US Medical Term · symptoms
Nausea
Náuseas
Also: Ganas de vomitar (regional variant)
What it means
Nausea is when you feel sick to your stomach, as if you are going to throw up; vomiting is when you throw up. The MedlinePlus medical encyclopedia describes nausea as feeling an urge to vomit and notes that it is often called "being sick to your stomach." Nausea and vomiting can be symptoms of many different conditions, including morning sickness during pregnancy, gastroenteritis and other infections, migraines, motion sickness, food poisoning, and medicines. MedlinePlus says nausea and vomiting are common and usually not serious, but it lists reasons to contact a health care provider immediately, such as vomiting for longer than 24 hours, blood in the vomit, severe abdominal pain, or signs of dehydration. The MedlinePlus encyclopedia says to call 911 or the local emergency number, or go to an emergency room, if a person notices blood or dark, coffee-colored material in the vomit or thinks the vomiting is from poisoning. In Spanish the word is náuseas.
Nausea in Spanish
- Spanish term
- Náuseas
- Gender and article
- feminine: las náuseas (singular: la náusea)
- Pronunciation
- NOW-seh-ahs
| Other Spanish terms | Where it is used | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ganas de vomitar | General | Descriptive phrase: the MedlinePlus en español encyclopedia defines náuseas as the sensation of having ganas de vomitar, and the RAE dictionary defines náusea as gana de vomitar. |
| basca | General | Listed by the RAE dictionary among the synonyms or related words (sinónimos o afines) of náusea. |
The RAE dictionary enters the singular náusea, a feminine noun defined as gana de vomitar, and marks it "U. m. en pl.", that is, used more in the plural, which is the form of this headword: las náuseas. MedlinePlus en español uses both numbers in one page: la náusea es cuando se siente mal del estómago and las náuseas y los vómitos. The RAE entry gives a second sense as well: the disgust or aversion that something causes.
The MedlinePlus en español encyclopedia defines náuseas as the sensation of having ganas de vomitar and says it is frequently called "estar enfermo del estómago". Related words in MedlinePlus en español are vómitos (vomiting), vomitar (to vomit), náuseas matutinas (morning sickness) and deshidratación (dehydration). The encyclopedia article lists emesis, vómito, malestar estomacal and mareos among its alternative names, and the topic page writes motion sickness as mareo (cinetosis).
Phrases for an appointment
What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:
| Who | English | Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| Patient | I have had nausea since yesterday, but I have not vomited. | Tengo náuseas desde ayer, pero no he vomitado. |
| Clinician | Does the nausea come before or after eating? | ¿Las náuseas le dan antes o después de comer? |
| Patient | It is worse in the morning and with strong smells. | Son peores por la mañana y con los olores fuertes. |
| Clinician | Have you been able to keep liquids down? | ¿Ha podido retener los líquidos? |
| Patient | Only small sips of water. | Solo pequeños sorbos de agua. |
| Clinician | Have you seen blood in your vomit, or do you have severe abdominal pain? | ¿Ha visto sangre en el vómito o tiene dolor abdominal intenso? |
| Patient | No, but I feel like vomiting every time I take this medicine. | No, pero me dan ganas de vomitar cada vez que tomo este medicamento. |
| Clinician | I am going to check for signs of dehydration, such as a dry mouth. | Voy a revisar si tiene signos de deshidratación, como la boca seca. |
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Nausea |
| Spanish (Español) | Náuseas |
| Chinese (中文) | 噁心 |
| Korean (한국어) | 메스꺼움 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Buồn nôn |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Pagduwal |
| Portuguese (Português) | Náusea |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | คลื่นไส้ |
| Japanese (日本語) | 吐き気 |
Where you'll see it
Related ICD-10-CM category
ICD-10-CM code: R11 → Nausea and vomitingRelated terms
Your right to an interpreter in the United States
If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.
You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»
More terms: Digestive system
All terms in this area: Digestive system — Sistema digestivo
Sources
- Nausea and Vomiting — MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine
- Náusea y vómitos — MedlinePlus en español, Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina
- Nausea and vomiting – adults — MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine
- Náuseas y vómitos en adultos — MedlinePlus en español, Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina
- náusea — Diccionario de la lengua española — Real Academia Española / ASALE
- Limited English Proficiency (LEP): Your Right to Language Assistance Services — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights
This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.
Last reviewed: October 8, 2026