Moretón vs. contusión vs. cardenal vs. hematoma vs. moratón
In the Spanish language, bruise can be expressed using different words such as moretón, contusión, cardenal, hematoma and moratón. They all refer to a discoloration of the skin that happens when blood vessels break under the skin, though they may vary slightly in their connotations, technical use or regional preference.
Moretón
A2Moretón refers to a visible dark blue or purple mark on your skin that you get because you have fallen, been hit, etc.
Se hizo un moretón en la rodilla al caerse.
(He got a bruise on his knee when he fell.)
Contusión
B2Contusión is a more formal or medical term for a bruise. It's used usually when referring to a tissue injury caused by direct blow or blunt trauma without breaking the skin.
El médico diagnosticó la zona dañada como una contusión.
(The doctor diagnosed the injured area as a contusion.)
Cardenal
A2Cardenal, similar to moretón, commonly refers to a bruise. This term is often used in Spain.
La pelota me golpeó y ahora tengo un cardenal en el brazo.
(The ball hit me and now I have a bruise on my arm.)
Hematoma
B1A hematoma is a blood-filled swelling caused by blood from broken blood vessels pooling under your skin. This is another term that is often used in medical contexts.
El golpe resultó en un gran hematoma en su pierna.
(The blow resulted in a large hematoma on her leg.)
Moratón
B2Moratón means a fairly large bruise. Again, this word is fairly formal but is less so than contusión.
Hay un moratón enorme en su espalda después de la caída.
(There's a huge bruise on her back after the fall.)
Summary
Moretón, contusión, cardenal, hematoma and moratón are all words in Spanish that can be translated to bruise in English. While they generally have similar meanings, their usage can slightly differ depending on formality, context and regional variances.