This page in your language
فارسی العربية Deutsch Español Français 日本語 한국어 Português 中文 हिन्दी
B1 verb 8 min read

hospitalizar

Examples Notes & Tips hospitalizar in 30 Seconds
Explanation hospitalizar in your Level:
At the A1 level, you are just starting to learn basic verbs. While 'hospitalizar' might seem long, it is easy because it looks like the English word 'hospital'. At this stage, you only need to know that it means 'to put someone in the hospital'. You will mostly see it in the present tense or as an infinitive after simple verbs like 'necesitar' (to need) or 'querer' (to want). For example, 'El niño necesita hospitalizar' (The boy needs to be hospitalized - though technically 'ser hospitalizado' is better, A1 learners often start with simple forms). You should focus on recognizing the word when you see it in a simple story or a news headline. Don't worry about complex grammar yet; just remember 'hospital' + 'izar' = to hospitalize. It is a regular verb, so it follows the same pattern as 'hablar' or 'estudiar'. If you know 'yo hablo', you can guess 'yo hospitalizo', though you will rarely say that about yourself! Usually, we talk about other people: 'Ellos hospitalizan'.
Sign up free to read full explanation
At the A2 level, you begin to use past tenses like the Preterite and Imperfect. This is when 'hospitalizar' becomes very useful for telling stories or reporting news. You might say, 'Ayer hospitalizaron a mi vecino' (Yesterday they hospitalized my neighbor). Notice the 'a' before 'mi vecino'—this is the 'personal a' which is very important at this level. You also start to see the word in the passive voice: 'Fue hospitalizado' (He was hospitalized). This is common in simple news reports. You should also learn the noun 'hospitalización' (hospitalization) and the adjective 'hospitalizado' (hospitalized). At A2, you are expected to understand the difference between 'ir al hospital' (going to the hospital, maybe for a quick visit) and 'hospitalizar' (being admitted to stay). You can use this word to explain why someone was absent from work or school: 'No vine porque tuvieron que hospitalizar a mi madre'.
Sign up free to read full explanation
At the B1 level, you are expected to use 'hospitalizar' with more confidence in various moods, including the present subjunctive. This is the level where you discuss recommendations and possibilities. For example, 'Espero que no tengan que hospitalizarlo' (I hope they don't have to hospitalize him). You should also be comfortable using it with direct object pronouns: 'Lo hospitalizaron anoche' (They hospitalized him last night). At this stage, you should also distinguish 'hospitalizar' from its synonyms like 'ingresar' and 'internar'. You might use it in a conversation with a doctor or when reading a more detailed news article. You'll also encounter the word in conditional sentences: 'Si yo fuera médico, lo hospitalizaría de inmediato' (If I were a doctor, I would hospitalize him immediately). Your focus should be on accuracy with pronouns and the 'personal a', as well as understanding the formal tone the word carries compared to more colloquial expressions.
At the B2 level, you should be able to use 'hospitalizar' in professional and academic contexts. You will see it in medical reports, legal documents, and formal news analysis. You should understand the nuances of the passive voice ('ser hospitalizado') versus the impersonal 'se' ('se hospitalizó a los heridos'). You might discuss public health policy, such as 'la capacidad del estado para hospitalizar a los ciudadanos durante una crisis'. You should also be familiar with related technical terms like 'hospitalización domiciliaria' (home-based hospitalization care). At this level, your vocabulary is rich enough to use 'hospitalizar' alongside complex conjunctions and transitions. You can explain the 'why' and 'how' of medical procedures using this verb. You are also expected to recognize when the word is being used figuratively, although it is primarily a literal medical term. Your grammar should be near-perfect when conjugating this regular verb in all tenses, including the future perfect or the pluscuamperfecto.
Sign up free to read full explanation
At the C1 level, 'hospitalizar' is a tool for precise communication. You use it to discuss medical ethics, healthcare administration, and complex societal issues. You might analyze the criteria used to hospitalize patients in a crowded system or write a formal essay on the history of medical admission. At this level, you understand the subtle differences between 'hospitalizar' and 'internar' in different Spanish-speaking regions and can adapt your speech accordingly. You use the verb in complex structures like 'Habiendo sido hospitalizado...' (Having been hospitalized...) or in hypothetical scenarios involving the imperfect subjunctive and the conditional. You can also discuss the socio-economic implications of hospitalization rates. Your understanding extends to the legal definitions of the word in insurance contracts and health laws. You are a sophisticated user who knows that while the verb is simple to conjugate, its placement and the surrounding vocabulary define the level of professionalism in the discourse.
Sign up free to read full explanation
At the C2 level, you possess a native-like mastery of 'hospitalizar'. You can use it with absolute precision in any context, from a high-level medical symposium to a legal trial regarding medical malpractice. You understand the historical evolution of the word and its relationship to other Latin-based terms. You can use it in highly formal writing, perhaps in a medical journal or a government white paper, where you might discuss 'la tasa de hospitalización' (hospitalization rate) as a key health indicator. You are sensitive to the emotional and social connotations of the word and can use it to create specific effects in literature or persuasive speech. Your command of the language allows you to use 'hospitalizar' in extremely complex sentences with multiple clauses, maintaining perfect agreement and tone. You are also capable of explaining the word's nuances to others, including its administrative differences from 'observación' or 'urgencias'. Essentially, the word is a natural part of your expansive lexicon, used with zero hesitation and total grammatical accuracy.
Sign up free to read full explanation
Examples Notes & Tips

