In Spanish, “indigestion” is usually “indigestión,” said in-dee-hehs-YON, and it works in both casual and medical talk.
If you’ve ever had a heavy stomach after a big meal, you know the feeling can ruin a night fast. When it hits while you’re traveling, studying abroad, or chatting with Spanish-speaking friends, you don’t want to get stuck miming your pain.
This page gives you the word most Spanish speakers use, plus the phrases that make it sound natural. You’ll get pronunciation help, quick grammar, and a set of ready-to-say lines for restaurants, pharmacies, and clinics.
What “Indigestion” Means In Spanish
The most direct translation is indigestión. It matches the English meaning: discomfort after eating, often with heaviness, burning, or a sour taste.
Spanish also uses a second word, empacho, in many countries. It points to the same general problem, yet it can sound more folk-ish, like “I ate too much and my stomach’s upset.” In some places it’s what a parent says about a kid after sweets and greasy food.
Indigestión Vs. Empacho
Indigestión feels neutral and works in formal settings. Empacho is common in everyday speech in parts of Latin America and can feel more homey.
If you’re unsure which one locals use, start with indigestión. People will get you right away, even if their usual word is empacho.
Gender And Plurals
La indigestión is feminine. You’ll almost always use it in the singular, since it’s a condition: Tengo indigestión. You can use a plural in rare cases, like talking about repeated bouts, yet it’s not common in daily talk.
How To Say Indigestion In Spanish For Travel And Clinics
Here are the two most natural “I’ve got it” lines. Pick one and stick it on your tongue:
- Tengo indigestión. (I have indigestion.)
- Me dio indigestión. (Indigestion hit me / I got indigestion.)
Me dio is handy when the cause was a meal: it frames the issue as something that came on after you ate.
Pronunciation That Won’t Trip You Up
Indigestión has one stress: the last syllable. The written accent on -sión tells you where to hit it. Say it like: in-dee-hehs-YON.
In Spain, you may hear a soft “th” sound for the c in -ción, closer to “yon,” yet the rhythm stays the same. In Latin America, it’s a clear “s” sound.
Spelling Notes And The Accent Mark
Don’t drop the accent: indigestion without the mark looks off in Spanish. If you’re typing on a phone, press and hold the “o” to get “ó.”
If you’re writing by hand, add the accent even in all-caps notes. In medical forms, it still matters for clean Spanish.
Use It In Real Sentences Without Sounding Stiff
The single word is fine, yet sentences are where you sound like you belong in the room. These patterns work across regions and feel natural.
Casual Speech With Friends Or Host Families
- Creo que me dio indigestión. (I think I got indigestion.)
- Estoy con el estómago pesado. (My stomach feels heavy.)
- Me cae mal la comida grasosa. (Greasy food doesn’t sit well with me.)
Me cae mal is a classic way to say something doesn’t agree with you. It can refer to a single dish or a whole category of food.
More Formal Speech In A Pharmacy Or Clinic
- Tengo indigestión desde anoche. (I’ve had indigestion since last night.)
- Siento ardor y pesadez después de comer. (I feel burning and heaviness after eating.)
- Me duele el estómago y tengo acidez. (My stomach hurts and I have heartburn.)
Health staff often asks follow-ups about timing, food triggers, and other symptoms. Giving a short timeline helps them help you faster.
Related Stomach Words That Often Travel With Indigestion
People describe “indigestion” in different ways. Some mention burning. Others mention gas or nausea. Learning a small set of side words lets you be clear in one try.
Symptoms You Might Mention
Here are common terms you’ll hear and use, with plain meanings.
Burning And Acid
Acidez is heartburn or acid. Ardor is burning, often in the chest or upper stomach.
Gas And Bloating
Gases are gas. Hinchazón is swelling or bloating. People also say estoy hinchado (I’m bloated).
Nausea And Vomiting
Náuseas are nausea. Vómito is vomit. In many places, vomitar is the verb, and devolver is a casual alternative.
Quick Reference Table For Food-Related Upset
Use this table when you want the right word fast. It mixes the neutral medical terms with the everyday ones you’ll hear at home and in restaurants.
| English | Spanish | When It Fits |
|---|---|---|
| indigestion | indigestión | Neutral choice in any setting |
| indigestion / overeating upset | empacho | Everyday Latin American talk |
| heartburn | acidez | Burning, reflux, sour taste |
| burning sensation | ardor | When you feel heat in chest or stomach |
| stomach ache | dolor de estómago | General stomach pain |
| bloating | hinchazón | Swollen, tight belly |
| gas | gases | Pressure, burping, flatulence |
| nausea | náuseas | Queasy, feel like vomiting |
| diarrhea | diarrea | Loose stools, stomach bug talk |
How To Answer The Questions People Will Ask Next
Once you say you’ve got indigestion, people tend to ask the same follow-ups. If you’ve got a few stock phrases ready, the chat stays smooth.
Timing
- Empezó hace unas horas. (It started a few hours ago.)
- Me pasa después de comer. (It happens to me after I eat.)
