Red Blood Cells in Spanish

What do red blood cells do?

Red blood cells carry oxygen. MedlinePlus explains that they contain hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein that carries oxygen from the lungs to every cell in the body. The red blood cell measurement is used to help diagnose red blood cell disorders, such as anemia, a condition in which the body does not make enough healthy red blood cells.

Low and high red blood cell counts

MedlinePlus lists symptoms of a low red blood cell count that may include shortness of breath, weakness or fatigue, headache, and dizziness, and symptoms of a high count that may include headache, dizziness, and vision problems. Conditions that may cause a low count can include anemia, leukemia, and malnutrition; conditions that may cause a high count can include dehydration and heart disease. A language reference cannot interpret a result for a particular person.

What it means

Red blood cells, also known as erythrocytes, are blood cells made in the bone marrow, the spongy tissue inside the large bones. They contain hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein that carries oxygen from the lungs to every cell in the body, and cells need oxygen to grow, reproduce, and make energy. A blood test called a red blood cell (RBC) count measures the number of these cells in the blood; it is almost always part of a complete blood count (CBC), a group of tests that measures the number and type of cells in the blood. A count that is higher or lower than normal is often the first sign of an illness. In Spanish they are called glóbulos rojos.

Spanish term: Glóbulos rojos
Gender and article: masculine plural: los glóbulos rojos (singular: el glóbulo rojo)
Pronunciation: GLOH-boo-lohs ROH-hohs

Other Spanish terms	Where it is used	Note
eritrocitos	General	Technical synonym; MedlinePlus en español says red blood cells are also known as eritrocitos.
hematíes	General	The Spanish dictionary defines hematíe as a red blood cell, marks it as a masculine biology term used mostly in the plural, and gives eritrocito as its synonym.
corpúsculos rojos	General	The National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary says a glóbulo rojo is also called corpúsculo rojo.
GR	General	Abbreviation given by the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary.

Glóbulos rojos is the name MedlinePlus en español and the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary use. The Spanish dictionary lists glóbulo rojo under glóbulo as a masculine noun and defines it as "célula globosa y roja de la sangre." The adjective follows the noun and agrees with it: el glóbulo rojo, los glóbulos rojos. Two synonyms appear in these sources: eritrocitos, which MedlinePlus en español gives as another name, and hematíes, which the dictionary defines as "glóbulo rojo de la sangre" and marks as used mostly in the plural.

For the blood test, MedlinePlus en español says conteo de glóbulos rojos and lists conteo de eritrocitos as an alternative name. The NCI dictionary adds that a red blood cell is also called corpúsculo rojo and gives the abbreviation GR. Words that go with the term are hemoglobina (hemoglobin), médula ósea (bone marrow), anemia and conteo sanguíneo completo (complete blood count); the NCI dictionary calls that last test recuento sanguíneo completo.

Phrases for an appointment

What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:

Who	English	Spanish
Clinician	Your blood test shows that your red blood cell count is low.	Su análisis de sangre muestra que el conteo de glóbulos rojos está bajo.
Patient	Does that mean I have anemia?	¿Eso significa que tengo anemia?
Clinician	Have you felt weak or short of breath lately?	¿Ha sentido debilidad o falta de aire últimamente?
Patient	Yes, I have no energy and I get dizzy when I stand up.	Sí, no tengo energía y me mareo cuando me pongo de pie.
Clinician	Have you had any bleeding, for example blood in your stool?	¿Ha tenido algún sangrado, por ejemplo sangre en las heces?
Patient	Where does it say red blood cells on my lab report?	¿Dónde dice glóbulos rojos en mi informe de laboratorio?
Clinician	This line, marked RBC, is the red blood cell count.	Esta línea, marcada RBC, es el conteo de glóbulos rojos.
Patient	Do I need to repeat the blood test?	¿Tengo que repetir el análisis de sangre?

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Red Blood Cells
Spanish (Español)	Glóbulos rojos
Chinese (中文)	紅血球
Korean (한국어)	적혈구
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Hồng cầu
Filipino (Tagalog)	Pulang selula ng dugo
Portuguese (Português)	Hemácias
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	เม็ดเลือดแดง
Japanese (日本語)	赤血球

Where you'll see it

lab reportchartdischarge summarymedical record

Related 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: Blood and immune system

All terms in this area: Blood and immune system — Sangre y sistema inmunitario

Sources

This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.