hospitalizar in 30 Seconds

  • Hospitalizar is a regular -ar verb meaning 'to hospitalize'. It is a formal cognate that is easy for English speakers to recognize and use.
  • It is a transitive verb, meaning it requires a direct object (the person being hospitalized) and often uses the 'personal a' in Spanish.
  • Commonly used in medical, news, and formal contexts to describe the admission of a patient for inpatient care and professional medical supervision.
  • Synonyms include 'ingresar' (very common in Spain) and 'internar' (common in Latin America), while 'dar de alta' is the opposite action.

The Spanish verb hospitalizar is a direct cognate of the English verb 'to hospitalize.' At its core, it refers to the formal process of admitting a person into a hospital for medical treatment, observation, or surgery. While the word itself is straightforward, its usage in Spanish carries specific administrative and social weight. It is not merely 'going to the hospital' (which would be ir al hospital), but the official act of being kept there as an inpatient. In the Spanish-speaking world, the decision to hospitalizar someone is a significant medical milestone that implies the condition cannot be managed through outpatient care or at home.

Clinical Admission
This is the primary use case, often found in medical reports and news. For example: 'El protocolo exige hospitalizar a pacientes con saturación baja.' (The protocol requires hospitalizing patients with low saturation.)
Emergency Contexts
Used when an accident or sudden illness occurs. It emphasizes the necessity of staying under professional care: 'Tras el accidente, fue necesario hospitalizarlo de inmediato.'

Es fundamental hospitalizar al paciente si los síntomas persisten durante la noche para evitar complicaciones mayores.

Culturally, the term is used in both formal medical settings and everyday conversation when discussing health crises. Unlike English, where we might say 'he was admitted,' Spanish speakers frequently use the active or passive forms of hospitalizar or its synonym ingresar. It is important to note that hospitalizar is a transitive verb, meaning it usually takes a direct object (the person being hospitalized). In everyday speech, you will often see it used in the passive voice or with the impersonal 'se' to describe the event without focusing on the doctor who made the decision.

The word is common in headlines, especially during public health crises or when celebrities are involved. It conveys a sense of seriousness and professional intervention. In some Latin American regions, you might hear internar used interchangeably, though hospitalizar remains the most universally recognized term for medical admission across all Spanish-speaking countries. Understanding this word is crucial for navigating healthcare situations, reading news reports about public health, or discussing the well-being of family and friends in a Spanish-speaking context.

Using hospitalizar correctly involves understanding its conjugation as a regular -ar verb and its syntactic requirements. Because it is a transitive verb, it frequently appears with direct object pronouns (lo, la, los, las). In this section, we will explore the various tenses and moods where this word typically appears, from the imperative used by medical professionals to the conditional used in hypothetical health scenarios.

The Preterite (Past Events)
Used to describe a completed action of admission: 'Ayer hospitalizaron a mi abuelo por una neumonía severa.' (Yesterday they hospitalized my grandfather for severe pneumonia.)
The Future Tense (Predictions/Plans)
Common in scheduling surgeries or treatments: 'Te hospitalizarán el lunes por la mañana para la cirugía.' (They will hospitalize you Monday morning for the surgery.)

