Have you ever is a great phrase that gives you insight into your patient’s history with a given problem or his/her medical history. This free Medical Spanish lesson focuses on learning how to ask questions to your patients using the Have You Ever… in Spanish: ¿Alguna vez ha….?
In this lesson you will learn about:
- How to create the question “have you ever…?” correctly in Spanish
- How to get the Present Perfect Tense in Spanish from a verb in infinitive
- To get information about symptoms your patient has experienced in the past
- To get information about procedures, vices, habits, and any other vital information using “¿Alguna vez ha…?”
Here is the Medical Spanish lesson about using the form Have You Ever Had…? in Spanish I taught to the Facebook group:
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Dos palabras y un tiempo verbal… / Two Words and a Verbal Tense…
- Dos Palabras: ¿Alguna vez…?
- Un tiempo verbal: El perfecto del presente
- Unas palabras más: antes, en el pasado
| ¿Alguna vez ha seguido una dieta especial antes? | Have you ever followed a special diet before? |
| ¿Ha tratado dejar de fumar alguna vez en el pasado? | Have you ever tried to quit smoking in the past? |
| ¿Alguna vez ha lastimado ________ antes? | Have you ever injured __________ before? |
Formar el Perfecto del Presente…
Paso 1: helping verb “haber”
| Yo: he | Nosotros: hemos |
| Tú: has | |
| Él, Ella Usted: ha | Ellos, Ellas Ustedes: han |
Paso 2: past participle of your real verb
-Ar Verbs:
- Intent
ar> intentado
-Er Verbs:
- Com
er> comido
-Ir Verbs:
- Sufr
ir> sufrido
Have you ever had…(symptom)?
- Tener > Tenido
- Sufrir > Sufrido
- Padecer > Padecido
¿Alguna vez ha tenido…
| Spanish | English |
| …este problema (estos síntomas) antes? | this problem (these symptoms) before? |
| …este tipo de dolor antes? | this type/kind of pain before? |
| …un aborto espontáneo? | a miscarreage? |
| …un aborto provocado? | an abortion? |
| …un parto por cesárea? | a c-section? |
| …una enfermedad de transmisión sexual? | a STD/STI? |
¿Alguna vez ha sufrido / padecido de…
| Spanish | English |
| …migrañas? | migraines? |
| …reglas irregulares y/o muy dolorosas? | Irregular and / or very painful periods? |
| …ataques de asma? | asthma attacks? |
| …estreñimiento por más de tres días? | constipation for more than three days? |
Have you ever experienced…? / ¿Alguna vez ha experimentado…
- …este problema antes? / this problem before?
- …dolor de pecho cuando se esfuerza? / chest pain when you exert yourself?
Kate V’s workaround…
- ¿Es la primera vez que ha experimentado _____? / Is it the first time you have experienced _____?
Tracy R’s variation…
- Recientemente ha tenido diarrea o estreñimiento? / Recently have you had diarrhea or constipation?
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Have You Ever Tried…? / ¿Alguna vez ha intentado / tratado…
| Spanish | English |
| …alternar compresas frías y compresas calientes? | alternating hot and cold compresses? |
| …tomar un medicamento para ayudarle a dormir? | taking a medication to help you sleep? |
| …tomar un medicamento para el dolor? | a pain medication? |
| …dejar de fumar? | to stop smoking? |
| …dejar de tomar bebidas alcohólicas? | to stop drinking alcohol? |
Note: “Dejar de” is a great verb to use to talk about stopping any vice or bad habits with your patients.
Have You Ever Taken… / ¿Alguna vez ha tomado…
- …drogas recreativas? / recreational drugs?
- …drogas por vena? / IV drugs?
Have You Ever Been…? ¿Alguna vez ha estado…
| Spanish | English |
| …embarazada? • | pregnant? |
| …en tanto dolor que no pudo hacer nada? | in so much pain that couldn’t do anything? |
| …tan asustado(a) o nervioso(a) que no pudo cumplir con sus responsabilidades? | so afraid / nervous that you couldn’t complete your responsabilities? |
| …hospitalizado por el dolor / esta condición? | hospitalized because of this pain / condition? |
| …expuesto a tuberculosis? | exposed to TB? |
Have You Ever Traveled… / ¿Alguna vez ha viajado…
- …fuera del país? / outside the country?
- …a un país o lugar tropical? / to a tropical country / place?
Have You Ever Been Told That…? / ¿Alguna vez le han dicho que…
| Spanish | English |
| …padece del corazón? | you have heart problems? |
| …tiene azúcar alto? | you have high blood sugar? |
| …tiene una enfermedad infecciosa? | you have an infectious disease? |
| …tiene una enfermedad de transmisión sexual? | you have a STI/STD? |
| …toma demasiado? | you drink too much? |
Have You Ever Had…(Procedure)? / ¿Alguna vez le han hecho…
| Spanish | English |
| …una broncoscopia? | a bronchoscopy? |
| …un contraste yodado? | an iodinated contrast? |
| …una prueba de sangre? | a blood test? |
| …una prueba de alergias? | an allergy test? |
| …un tatuaje? | a tattoo? |
Have You Ever Required… / ¿Alguna vez le han dado…
- …prednisona? / prednisone?
- …un tubo para respirar? / a breathing tube?
Have You Ever Seen or Heard…? / ¿Alguna vez ha visto / oído…
| Spanish | English |
| ¿Alguna vez ha visto… | Have you ever seen… |
| …manchas que flotan? | floating spots? |
| …puntos / destellos de luz flotadores? | floating points of light? |
| …cosas que otras personas no pueden ver? | things that other people can not see? |
| ¿Alguna vez ha escuchado… | Have you ever heard… |
| …zumbido en los oídos? | ringing / Buzzing in your ears? |
| …voces? | voices? |
| …voces que otras personas no pueden escuchar? | voices that other people can not hear? |
Have You Ever Thought About…? / ¿Alguna vez ha pensado en…?
| Spanish | English |
| …lastimarse? | harm yourself? |
| …lastimar a otras personas? | harm other people? |
| …quitarse la vida / suicidarse? | taking your own life / commit suicide? |
| …cambiar su estilo de vida? | changing your lifestyle? |
| …cambiar su dieta? | changing your diet? |
¿Alguna vez ha pensado en… inmersión?
Inmersión truly is the best way to learn Spanish and if you choose to work with Common Ground International, you got the chance to work with us in a total Spanish immersion setting.
Our next program this summer (from June 29th) and you can choose wether going a full month immersion or just a couple of weeks 🙂
I packaged all of this into easily downloadable .pdf notes– Get your copy for free today!
Now it’s your turn / Ahora es tu turno
Now you have this list of “Have you ever…? questions in Spanish, it’s time to learn them by heart and even to create your own questions for your Latino patients 🙂
I packaged all of this vocabulary into some flashcards for you to study. Test yourself on this vocabulary in Spanish with the flashcards below:
Share your “Have you ever…?” questions in Spanish in the comments below or on the Facebook group to get feedback from other Medical Spanish learners 
Keep up the good work speaking responsible Spanish to your patients! Check out our other books, classes & products to help you !
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