Field Phrases for Volunteers (English / Spanish)

A quick bilingual reference for volunteers in the field — enough to open a conversation, explain the sanitation kit, and follow up. It’s a starting point, not a substitute for a fluent speaker: at a site where most people speak Spanish, send a team with at least one conversationally-proficient volunteer, and lean on a local of the same language and culture whenever you can.

Pairs with the Rapid Needs Assessment and New Volunteer Orientation. Words for common items vary by country — where that matters, a few options are noted.

Rapid needs assessment

EnglishEspañol
Hi, do you have a baby at home?Hola, ¿Tienes bebé en casa?
(If yes) How many years or months?¿Cuántos años o meses?
Are you pregnant? How many months?¿Estás embarazada? ¿Cuántos meses?
Have you thought about how you are going to feed your baby?¿Has pensado cómo alimentarás a tu bebé?
How are you feeding your baby? Breast or formula?¿Cómo estás alimentando al bebé? ¿Pecho o fórmula?
Are you just breastfeeding, or are you using formula too?¿Das solo pecho? ¿O también fórmula?
Do you use bottles or cups? (words for “bottle” vary: biberón, botella, mamila, pacha, tetero, pepe)¿Usas biberones o vasitos para la leche?
What water are you using at home? (answers may be: well/pozo, city/de la ciudad, bottled/de botella, water trucks/de la pipa)¿Qué agua usan en casa?
How are you cleaning your bottles at home?¿Cómo limpias los biberones en casa?
Are you able to boil water at home?¿Puedes hervir agua en tu casa?
If breastfeeding: Do you express milk? Do you use a breast pump?¿Te sacas leche? ¿Usas bomba o extractor para sacar leche?
Would you like a manual or electric pump?¿Te gustaría un extractor manual o eléctrico?
We can get you a breast pump!¡Nosotros podemos darle un extractor!
You are giving the best to your baby. Breastfeeding is a gift for a lifetime.¡Estás dando lo mejor a tu bebé! Dar pecho es un regalo para toda la vida.

Explaining the kit & formula preparation

EnglishEspañol
This kit is to clean and disinfect without having to boil the pump parts and bottles.Este kit es para limpiar y desinfectar sin tener que hervir las partes del extractor y los biberones.
This kit includes chlorine to disinfect. After washing your parts, you can put two liters of water and 5 ml / one teaspoon of chlorine in this box. Soak everything for 2 minutes and that will disinfect it.El kit incluye cloro para desinfectar. Después de lavar tu equipo, puedes poner dos litros de agua y 5 ml / una cucharadita de cloro en este recipiente. Deje todo remojar por 2 minutos y ya queda desinfectado.
After disinfecting, don’t rinse — let everything air dry before use.Después de desinfectar, no lo enjuagues — se deja secar todo al aire antes de usarlo.
When preparing powdered formula, use potable water that has been boiled, and mix while still hot.Al preparar la fórmula en polvo, hay que usar agua potable que ha hervido, mientras está caliente.
If you use liquid formula in large bottles, place it in the refrigerator between uses.Si usas fórmula líquida en las botellas grandes, guarda la botella en el refrigerador entre usos.
Discard the big bottle after 48 hours even if there’s formula left over.Deshecha la botella grande después de 48 horas aunque todavía sobre fórmula.
If you do not have potable water, it is better to use ready-to-feed formula.Si no hay agua potable, es mejor usar la fórmula que ya viene lista para usar.

If follow-up is needed

EnglishEspañol
If you need more infant feeding support, donor milk, or pump supplies, please call us at this number.Si necesitas más ayuda para dar pecho, leche donada o cosas para tu extractor, por favor llama a este número.
Can I get your number so we can reach out to you in the future?¿Me puedes dar tu número para poder llamarte en el futuro?
What is your name? My name is ________.¿Cómo te llamas? Yo me llamo _________.
What is your phone number? Do you prefer a text or a call? Regular or by WhatsApp?¿Cuál es tu número de teléfono? ¿Prefieres una llamada o un texto? ¿Normal o por WhatsApp?