Si la fiebre no baja en dos horas, tendremos que hospitalizar a la niña para hidratarla.

One of the most frequent patterns is the use of the passive voice with 'ser' or the 'pasiva refleja' with 'se'. For instance, 'El paciente fue hospitalizado' (The patient was hospitalized) or 'Se hospitalizó a los heridos' (The wounded were hospitalized). These structures shift the focus from the medical staff to the individuals receiving care. Furthermore, the verb is often followed by prepositions like por (due to) or para (in order to), which provide the reason or purpose for the admission.

In complex sentences involving the subjunctive, hospitalizar appears when expressing a doctor's recommendation or a necessity: 'El doctor sugirió que lo hospitalizaran cuanto antes.' (The doctor suggested that they hospitalize him as soon as possible.) This usage is vital for B1 level students who are beginning to navigate more nuanced expressions of influence and desire. Whether you are describing a past event or discussing a future medical necessity, mastering the placement of the direct object and the 'personal a' is the key to sounding natural.

The word hospitalizar is ubiquitous in specific environments, primarily healthcare facilities, news media, and formal administrative contexts. While you might not use it daily in casual conversation about weather or food, it is a 'high-stakes' word that appears whenever health becomes the topic of discussion. Understanding the environments where this word thrives will help you recognize it instantly.

Television News and Newspapers
Journalists use it to report on public figures or large-scale accidents. Headlines like 'Hospitalizan de urgencia al Primer Ministro' are common and use the verb to convey immediate, serious action.
Medical Consultations
Doctors use it when explaining the next steps to a patient or their family. It marks the transition from a simple check-up to a more intensive level of care.

El informe médico indica que es imperativo hospitalizar a cualquier persona que presente estos síntomas de intoxicación.

In soap operas (telenovelas), hospitalizar is a dramatic plot device. A character might be 'hospitalized' after a dramatic revelation or a mysterious illness, leading to scenes in the 'sala de espera' (waiting room). In these contexts, the word is often accompanied by emotional language. Conversely, in a legal or insurance context, hospitalizar is used with clinical precision to determine coverage limits and the duration of stay, often appearing in documents describing 'gastos de hospitalización'.

Finally, you will hear it in public health announcements, especially during flu seasons or pandemics, where authorities might discuss the capacity of the system to hospitalizar more patients. It is a word that bridges the gap between technical medical jargon and common public knowledge. Even if a speaker prefers the more common ingresar in a hospital hallway, hospitalizar remains the standard term for official communication and written records.

Even though hospitalizar is a cognate, English speakers often stumble on its grammatical application in Spanish. The most frequent errors involve the 'personal a', confusion with similar-sounding words, and incorrect prepositional usage. Recognizing these pitfalls early will ensure your Spanish remains polished and professional.

The Missing 'Personal A'
In Spanish, when a person is the direct object of a verb, you must use 'a'. Saying 'Hospitalizaron el paciente' is incorrect; it must be 'Hospitalizaron al paciente'.
Confusion with 'Hospedar'
Because both words start with 'hosp-', learners sometimes confuse them. Hospedar means 'to lodge' or 'to host' (like in a hotel), whereas hospitalizar is strictly medical.

Incorrect: Decidieron hospitalizarle en el hotel. (Should be: Decidieron hospedarlo en el hotel.)

Another common mistake is treating it as a reflexive verb when it shouldn't be. While you can say 'se hospitalizó' (impersonal or passive), you wouldn't usually say 'me hospitalicé' to mean 'I admitted myself.' Instead, speakers usually say 'tuve que ser hospitalizado' or 'me ingresaron'. The act of hospitalization is generally viewed as something done to a patient by a medical institution or authority, rather than a self-inflicted action.

Lastly, be careful with the spelling. It ends in -izar, not -isar. This is a common spelling error for learners, as the 'z' sounds like an 's' in Latin American Spanish (seseo). Remember that most Spanish verbs derived from nouns ending in '-al' (like hospital) use the '-izar' suffix to form the verb. By avoiding these common errors, you will communicate medical needs and news with much greater clarity.

While hospitalizar is the most precise term, Spanish offers several alternatives depending on the context, the region, and the level of formality. Knowing these synonyms will help you understand different speakers and choose the most appropriate word for your own needs.

