How to Say ‘Diuretic’ in Spanish

In Spanish, ‘diuretic’ is ‘diurético’ as a noun and ‘diurética’ as an adjective, with the stress on the third syllable.

If you’ve ever read a medication label and wondered how to discuss a “diuretic” in Spanish, the answer is simpler than you might think. Many English medical terms share Latin roots with Spanish, and this one follows a clean pattern.

This article covers the exact Spanish translations—noun and adjective forms, pronunciation, and a few common phrases—so you can use the term with confidence in medical or everyday contexts.

The Simple Translation: “Diurético”

The Spanish noun for “diuretic” is el diurético (masculine). It refers to a substance that increases urine output. The word is a direct cognate, so it’s easy to remember.

As an adjective, the form changes based on gender. Use diurético with masculine nouns and diurética with feminine nouns. For example, “a diuretic drug” is un medicamento diurético (masculine noun), while “a diuretic herb” might be una hierba diurética.

The plural forms are diuréticos (masculine) and diuréticas (feminine). Pronunciation follows regular Spanish rules: dee-oo-REH-tee-koh. The accent falls on the re syllable.

Why the Adjective Form Matters

In English, “diuretic” works as both noun and adjective without changing shape. Spanish requires a gender shift. Getting this right avoids confusion, especially in written medical notes or spoken instructions.

  • Masculine adjective: Use diurético with masculine nouns like medicamento (drug) or efecto (effect). Example: efecto diurético.
  • Feminine adjective: Use diurética with feminine nouns like sustancia (substance) or planta (plant). Example: planta diurética.
  • Plural adjectives: Match number too. Los fármacos diuréticos (masculine plural) or las propiedades diuréticas (feminine plural).
  • Noun vs. adjective: El diurético as a noun (“the diuretic”), vs. es un diurético (“it’s a diuretic”) where the word is still a noun but can be used predicatively.

Mastering the adjective agreement is key for natural Spanish sentences. It also helps when reading labels or talking to healthcare providers in Spanish-speaking countries.

Using “Diurético” in Medical Contexts

In pharmacy or clinical settings, you’ll often hear the full phrase los fármacos diuréticos (diuretic drugs). This follows the pattern: noun (masculine plural) + adjective (masculine plural). SpanishDict provides a clear breakdown of the Spanish noun for diuretic with example sentences.

For instance, SpanishDict gives: “As a diuretic, the seeds can help to increase urination” → Como diurético, las semillas pueden ayudar a aumentar la micción. That shows “diurético” used as a predicate noun.

Another common phrase comes from Linguee: “Diuretic drugs reduce water in the body” → Los fármacos diuréticos reducen el agua del cuerpo. Notice the agreement: fármacos (masculine plural) takes diuréticos (masculine plural).

English Phrase Spanish Translation Source
diuretic diurético (noun) SpanishDict
diuretic drugs fármacos diuréticos Linguee
as a diuretic como diurético SpanishDict
diuretic effect efecto diurético Collins
a natural diuretic un diurético natural WordReference

These examples show how the word behaves in real sentences. The pattern is consistent: nouns stay as diurético, adjectives agree with their noun’s gender and number.

Pronunciation and Common Mistakes

Non-native speakers often misplace the stress or forget the accent mark in diurético. The written accent on the e (é) indicates where the stress falls: on the third syllable from the end (re). Without it, the word would be pronounced differently.

  1. Stress position: Say dee-oo-REH-tee-koh. Never dee-oo-reh-TEE-koh. Practice by tapping a finger on REH.
  2. Vowel sounds: Spanish vowels are pure. “diurético” has five syllables: di-u-ré-ti-co. Keep each vowel short and distinct.
  3. Don’t confuse with “diuresis”: “Diuresis” is la diuresis (the act of urinating). “Diurético” is the agent that causes it. Mixing the two could cause a misunderstanding in a clinic.
  4. Accent mark: Always write diurético with the accent on the e. Omitting it changes the stress to the co syllable and makes the word non-standard.

Listening to audio clips on dictionary sites helps lock in the rhythm. Once you’ve said it a few times, the pattern becomes automatic.

Real-World Usage and Translation Tools

When you need a quick translation, online dictionaries like SpanishDict and WordReference give you both noun and adjective forms. For more context—how the word actually appears in medical or everyday writing—corpus-based tools like Linguee are invaluable. Linguee shows fármacos diuréticos in a full-sentence example, which you can search on Linguee to see alternative phrasings.

Another reliable resource is the Collins Spanish-English dictionary, which includes “diurético” as a headword in both the print and online versions. It also provides audio pronunciation.

If you’re working with a bilingual healthcare document, Tureng lists “diurético” as the primary medical term, with seven related entries for “diuretic” (including diurético de asa for “loop diuretic”).

Resource Type Best For
SpanishDict Translation dictionary Quick noun/adjective lookup
Linguee Bilingual corpus Example sentences in context
WordReference Community forum Nuanced usage and regional variations

The Bottom Line

The Spanish translation for “diuretic” is straightforward: use diurético as a noun, and adjust to diurético or diurética as an adjective depending on the gender of the noun it modifies. Pronunciation follows Spanish stress rules, and the accent mark on the e is essential.

If you’re studying Spanish for medical conversations, working with a native-speaking tutor who specializes in healthcare vocabulary can help you master pronunciation and context for terms like “diurético” before you use them in a real appointment.