- Ya me había pasado antes. (It’s happened to me before.)
Food Triggers
- Me cayó mal el marisco. (Seafood didn’t agree with me.)
- La comida muy picante me cae mal. (Spicy food doesn’t sit well with me.)
- Comí tarde y me siento pesado. (I ate late and I feel heavy.)
What You’ve Tried
- Tomé agua y descansé un rato. (I drank water and rested a bit.)
- No he tomado nada todavía. (I haven’t taken anything yet.)
- Tomé un antiácido. (I took an antacid.)
Restaurant And Travel Dialogues You Can Reuse
These mini dialogues are built from the same phrases Spanish speakers use every day. Read them out loud once or twice, then swap in your own food words.
At A Restaurant After A Heavy Meal
Tú: Perdón, me siento mal. Creo que me dio indigestión.
Mesero: ¿Quiere algo para el malestar? ¿Un té?
Tú: Sí, un té de manzanilla, por favor. Y agua también.
At A Pharmacy
Tú: Hola, tengo indigestión y acidez. ¿Tiene algo para eso?
Farmacéutico: Sí. ¿Desde cuándo la tiene?
Tú: Desde esta mañana, después del desayuno.
At A Clinic Reception Desk
Tú: Tengo dolor de estómago y creo que es indigestión.
Recepción: ¿Tiene fiebre o vómito?
Tú: No tengo fiebre. Tengo náuseas, pero no he vomitado.
Second Table: Ready-To-Say Phrases By Situation
Use this as your quick script. Pick one line, say it, then answer the follow-up question about timing or food.
| Situation | Spanish Phrase | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Simple statement | Tengo indigestión. | I have indigestion. |
| Cause feels like a meal | Me dio indigestión después de comer. | I got indigestion after eating. |
| Heartburn focus | Tengo acidez y ardor. | I have heartburn and burning. |
| Bloating focus | Estoy con hinchazón y gases. | I’m bloated and gassy. |
| Need something gentle | ¿Me puede dar un antiácido? | Can you give me an antacid? |
| Need a break | Necesito sentarme un momento. | I need to sit down for a moment. |
| Warning sign | Tengo dolor fuerte y no se me pasa. | I have strong pain and it won’t go away. |
Small Grammar Moves That Make You Sound Natural
Spanish has a few go-to patterns for feeling sick. They’re short, and they save you from translating word-for-word from English.
Use “Tengo” For Conditions
Tengo works with many symptoms: tengo indigestión, tengo náuseas, tengo acidez. It’s the safest pattern when you’re speaking under stress.
Use “Me Dio” For Sudden Onset
Me dio works when something came on after a trigger: me dio indigestión, me dio dolor de estómago. It sounds natural in casual talk.
Use “Me Cae Mal” For Food Sensitivity
Me cae mal is your go-to for “doesn’t agree with me.” You can say me cae mal la leche or me cae mal comer tarde.
When Indigestion Might Be Something Else
Most cases pass with rest, water, and gentle food. Still, certain symptoms point to a stronger issue than plain indigestion.
If you have intense pain, blood in vomit or stool, fainting, or fever that won’t break, it’s smart to get urgent medical care. In Spanish, you can say necesito atención médica urgente and name the symptom: tengo fiebre, me desmayé, hay sangre.
If you’re not sure what’s going on, tell staff what you feel and when it started. Clear details matter more than the perfect word.
Memory Tricks For “Indigestión” And Friends
Indigestión looks like English, so the main work is pronunciation and the accent mark. Say it with the stress at the end and you’re set.
Try this quick drill: say digestión three times, then add in- at the start: in-di-ges-TIÓN. If you can hit the last syllable cleanly, the rest falls into place.
For acidez, link it to “acid.” For hinchazón, think “inflated.” For náuseas, think “nausea,” and keep the “ow” sound in the middle: NOW-seh-as.
Polite Ways To Ask For Relief
If you’re talking to a server, host, or pharmacist, a polite opener keeps things smooth. Spanish often uses ¿Me puede…? or ¿Podría…? for requests.
- ¿Me puede traer agua, por favor? (Can you bring me water?)
- ¿Podría recomendarme algo para la indigestión? (Could you recommend something for indigestion?)
- ¿Tiene té de manzanilla? (Do you have chamomile tea?)
- Quisiera algo suave para el estómago. (I’d like something gentle for my stomach.)
In a clinic, stick with usted forms: ¿Me puede ayudar? In casual talk, tú works. Either way, a calm voice and clear timing go far.
Mini Checklist You Can Screenshot Before You Go
If you want a one-screen cheat sheet, copy these lines into your notes app. It saves stress later. They cover the most common ways people describe indigestion and the follow-ups you’ll get.
- Tengo indigestión.
- Me dio indigestión después de comer.
- Tengo acidez y ardor.
- Estoy con hinchazón y gases.
- Me cae mal la comida grasosa.
- Empezó hace unas horas.
- Desde anoche / desde esta mañana.
- No tengo fiebre. Tengo náuseas.