Ingresar
The most common alternative. It literally means 'to enter' or 'to admit.' In a hospital context, 'lo ingresaron' is often used in place of 'lo hospitalizaron'. It is slightly less formal but very common in spoken Spanish.
Internar
Frequently used in Latin America. It can refer to medical hospitalization but is also used for psychiatric facilities or boarding schools. 'Tuvieron que internarlo' is a common way to say he was hospitalized.

Comparación:
1. Hospitalizar (Formal/Technical)
2. Ingresar (Common/General)
3. Internar (Regional/Specific)

On the opposite side, we have terms for leaving the hospital. The most important is dar de alta. When a doctor 'hospitalizes' you, they 'te hospitalizan'; when they let you go home, they 'te dan de alta'. This pair is essential for anyone describing a full medical journey. Another related term is clínica, which can be used as a verb in some very specific, often non-standard contexts, but generally, you would stick to hospitalizar for clarity.

Understanding these distinctions allows you to navigate the Spanish healthcare system more effectively. If you are in Spain, you will hear ingresar constantly. In Mexico or Argentina, internar might be your go-to word. However, in any of these places, if you use hospitalizar, you will be perfectly understood and sound educated. It is the 'safe' and 'standard' choice for any professional or serious conversation regarding medical admission.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The root word 'hospes' in Latin is the ancestor of both 'hospital' and 'hotel', explaining why they sound so similar and both involve 'staying' somewhere.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ɒspɪtælaɪˈzɑːr/
US /ospitalizar/
The stress is on the last syllable: hos-pi-ta-li-ZAR.
Rhymes With
finalizar realizar organizar analizar utilizar caracterizar autorizar memorizar
Common Errors
  • Pronouncing the 'h' (it should be silent).
  • Stress on the wrong syllable (often on the 'li').
  • Using an English 'z' sound instead of a Spanish 's/th' sound.
  • Vowel reduction (making the 'a' sound like a schwa).
  • Forgetting to roll or tap the final 'r'.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 1/5

Very easy due to the English cognate 'hospitalize'.

Writing 2/5

Easy, but remember the 'z' and the 'personal a'.

Speaking 2/5

Moderate due to the silent 'h' and the length of the word.

Listening 2/5

Easy to recognize, but listen for the silent 'h'.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

hospital médico enfermo ayuda ir

Learn Next

ingresar dar de alta síntoma diagnóstico tratamiento

Advanced

ambulatorio facultativo nosocomio quirófano convalecencia
Sign up free to read full explanation

Examples by Level

1

El médico quiere hospitalizar al hombre.

The doctor wants to hospitalize the man.

Uses the infinitive after 'querer'.

2

Necesitan hospitalizar a mi abuela.

They need to hospitalize my grandmother.

Uses 'a' before 'mi abuela'.

3

¿Es necesario hospitalizar?

Is it necessary to hospitalize?

Simple question with infinitive.

4

Ellos hospitalizan a muchas personas.

They hospitalize many people.

Present tense, 3rd person plural.

5

Yo no quiero hospitalizar a mi gato.

I don't want to hospitalize my cat.

Negative sentence with personal 'a'.

6

El hospital va a hospitalizar al niño.

The hospital is going to hospitalize the boy.

Future with 'ir + a + infinitive'.

7

Hospitalizar es importante hoy.

Hospitalizing is important today.

Verb used as a noun/subject.

8

Mañana van a hospitalizar a Juan.

Tomorrow they are going to hospitalize Juan.

Future plan.

1

Ayer hospitalizaron a tres pacientes.

Yesterday they hospitalized three patients.

Preterite tense.

2

El doctor decidió hospitalizarla.

The doctor decided to hospitalize her.

Direct object pronoun 'la' attached to infinitive.

3

Fue hospitalizado por una gripe fuerte.

He was hospitalized for a bad flu.

Passive voice with 'fue'.

4

Cuando era niño, me hospitalizaron una vez.

When I was a child, they hospitalized me once.

Imperfect and preterite combined.

5

No lo hospitalizaron porque no era grave.

They didn't hospitalize him because it wasn't serious.

Negative past tense.

6

La clínica hospitalizó a los heridos del choque.

The clinic hospitalized those injured in the crash.

Preterite of -ar verb.

