El cerumen bloquea el conducto auditivo.

Because cerumen is a masculine noun in Spanish, so it takes el in the singular.

• el cerumen = earwax
• el conducto = the canal/duct

The ending does not always tell you the gender, so this is one of those words you simply learn with the article.

Cerumen is correct, but it sounds medical or formal. In everyday conversation, many speakers are more likely to say:

• la cera del oído = earwax

So:

• El cerumen bloquea el conducto auditivo sounds like something from a doctor, textbook, or health article.
• La cera del oído tapa el oído would sound more casual and everyday.

Bloquea is the third-person singular present tense of bloquear.

The subject is el cerumen, which is singular, so the verb must also be singular:

• el cerumen bloquea = the earwax blocks

Other forms would be:

• yo bloqueo = I block
• tú bloqueas = you block
• él/ella bloquea = he/she blocks

Here, Spanish uses the same present tense that English uses in a general statement: Earwax blocks the ear canal.

Because auditivo is an adjective, not a noun. It modifies conducto.

• el conducto = the canal/duct
• auditivo = auditory / ear-related

Together:

• el conducto auditivo = the auditory canal / ear canal

In Spanish, adjectives usually do not take their own article. The article goes with the noun they describe.

In Spanish, most adjectives come after the noun.

So:

• conducto auditivo literally = canal auditory

This is the normal word order in Spanish. English usually puts the adjective first, but Spanish usually puts it after the noun.

Yes, in many contexts you may hear canal auditivo as well. Both refer to the ear canal.

However, conducto auditivo is very common in medical or anatomical language. Depending on region and context, one may sound more technical or more common than the other, but both are understandable.

The present tense is used here to state a general fact or medical truth.

• El cerumen bloquea el conducto auditivo. = Earwax blocks the ear canal.

Spanish often uses the present tense for definitions, explanations, and scientific facts, just like English does.

Spanish often uses the definite article (el, la, los, las) when talking about body parts and general anatomical ideas.

So el conducto auditivo here does not necessarily mean one specific canal already mentioned in the conversation. It can mean the ear canal in a general, anatomical sense.

Spanish uses definite articles more often than English in these kinds of statements.

Yes. Bloquear means to block, and it works well here.

Related verbs:

• bloquear = to block
• obstruir = to obstruct, to block up
  
  • more formal/medical
• tapar = to cover, block, plug up
  
  • more everyday

So all of these could appear in similar contexts, but they differ in register:

• El cerumen bloquea el conducto auditivo. = correct, somewhat formal/neutral
• El cerumen obstruye el conducto auditivo. = more technical
• La cera del oído tapa el oído. = more casual

A helpful approximate pronunciation is:

• cerumen: seh-roo-MEN
• conducto auditivo: kon-DOOK-to ow-dee-TEE-bo

A few notes:

• In most of Latin America, c before e sounds like s, so cerumen starts with an s sound.
• b and v are pronounced very similarly in Spanish, so bloquea does not sound like a strong English b.
• The stress is on:
  • ceruMEN
  • conDUCto
  • audiTIvo

Usually, cerumen is treated as an uncountable substance noun, much like earwax in English, so the singular is most common.

You will normally see:

• Hay cerumen en el oído. = There is earwax in the ear.

A plural form is not common in everyday use. In normal speech, Spanish usually treats it as a mass noun rather than something countable.

Not exactly.

• oído can mean ear or hearing, depending on context.
• conducto auditivo specifically means the ear canal.

So oído is broader, while conducto auditivo is more precise and anatomical.

For example:

• Me duele el oído. = My ear hurts.
• El cerumen bloquea el conducto auditivo. = Earwax blocks the ear canal.

The second sentence is much more specific.

Normally, no. In standard Spanish, you would say:

• El cerumen bloquea el conducto auditivo.

Spanish generally requires the article with a subject noun in this kind of sentence. Omitting el would sound unnatural here unless you were using a very special style, like a dictionary heading or note.

So for a full normal sentence, keep both articles:

• El cerumen
• el conducto auditivo