides | steroids | medical corticosteroids |
How Native Speakers Use Esteroides
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Medical prescription
Los esteroides ayudaron a reducir la hinchazón.
The steroids helped reduce the swelling.
Discussing a medical treatment.
Sports context
El uso de esteroides está prohibido en competencias deportivas.
The use of steroids is banned in sports competitions.
Talking about doping regulations.
Pharmacy visit
Necesito comprar los esteroides que me recetó el médico.
I need to buy the steroids the doctor prescribed me.
Picking up a prescription.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Esteroides
Dropping the initial 'e'
Incorrect: Toma steroides para el asma.
Correct: Toma esteroides para el asma.
Spanish adds an initial 'e' before the 'st' consonant cluster, so it's 'esteroides,' not 'steroides.'
Confusing types of steroids
Incorrect: Me dieron anabólicos para la alergia.
Correct: Me dieron corticosteroides para la alergia.
'Anabólicos' refers to muscle-building steroids, while allergy treatment uses 'corticosteroides' — confusing them can cause serious misunderstanding.
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Common Questions About steroids in Spanish
- Are 'esteroides' and 'anabólicos' the same thing?
- The term 'esteroides' is a broad category that includes both corticosteroids (used medically for inflammation) and anabolic steroids (associated with muscle growth), so 'anabólicos' is just one subset.
- How do you say 'steroid cream' in Spanish?
- A topical steroid cream is called 'crema con esteroides' or 'crema de corticosteroides' in medical terminology.
- Is the word 'esteroides' masculine or feminine?
- The word 'esteroides' is masculine, so you would say 'los esteroides' when using the definite article.