7

Tuvimos que hospitalizar a mi tío.

We had to hospitalize my uncle.

Tener que + infinitive.

8

Ella estaba triste porque hospitalizaron a su perro.

She was sad because they hospitalized her dog.

Past tense 'estaba' with 'hospitalizaron'.

1

Es probable que hospitalicen al paciente mañana.

It is probable that they will hospitalize the patient tomorrow.

Present subjunctive after 'es probable que'.

2

Si no mejora, tendré que hospitalizarlo.

If he doesn't improve, I will have to hospitalize him.

Conditional 'si' clause with future.

3

Me dijeron que lo hospitalizarían pronto.

They told me they would hospitalize him soon.

Conditional tense for future in the past.

4

Aunque no quiera, debemos hospitalizar a tu padre.

Even if he doesn't want to, we must hospitalize your father.

Subjunctive after 'aunque' (concession).

5

Siento mucho que hayan tenido que hospitalizarte.

I am very sorry they had to hospitalize you.

Present perfect subjunctive.

6

Dudo que hospitalicen a tanta gente a la vez.

I doubt they will hospitalize so many people at once.

Subjunctive after 'dudo que'.

7

El seguro médico no quiere hospitalizar a extranjeros.

The health insurance doesn't want to hospitalize foreigners.

Present tense with direct object.

8

Para hospitalizar a alguien, se necesita una orden médica.

To hospitalize someone, a medical order is needed.

Infinitive as a purpose clause.

1

El protocolo indica cuándo se debe hospitalizar a un neonato.

The protocol indicates when a neonato must be hospitalized.

Impersonal 'se' with infinitive.

2

A pesar de la huelga, hospitalizaron a los casos críticos.

Despite the strike, they hospitalized the critical cases.

Contrastive sentence with preterite.

3

Se recomienda hospitalizar si la saturación de oxígeno baja de 90.

It is recommended to hospitalize if oxygen saturation drops below 90.

Passive reflexive 'se recomienda'.

4

Habiendo decidido hospitalizar al paciente, el cirujano se preparó.

Having decided to hospitalize the patient, the surgeon prepared.

Compound gerund 'habiendo decidido'.

5

No creo que sea necesario hospitalizarla por una simple fractura.

I don't think it's necessary to hospitalize her for a simple fracture.

Subjunctive 'sea' after 'no creo que'.

6

Si hubieras llegado antes, no habríamos tenido que hospitalizarte.

If you had arrived earlier, we wouldn't have had to hospitalize you.

Third conditional (past unreal).

7

La falta de camas impidió hospitalizar a más personas.

The lack of beds prevented hospitalizing more people.

Infinitive used as a direct object of 'impidió'.

8

El juez ordenó hospitalizar al detenido por motivos de salud.

The judge ordered the detainee to be hospitalized for health reasons.

Legal/formal context.

1

Resulta imperativo hospitalizar a los afectados por el brote viral.

It is imperative to hospitalize those affected by the viral outbreak.

Formal adjective 'imperativo' with infinitive.

2

La decisión de hospitalizar recae exclusivamente en el jefe de guardia.

The decision to hospitalize rests exclusively with the head of the guard.

Noun phrase 'decisión de hospitalizar'.

3

Se cuestionó la ética de hospitalizar al paciente contra su voluntad.

The ethics of hospitalizing the patient against his will was questioned.

Passive voice with 'se cuestionó'.

4

A menos que el cuadro clínico empeore, no procederemos a hospitalizar.

Unless the clinical picture worsens, we will not proceed to hospitalize.

Subjunctive after 'a menos que'.

5

La saturación del sistema impide hospitalizar a pacientes no urgentes.

The system's saturation prevents hospitalizing non-urgent patients.

Complex noun-verb structure.

6

Fue tal la gravedad que no dudaron en hospitalizarlo ipso facto.

Such was the gravity that they did not hesitate to hospitalize him immediately.

Use of Latin phrase 'ipso facto' in formal context.

7

Cabe preguntarse si hospitalizar es la mejor opción en este caso paliativo.

One might wonder if hospitalizing is the best option in this palliative case.

Formal 'cabe preguntarse' structure.

8

Tras ser hospitalizado, el paciente mostró una leve mejoría.

After being hospitalized, the patient showed a slight improvement.

