Píldora

[DailyWord]

This is a discussion thread for the Daily Spanish Word for November 6, 2009

píldora (feminine noun (la)) — pill. Look up píldora in the dictionary

Debo tomar una píldora cada 8 horas.
I have to take a pill every 8 hours.

[irmamar]

"Píldora" is not a common word used in Spain, we say "pastilla". Tomar la píldora means to take contraceptives.

[Perikles]

In English, we say 'take a pill' but to 'take the pill' means an oral contraceptive too.

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by Perikles

In English, we say 'take a pill' but to 'take the pill' means an oral contraceptive too.

Yes, an oral contraceptive. Eres más exacto que yo

[poli]

I have heard comprimido for pastilla.

Then, there's capsula for capsule.

I think almost everywhere pildora means birth control pill.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by poli

I have heard comprimido for pastilla.

Then, there's capsula for capsule.

I think almost everywhere pildora means birth control pill.

Correcto, y hay también gragea.

[EmpanadaRica]

Isn't 'take a pill' also used as an expression to tell someone to chill/ relax? If so is it used in Spanish like this as well?

In Dutch we also say 'de pil' as a joking/somewhat derogative term for a doctor/ a quack (i.e. ' Ik moet morgen weer naar die pil toe...' / 'I have to go to that 'quack' again tomorrow..'. How about in this in Spanish, is there a joking or somewhat cynical term for a doctor?

How about 'a bitter pill' is there an equivalent to this in Spanish.

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by EmpanadaRica

Isn't 'take a pill' also used as an expression to tell someone to chill/ relax? If so is it used in Spanish like this as well?

No, I've never heard such thing in Spanish

In Dutch we also say 'de pil' as a joking/somewhat derogative term for a doctor/ a quack (i.e. ' Ik moet morgen weer naar die pil toe...' / 'I have to go to that 'quack' again tomorrow..'. How about in this in Spanish, is there a joking or somewhat cynical term for a doctor?

You can say: mañana voy a ese curandero / a ese charlatán. But the commoner word for a bad doctor is "matasanos"

How about 'a bitter pill' is there an equivalent to this in Spanish.

Sí: un trago amargo

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by EmpanadaRica

Isn't 'take a pill' also used as an expression to tell someone to chill/ relax?

Yes, it is, I was differentiating between taking a pill and taking the pill.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by EmpanadaRica

Isn't 'take a pill' also used as an expression to tell someone to chill/ relax? If so is it used in Spanish like this as well?

In Dutch we also say 'de pil' as a joking/somewhat derogative term for a doctor/ a quack (i.e. ' Ik moet morgen weer naar die pil toe...' / 'I have to go to that 'quack' again tomorrow..'. How about in this in Spanish, is there a joking or somewhat cynical term for a doctor?

How about 'a bitter pill' is there an equivalent to this in Spanish.

Like Perikles noted.

It should be "take the pill"

Same in Spanish, "tómate la pastilla" (de las cuatro, te está haciendo falta...)