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This is the second of two lessons covering questions and answers regarding the flu vaccine in Spanish. It is an updated lesson from our previous Q&A on the Flu. In this second audio lesson on the flu vaccine, we will discuss how the vaccine works and common side effects. By the time we are done, you will feel confident when talking about vaccinations in Spanish.
Table of Contents
- 1:18 How does the vaccine work?
- 3:51 How effective is it?
- 10:51 What are the side effects?
- 14:17 Can the vaccine cause the flu?
- 16:17 What is the nasal flu vaccine?
You will first hear the question and answer in Spanish. Then we will break it down as we practice interpreting both the question and answer from English back into Spanish.
LEVEL – ADVANCED
This lesson is part of the Flu Series in Spanish
The lessons offered at docmolly.com are a fun way to practice medical Spanish. They are not intended to teach medicine. As you know, the information for the flu vaccine changes from year to year so the answers below may not reflect current recommendations and should not be considered medical advice. These lessons are intended to improve communication with Spanish-speaking patients. They are not intended to substitute for a qualified medical interpreter.
How does the vaccine work?
1:18
¿Cómo funciona la vacuna?
La vacuna enseña a nuestro sistema inmunológico a identificar el virus de la gripe. Así podemos combatirlo si nos contagiamos.
Vocabulary
funcionar
(to work)
el sistema inmunológico
(immune system)
identificar
(to identify)
el virus de la gripe
(the flu virus)
combatir
(to fight)
contagiarse
(to become infected)
Interpret
¿Cómo funciona la vacuna?
(How does the vaccine work?)
La vacuna enseña a nuestro sistema inmunológico a identificar el virus de la gripe.
(The vaccine teaches our immune system to identify the flu virus.)
Así podemos combatirlo si nos contagiamos.
(So that we can fight it off if we become infected.)
How effective is it?
3:51
¿Qué tan efectiva es la vacuna?
Todos los años se cambia la vacuna contra la gripe dependiendo de qué cepas del virus estén circulando en la comunidad. Entre más se parezca la vacuna a las cepas que están circulando, más efectiva será la vacuna.
Vocabulary
efectivo/a
(effective)
dependiendo de
(depending on)
la cepa
(strain)
circular
(to circulate)
parecerse
(to resemble)
¿Qué tan efectiva es la vacuna contra la gripe?
(How effective is the flu vaccine?)
OJO: When asking about the degree to which something possesses a certain quality, we often use the English construction, “How + adjective …… ?” In this case, “How effective is the vaccine?”
In Spanish, we can use the construction “¿Qué tan + adjetivo…?” [1] In this case, “Qué tan efectiva es la vacuna?” This will vary, however, depending on where you are. In Spain, you may hear, “¿Cómo de efectiva es la vacuna?” [2] This article sums up the use of CÓMO DE / QUÉ TAN quite well.
Todos los años se cambia la vacuna contra la gripe dependiendo de qué cepas del virus estén circulando en la comunidad.(Every year the flu vaccine changes depending on the strains of virus that are circulating in the community.)
OJO: Here we used the subjunctive after the phrase “dependiendo de” because what follows is a variable that changes from year to year.
“depende de qué sepas estén circulando”
Entre más se parezca la vacuna a las cepas que están circulando, más efectiva será la vacuna.(The more the vaccine resembles the strains that are circulating, the more effective the vaccine with be.)
OJO: This construction ENTRE MÁS…. MÁS…. is commonly used to express that the more one thing occurs the more something else will occur. You can also use ENTRE MENOS… MENOS… to say, the less one thing occurs, the less something else will occur. And when we use this construction to make a prediction, we follow ENTRE MÁS with the SUBJUNCTIVE.
“Entre más se parezca la vacuna a las sepas que están circulando, más efectiva será.”
You may also hear this construction with CUANTO or MIENTRAS replacing ENTRE. [This is explained further in a “New Reference Grammar of Modern Spanish.”]
Side Effects
10:51
¿Qué efectos secundarios tiene la vacuna?
A veces se experimentan molestia y enrojecimiento donde se inyecta la vacuna durante uno a dos días. Es poco común experimentar fiebre leve y dolores musculares leves.
Vocabulary
los efectos secundarios
(side effects)
la molestia
(discomfort)
el enrojecimiento
(redness)
inyectar
(to inject)
experimentar
(to experience)
poco común
(rare, uncommon)
leve
(mild, light)
los dolores musculares
(muscle aches)
Interpret
¿Qué efectos secundarios tiene la vacuna?
(What side effects doe the vaccine have?)
A veces se experimenta molestia y enrojecimiento donde se inyecta la vacuna durante uno a dos días.
(Sometimes discomfort and redness is experienced where the vaccine was injected for one to two days.)
Es poco común experimentar fiebre leve y dolores musculares leves.
(It is rare to experience a low-grade fever and mild muscle aches.)
Can the vaccine cause the flu?
14:17
¿Puede la vacuna causar la gripe?
No. Ninguna vacuna inyectable puede causar la gripe. Las vacunas inyectables contienen virus inactivos o ni siquiera contienen ningún virus.
Vocabulary
contener
(to contain)
inactivo
(inactive)
inyectable
(injectable)
ni siquiera
(not even)
Interpret
¿Puede la vacuna causar la gripe?
(Can the vaccine cause the flu?
Ninguna vacuna inyectable puede causar la gripe.
(No injectable vaccine can cause the flu.)
Las vacunas inyectables contienen virus inactivos,
(The injectable vaccines contain inactive viruses,)
…o ni siquiera contienen ningún virus.
(…or they don’t even contain a virus.)
Nasal Vaccine
16:17
¿Qué es la vacuna nasal contra la gripe?
Es una vacuna que tiene virus vivos pero debilitados. Se les puede aplicar a personas sanas entre los 2 y los 49 años, pero no se les puede aplicar a mujeres embarazadas. En lugar de ser inyectada, la vacuna es rociada dentro de la nariz.
Vocabulary
nasal
(nasal)
debilitado/a
(weakened)
aplicar
(to give or administer)
rociar
(to spray)
dentro
(inside)
Interpret
¿Qué es la vacuna nasal contra la gripe?
(What is the nasal flu vaccine?)
Es una vacuna que tiene virus vivos pero debilitados.
(It is a vaccine that contains live, but weakened viruses.)
Se les puede aplicar a personas sanas entre los 2 y los 49 años,
(It can be given to healthy people between 2 and 49 years old.)
OJO: SE PUEDE is a passive construction here, with the subject being la vacuna. LES refers to PERSONAS SANAS.
Pero no se les puede aplicar a mujeres embarazadas.
(But it can not be given to pregnant women.)
En lugar de ser inyectada, la vacuna es rociada dentro de la nariz.
(Rather than being injected, the vaccine is sprayed inside the nose.)
¡Gracias por ser miembro! Let me know what you think of this lesson by leaving a comment below or emailing me at molly@docmolly.com.
These lessons are solely for learning Spanish. They are not intended to provide medical advice. Treatment and vaccination recommendations change, so these lessons may not reflect current recommendations. These lessons do not replace a certified interpreter.
Under Intermediate level you have an entry for COVID-19. Is all of this information incorporated in the Advanced level entry of The Flu and Covid? Thanks
Hola Steve,
Yes, all the content of The Flu and Covid is under the same member series found here. Since most of the lessons are advanced, I filed this series under advanced.
Molly