RESUMEN
Nurses often adopt a mechanist view, perceiving the individual from a biological standpoint and giving little attention to psychological, historical and cultural aspects. This evidences the need for a more humane approach, in which the communication between nurses and health service users can be achieved with more comprehension and participation. The aim of this paper is to introduce the concepts of language and communication in nursing consultation, using as a theoretical and conceptual framework Jürgen Habermas' theory of universal pragmatism. In nurses' everyday routine, it is important to intermediate and adapt knowledge and technical skills with a view to effective performance in humanized care for individuals and the community. The dialogic practice, through reflexive and participative communicative action by nurses, is needed for more humane care.