Passive infinitive after preposition 'tras'.

1

La praxis médica contemporánea tiende a no hospitalizar salvo en casos de extrema necesidad.

Contemporary medical praxis tends not to hospitalize except in cases of extreme necessity.

High-level vocabulary 'praxis'.

2

La renuencia a hospitalizar al anciano derivó en complicaciones legales.

The reluctance to hospitalize the elderly man led to legal complications.

Abstract noun 'renuencia' with infinitive.

3

Bajo ningún concepto se debe hospitalizar a alguien sin el consentimiento informado.

Under no circumstances should someone be hospitalized without informed consent.

Restrictive adverbial phrase 'bajo ningún concepto'.

4

El dilema de si hospitalizar o derivar a cuidados domiciliarios es constante.

The dilemma of whether to hospitalize or refer to home care is constant.

Alternative structure 'si ... o ...'.

5

Se ha de hospitalizar a todo aquel que presente síntomas prodrómicos claros.

Everyone who presents clear prodromal symptoms must be hospitalized.

Formal 'haber de + infinitive'.

6

La administración se ve obligada a hospitalizar a los indigentes durante la ola de frío.

The administration is forced to hospitalize the homeless during the cold wave.

Social/Political context.

7

Pese a que la familia se opuso, el juez dictaminó hospitalizar al menor.

Despite the family's opposition, the judge ruled to hospitalize the minor.

Concessive clause 'pese a que'.

8

La viabilidad de hospitalizar a gran escala se puso a prueba durante la pandemia.

The viability of large-scale hospitalization was tested during the pandemic.

Scientific/Analytical tone.

Common Collocations

hospitalizar de urgencia
decidir hospitalizar
necesario hospitalizar
ordenar hospitalizar
hospitalizar de inmediato
volver a hospitalizar
negarse a hospitalizar
hospitalizar por precaución
hospitalizar a la fuerza
hospitalizar preventivamente

Common Phrases

Tuvieron que hospitalizarlo.

— They had to hospitalize him. Used when an emergency occurs.

Ayer se puso muy mal y tuvieron que hospitalizarlo.

Lo van a hospitalizar.

— They are going to hospitalize him. Used for planned admissions.

Mañana lo van a hospitalizar para la operación.

Es mejor hospitalizar.

— It's better to hospitalize. A recommendation by a doctor.

Dada la gravedad, es mejor hospitalizar.

No hace falta hospitalizar.

— There is no need to hospitalize. Used for outpatient care.

Es una herida leve, no hace falta hospitalizar.

Hospitalizar por observación.

— To hospitalize for observation. A common medical reason.

Lo van a hospitalizar por observación durante 24 horas.

Evitar hospitalizar.

— To avoid hospitalizing. Often used in public health discussions.

Queremos evitar hospitalizar a tantos pacientes si es posible.

Hospitalizar a tiempo.

— To hospitalize in time. Emphasizes the importance of speed.

Gracias a que lo hospitalizaron a tiempo, se salvó.

Hospitalizar de oficio.

— To hospitalize by official mandate. Formal/Legal context.

Tuvieron que hospitalizarlo de oficio por riesgo público.

Hospitalizar en cuidados intensivos.

— To hospitalize in intensive care. Specifies the department.

Lo hospitalizaron directamente en cuidados intensivos.

Derecho a hospitalizar.

— Right to hospitalize. Refers to medical authority.

El médico tiene el derecho a hospitalizar si ve riesgo vital.

Idioms & Expressions

"Estar para hospitalizar"

— To be in a terrible state, physically or mentally. Very informal.

Después de trabajar 20 horas, estoy para hospitalizar.

Informal
"Hospitalizar el alma"

— Poetic expression meaning to heal one's deep emotions. Rare.

Necesito un viaje para hospitalizar mi alma herida.

Literary
"Ni que te fueran a hospitalizar"

— Used to tell someone they are overreacting to a minor pain or task.

¡Es solo un pinchazo! Ni que te fueran a hospitalizar.

Informal
"Hospitalizar los problemas"

— To put problems aside or isolate them to deal with later.

A veces hay que hospitalizar los problemas para poder dormir.

Metaphorical
"Estar a un paso de hospitalizar"

— To be very close to a breakdown or serious illness.

Con tanto estrés, estás a un paso de hospitalizar.

