Physical Exam Commands in Spanish

    The physical exam is built on short, clear commands. These Spanish phrases — all in the formal usted command form — let you guide a patient through every part of a complete exam.

    EnglishSpanishAudio
    Please sit down.Por favor, siéntese.
    Please lie down.Por favor, acuéstese.
    Please stand up.Por favor, levántese.
    Breathe deeply.Respire profundo.
    Hold your breath.Aguante la respiración.
    Open your mouth.Abra la boca.
    Stick out your tongue.Saque la lengua.
    Say "ahh".Diga "ahh".
    I am going to listen to your heart.Voy a escuchar su corazón.
    I am going to listen to your lungs.Voy a escuchar sus pulmones.
    Does this hurt?¿Le duele aquí?
    Relax your arm.Relaje el brazo.
    Squeeze my hands.Apriete mis manos.
    Follow my finger with your eyes.Siga mi dedo con los ojos.
    Walk across the room.Camine al otro lado.
    Push against my hand.Empuje contra mi mano.
    I will examine you now.Voy a examinarle ahora.

    Using these terms with patients

    • Every exam command here is the formal usted imperative. The stress mark matters: "siéntese" (sit down) versus "se sienta" changes the meaning entirely.
    • Pair each command with the gesture. Saying "Respire profundo" while demonstrating a breath works even when your accent is imperfect.
    • Before touching, say "Voy a examinarle ahora" — announcing the exam is a courtesy expectation in most Latin American clinical culture.

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