Kratom: The Controversial Plant in the US

Key vocabulary

• kratomm.

  kratom (a plant)

  “El kratom es una planta de Asia.”— Kratom is a plant from Asia.

  Pattern consumir kratom (to consume kratom leaves)

  Plural: kratoms

  💡 A plant from Southeast Asia, often used in the West as an herbal painkiller.

• plantaf.

  plant

  “El kratom es una planta de Asia.”— Kratom is a plant from Asia.

  Pattern planta medicinal (medicinal plant)

  Compare hierba f. (herb)

  Plural: plantas

  💡 Note the difference from “plano” (flat); planta means plant or floor.

• aliviarv.

  to relieve, alleviate

  “Muchas personas la usan para aliviar el dolor.”— Many people use it to relieve pain.

  Pattern aliviar el dolor (to relieve pain)

  Compare calmar v. (to soothe)

  Conjugation: alivio, alivias, alivia...

  💡 The root alivio means “relief”; often used for pain or stress.

• recetaf.

  prescription

  “Se vende sin receta en tiendas y gasolineras.”— It is sold without a prescription in stores and gas stations.

  Pattern sin receta (without a prescription)

  Compare prescripción f. (prescription)

  Plural: recetas

  💡 When buying medicine at a pharmacy, con receta means a prescription is required.

• opioidem.

  opioid

  “Sus efectos son similares a los de los opioides.”— Its effects are similar to those of opioids.

  Pattern efectos opioides (opioid effects)

  Compare opiáceo m. (opiate)

  Plural: opioides

  💡 Related to opium (opio), used for strong pain relief.

• leñadorm.

  lumberjack

  “Jeffrey Deaver es un leñador jubilado de 58 años.”— Jeffrey Deaver is a 58-year-old retired lumberjack.

  Pattern trabajar de leñador (to work as a lumberjack)

  Compare maderero m. (timber merchant)

  Plural: leñadores

  💡 The root leña means “firewood”; -ador indicates a profession.

• jubiladoadj.

  retired

  “Jeffrey Deaver es un leñador jubilado de 58 años.”— Jeffrey Deaver is a 58-year-old retired lumberjack.

  Pattern estar jubilado (to be retired)

  Compare retirado adj. (retired)

  Feminine: jubilada; plural: jubilados

  💡 From the verb jubilar (to retire); often used to describe retirees.

• dosisf.

  dose

  “Luego aumentó la dosis y el dolor desapareció.”— Then he increased the dose and the pain disappeared.

  Pattern aumentar la dosis (to increase the dose)

  Compare cantidad f. (amount)

  Plural: dosis (unchanged)

  💡 Same form in singular and plural; be careful not to write “dósis”.

• autoridadf.

  authorities

  “Las autoridades advierten sobre su consumo.”— Authorities warn about its consumption.

  Pattern las autoridades (the authorities)

  Compare gobierno m. (government)

  Plural: autoridades

  💡 Commonly used in the plural to mean “the authorities” or “officials”.

• advertirv.

  to warn

  “Las autoridades advierten sobre su consumo.”— Authorities warn about its consumption.

  Pattern advertir sobre (to warn about)

  Compare avisar v. (to alert)

  Conjugation: advierto, adviertes, advierte...

  💡 Note the root vert- means “turn”; advertir originally meant “to turn attention to”.

Grammar spotlight

Sentence patterns to steal

• Se vende sin receta en tiendas y gasolineras.

  It is sold without a prescription in stores and gas stations.

  Se + third-person verb + locationYou can replace the verb and location, e.g., Se compra en farmacias (It is bought in pharmacies).

• Toma kratom desde hace cuatro años para el dolor de cadera y rodilla.

  He has been taking kratom for four years for hip and knee pain.

  Verb + desde hace + time + para + symptomYou can replace the time and symptom, e.g., desde hace dos meses para el dolor de cabeza (for two months for headache).

• Aunque las muertes no son por el kratom, las autoridades advierten sobre su consumo.

  Although the deaths are not due to kratom, authorities warn about its consumption.

  Aunque + clause, main clauseYou can replace the clause, e.g., Aunque no es peligroso, ... (Although it is not dangerous, ...).