Neutral
"Hospitalizar la economía"

— Used in news to say an economy needs serious intervention.

El gobierno busca hospitalizar la economía nacional.

Journalistic
"Hospitalizar el coche"

— Funny way to say the car is in the mechanic for a long time.

Tengo el coche hospitalizado desde hace una semana.

Slang
"Mandado a hospitalizar"

— Describing someone who looks extremely sick or tired.

Mírate al espejo, estás mandado a hospitalizar.

Informal
"Hospitalizar la verdad"

— To hide or suppress the truth (very rare/literary).

Intentaron hospitalizar la verdad para que no saliera a la luz.

Poetic
"Hospitalizar el tiempo"

— To stop or freeze a moment (metaphorical).

Quisiera hospitalizar este momento de felicidad.

Literary

Word Family

Nouns

hospitalización
hospital
hospitalidad
hospitalario

Verbs

hospitalizar

Adjectives

hospitalizado
hospitalario
intrahospitalario

Related

clínica
médico
paciente
enfermería
ingreso
Sign up free to see all examples

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'Hospital' and just add 'izar' (which sounds like 'is-air'). Hospital-izar. It's the action of going into the hospital.

Visual Association

Imagine a patient being wheeled through the big double doors of a hospital labeled with a giant 'H'. The doors 'zap' (izar) them into the building.

Word Web

Hospital Paciente Médico Cama Medicina Enfermera Urgencias Cirugía

Challenge

Try to conjugate 'hospitalizar' in the preterite for all persons (yo, tú, él...) without looking at a chart.

Word Origin

Derived from the Spanish noun 'hospital', which comes from the Late Latin 'hospitale' (guest house, inn). The suffix '-izar' is used to form verbs meaning 'to make' or 'to put into'.

Original meaning: To place into a house for guests or the sick.

Romance (Latin root).

Cultural Context

Be sensitive when using this word with family members, as it implies a serious condition. Use a gentle tone.

In English, we often say 'to be admitted' more than 'to be hospitalized' in casual speech. In Spanish, 'hospitalizar' and 'ingresar' are equally common.

Used in news reports about the hospitalization of Diego Maradona. Common in medical dramas like 'Hospital Central' (Spain). Appears in Gabriel García Márquez's descriptions of plagues and illness.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

At the Doctor's Office

  • ¿Es necesario hospitalizar?
  • ¿Por cuánto tiempo lo van a hospitalizar?
  • No quiero que me hospitalicen.
  • El doctor recomienda hospitalizar.

News / Media

  • Hospitalizaron al presidente.
  • Cientos de personas fueron hospitalizadas.
  • El hospital no puede hospitalizar a más gente.
  • Hospitalizaron de urgencia al actor.

Insurance / Legal

  • Gastos por hospitalizar.
  • Cobertura para hospitalizar.
  • Orden para hospitalizar.
  • Derecho a no hospitalizar.

Family Conversations

  • Tuvieron que hospitalizar a mi tía.
  • Espero que no la hospitalicen.
  • Lo hospitalizaron anoche.
  • Mañana lo hospitalizan.

Emergency Situations

  • ¡Hay que hospitalizarlo ya!
  • Llamen a la ambulancia para hospitalizarlo.
  • Lo hospitalizaron tras el choque.
  • No esperen para hospitalizar.

Conversation Starters

"¿Alguna vez han tenido que hospitalizar a alguien de tu familia por una emergencia?"

"¿Crees que es mejor hospitalizar a los pacientes o tratarlos en casa si es posible?"

"¿Qué documentos se necesitan en tu país para hospitalizar a una persona extranjera?"

"¿Te asusta la idea de que te tengan que hospitalizar por una cirugía menor?"

"¿Cómo reaccionarías si el médico decide hospitalizarte de repente durante una consulta?"

Journal Prompts

Escribe sobre una vez que viste a alguien ser hospitalizado y cómo te sentiste al respecto.

Imagina que eres un médico. Explica por qué has decidido hospitalizar a un paciente famoso hoy.

¿Cuáles son las ventajas y desventajas de hospitalizar a una persona mayor en lugar de cuidarla en casa?

Sign up free for tips & notes

Related Content

This Word in Other Languages

hospitalizar Portuguese
Was this helpful?

Comments (0)

Login to Comment
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!