Dar el Alta
Learn what dar el alta means in Spanish, how it differs from recibir el alta, and how to talk about hospital discharge or medical clearance to return to work.
Dar el alta
Dar el alta means to discharge someone from hospital or medical care or to medically clear someone to return to normal activities, such as work.
How to use
A doctor or hospital da el alta to a patient. From the patient’s perspective, recibir el alta means to be discharged or to receive medical clearance.
- dar el alta a + person
- recibir el alta
Examples
- El médico me dio el alta esta mañana. — The doctor discharged me this morning.
- A Marta le darán el alta mañana. — Marta will be discharged tomorrow.
- El hospital dio el alta a varios pacientes. — The hospital discharged several patients.
- Por fin recibí el alta y pude volver a casa. — I was finally discharged and could go home.
- Ya me han dado el alta y puedo volver al trabajo. — I have been medically cleared and can return to work.
In Spain, these expressions are often used together in the context of medical leave:
- estar de baja → to be on sick leave
- dar el alta → to medically clear someone to return
Quick rule
The doctor da el alta; the patient recibe el alta.