US Medical Term · symptoms
Sore Throat
Dolor de garganta
What it means
A sore throat is discomfort, pain, or scratchiness in the throat, and it often makes it painful to swallow. MedlinePlus also calls it pharyngitis. The throat is a tube that carries food to the esophagus and air to the windpipe and larynx; its technical name is the pharynx. Pharyngitis is caused by swelling in the back of the throat, between the tonsils and the voice box. Most sore throats are caused by viruses, and colds and flu are often the cause; strep throat is caused by group A streptococcus. A provider will look at the throat and may do a rapid test or throat culture to test for strep throat. A sore throat with trouble breathing needs medical care right away; in an emergency in the U.S., call 911.
Sore Throat in Spanish
- Spanish term
- Dolor de garganta
- Gender and article
- masculine: el dolor de garganta
- Pronunciation
- doh-LOR deh gar-GAHN-tah
| Other Spanish terms | Where it is used | Note |
|---|---|---|
| faringitis | General | MedlinePlus en español lists it under "Otros nombres", and its encyclopedia article uses the two terms for the same thing ("la faringitis, o dolor de garganta"). |
Dolor de garganta is the phrase MedlinePlus en español uses, and it takes masculine articles: un dolor de garganta, plural los dolores de garganta. The other name is faringitis, feminine (la faringitis), which MedlinePlus en español lists under other names. Its encyclopedia article describes it as la molestia, el dolor o la carraspera en la garganta; carraspera stands where the English version of the same article says "scratchiness". Painful swallowing is dolor al tragar.
Anatomy words on the same pages are faringe (pharynx), which MedlinePlus en español gives as the technical name for the throat, laringe (larynx) and amígdalas (tonsils). Gargling is hacer gárgaras. Strep throat appears on MedlinePlus en español as amigdalitis estreptocócica in the encyclopedia and as inflamación estreptocócica in the health topic summary. The tests for it are una prueba rápida (a rapid test) and un cultivo de garganta (a throat culture).
Phrases for an appointment
What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:
| Who | English | Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| Patient | I have had a sore throat for three days, and it hurts to swallow. | Tengo dolor de garganta desde hace tres días, y me duele al tragar. |
| Clinician | Do you also have a fever, a headache, or a skin rash? | ¿También tiene fiebre, dolor de cabeza o una erupción en la piel? |
| Patient | My throat feels scratchy, and the glands in my neck are swollen. | Siento carraspera en la garganta, y tengo los ganglios del cuello inflamados. |
| Clinician | Open your mouth wide, please. I am going to look at your throat. | Abra bien la boca, por favor. Voy a examinarle la garganta. |
| Clinician | I am going to do a rapid test to check for strep throat. | Voy a hacerle una prueba rápida para buscar amigdalitis estreptocócica. |
| Patient | Is it caused by a virus or by bacteria? | ¿Lo causa un virus o una bacteria? |
| Clinician | Are you having any trouble breathing? | ¿Tiene alguna dificultad para respirar? |
| Patient | My sore throat has not gone away after several days. Should I come back? | El dolor de garganta no se me ha quitado después de varios días. ¿Debo volver? |
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Sore Throat |
| Spanish (Español) | Dolor de garganta |
| Chinese (中文) | 喉嚨痛 |
| Korean (한국어) | 인후통 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Đau họng |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Masakit na lalamunan |
| Portuguese (Português) | Dor de garganta |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | อาการเจ็บคอ |
| Japanese (日本語) | 咽頭痛 |
Where you'll see it
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: Lungs and breathing
All terms in this area: Lungs and breathing — Pulmones y respiración
Sources
- Sore Throat — MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine
- Dolor de garganta — MedlinePlus en español, Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina
- Pharyngitis - sore throat (Medical Encyclopedia) — MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine
- Faringitis y dolor de garganta (Enciclopedia médica) — MedlinePlus en español, Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina
- 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 7, 2026