Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Stye in Spanish: Orzuelo & Perrilla
Orzuelo · noun (masculine) · ohr-SWEH-loh
A stye in Spanish is called an orzuelo — a small, painful bump on the eyelid caused by a bacterial infection. In Mexico, the colloquial term perrilla is widely used instead.
ohr-SWEH-loh (orzuelo) · peh-RREE-yah (perrilla)
Me salió un orzuelo en el ojo derecho y me molesta mucho.
I got a stye on my right eye and it's really bothering me.
Stye in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for stye, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| orzuelo | stye | ohr-SWEH-loh | Default, widely understood |
| perrilla | stye | Mexico, colloquial | |
| chalazión | stye | medical, for a chronic stye |
How Native Speakers Use Orzuelo
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
At the doctor
El médico me recetó una pomada para el orzuelo.
The doctor prescribed me an ointment for the stye.
Orzuelo is the standard medical term used across all Spanish-speaking countries.
Colloquial in Mexico
Creo que me está saliendo una perrilla; tengo el párpado hinchado.
I think I'm getting a stye; my eyelid is swollen.
Perrilla is the everyday word Mexicans use for stye.
Home remedy conversation
Mi abuela dice que si te frotas un anillo de oro se quita el orzuelo.
My grandma says if you rub a gold ring on it, the stye will go away.
Folk remedies for orzuelos vary by country but are a common cultural element.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Orzuelo
Wrong gender article
Incorrect: La orzuelo me duele.
Correct: El orzuelo me duele.
Orzuelo is masculine (el orzuelo), not feminine. The -o ending is a clue.
Confusing orzuelo with chalazión
Incorrect: Tengo un orzuelo desde hace tres meses.
Correct: Tengo un chalazión desde hace tres meses.
An orzuelo is acute (days); a chalazión is chronic (weeks/months). If it has lasted months, a doctor would call it chalazión.
Lock in Stye 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 Orzuelo used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using orzuelo in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Me salió un orzuelo en el ojo derecho y me molesta mucho. 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 Stye in Spanish
- How do you say stye in Spanish?
- The medical term is orzuelo. In Mexico, the colloquial word perrilla is more common in everyday speech.
- Is perrilla understood outside Mexico?
- Perrilla is mainly a Mexican term. In other countries, people would understand orzuelo or might have their own local slang.
- What is the plural of orzuelo?
- The plural is orzuelos: Tengo dos orzuelos means I have two styes.