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inflamado means swollen — a common term in Medical Spanish. Learn how it's used in a real-world example.

📅 Published: January 12, 2026

🩺 Medical Spanish

inflamado

adjective • /[een-fla-MA-do]/

swollen

Example:

Tiene el tobillo inflamado.

Her ankle is swollen.

🧠 What does inflamado mean?

The adjective 'inflamado' describes a part of the body that is swollen, puffy, or enlarged, typically as a result of an injury, infection, or allergic reaction. It is the past participle of the verb 'inflamar' (to inflame) and points to the presence of inflammation, which often includes redness, heat, and pain in addition to swelling.

📚 Extra examples

  • Después de la picadura de abeja, su brazo se puso muy rojo e inflamado.
    After the bee sting, his arm became very red and swollen.
  • El médico me dijo que tengo las amígdalas inflamadas.
    The doctor told me I have swollen tonsils.
  • La articulación de la rodilla estaba dolorida e inflamada.
    The knee joint was painful and inflamed.

💡 Did You Know?

The word 'inflamado' comes from the Latin verb 'inflammāre', meaning 'to set on fire'. This origin connects to the classic signs of inflammation in medicine: redness (rubor), heat (calor), swelling (tumor), and pain (dolor), which can make a part of the body feel as though it is 'on fire'.

🔁 Synonyms & opposites of "inflamado"

Synonyms: hinchado, abultado, edematoso
Opposites: desinflamado, normal, sano

🔍 See more medical spanish words

❓ FAQ

How do you say 'swollen' in Spanish?
The most common ways to say 'swollen' in Spanish are 'inflamado' or 'hinchado'. 'Inflamado' specifically refers to inflammation, while 'hinchado' is a more general term for swelling that is very common in everyday speech.
How do you pronounce 'inflamado' in Spanish?
The word is pronounced 'een-flah-MAH-doh'. The stress falls on the third syllable, '-ma-'.
How do you use 'inflamado' in a sentence?
'Inflamado' is an adjective used to describe a part of the body. For example: 'Tengo el tobillo inflamado' (My ankle is swollen). It must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies, such as 'la garganta inflamada' (the swollen throat).
What is the English translation of 'inflamado'?
The primary English translation is 'swollen' or 'inflamed'.
Does 'inflamado' change for gender or number?
Yes, as a regular adjective, it changes to agree with the noun. The forms are 'inflamado' (masculine singular), 'inflamada' (feminine singular), 'inflamados' (masculine plural), and 'inflamadas' (feminine plural).
Is 'inflamado' common in everyday Spanish?
Yes, it is very common, especially when discussing health, injuries, or illnesses. It is standard vocabulary used in both medical settings and everyday conversations.
Does 'inflamado' have slang or double meanings?
While its primary meaning is medical, 'inflamado' can be used figuratively to mean 'inflamed' in the sense of being agitated or heated, such as in 'un debate inflamado' (a heated debate). This usage is less common than its literal one.
Is 'inflamado' used differently in Spain vs Latin America?
The use of 'inflamado' is consistent across the Spanish-speaking world. However, the word 'hinchado' is often used as a more frequent, everyday synonym for 'swollen' in many regions, while 'inflamado' can sometimes carry a slightly more clinical or formal tone.

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