At the Doctor's
En el Médico
After this lesson, you'll be able to:
- ✓Describe symptoms and how you feel or felt
- ✓Explain a health problem to a doctor or pharmacist
- ✓Use doler correctly with different body parts
Grammar Focus
Essential grammar for this lesson with examples.
Doler - "To Hurt" (Like Gustar)
The verb doler (to hurt/to ache) works exactly like gustar. You don't conjugate it for the person - you conjugate it for the thing that hurts. You use an indirect object pronoun (me, te, le, nos, os, les) to say who feels the pain.
There are only two forms you need most of the time:
- me duele + singular body part (one thing hurts)
- me duelen + plural body part (multiple things hurt)
The body part is the subject of the sentence, not the person!
Doler - Present Tense (like gustar)
| Singular (one thing hurts) | Plural (multiple things hurt) | |
|---|---|---|
| me (to me) | me duele | me duelen |
| te (to you) | te duele | te duelen |
| le (to him/her/you formal) | le duele | le duelen |
| nos (to us) | nos duele | nos duelen |
| os (to you all) | os duele | os duelen |
| les (to them/you all formal) | les duele | les duelen |
Examples:
Body Parts with Articles
In Spanish, when talking about body parts, you use the definite article (el, la, los, las) instead of a possessive (my, your, his). The indirect object pronoun already tells us whose body part it is.
This is a key difference from English:
- English: "My head hurts"
- Spanish: "Me duele la cabeza" (not "mi cabeza")
You only use possessives with body parts when there could be confusion about whose body it is.
Examples:
Describing Symptoms in the Present
When you visit a doctor or pharmacist, you need several ways to describe how you feel right now. Here are the key structures:
- Me duele / Me duelen + body part (something hurts)
- Tengo + symptom noun (I have a symptom)
- Estoy + adjective (I feel a certain way)
- Tengo dolor de + body part (I have pain in...)
These are the building blocks for any doctor's visit.
Key Symptom Structures
| Structure | Example | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Me duele + singular | Me duele + singular | Me duele la cabeza | My head hurts |
| Me duelen + plural | Me duelen + plural | Me duelen los ojos | My eyes hurt |
| Tengo + noun | Tengo + noun | Tengo fiebre / tos | I have a fever / cough |
| Estoy + adjective | Estoy + adjective | Estoy mareado/a | I feel dizzy |
| Tengo dolor de + part | Tengo dolor de + part | Tengo dolor de estómago | I have a stomachache |
Examples:
The Imperfect for Past Symptoms
When you tell a doctor how you have been feeling or describe symptoms that started in the past, you use the imperfect tense. This is because symptoms are ongoing states or descriptions, which is exactly what the imperfect is for.
The key verbs in the imperfect for health:
- me dolía / me dolían (it was hurting / they were hurting)
- tenía (I had - for symptoms)
- estaba (I was feeling)
- me encontraba (I was feeling)
Doler - Imperfect Tense
| Singular (one thing) | Plural (multiple things) | |
|---|---|---|
| me (to me) | me dolía | me dolían |
| te (to you) | te dolía | te dolían |
| le (to him/her) | le dolía | le dolían |
| nos (to us) | nos dolía | nos dolían |
| os (to you all) | os dolía | os dolían |
| les (to them) | les dolía | les dolían |
Examples:
At the Pharmacy - Asking for Help
In Spanish-speaking countries, the farmacia is often the first stop when you feel unwell. Pharmacists can recommend medication for common ailments without a prescription. Here are the key phrases you need:
- Necesito algo para... (I need something for...)
- Tiene algo para...? (Do you have something for...?)
- Me puede dar...? (Can you give me...?)
- Es con receta o sin receta? (Is it prescription or over-the-counter?)
Examples:
At the Doctor's - Key Phrases
When you visit a doctor (el médico / la médica), there is a predictable flow to the conversation. The doctor will ask what's wrong, how long you've had the symptoms, and then give advice or a prescription. Here are the key phrases from both sides:
Doctor's questions:
- ¿Qué le pasa? (What's wrong?)
- ¿Desde cuándo le duele? / ¿Desde cuándo tiene...? (Since when...?)
- ¿Dónde le duele? (Where does it hurt?)
Your answers:
- Me duele... / Tengo... (It hurts... / I have...)
- Desde hace + time (For + time period)
- Desde el + day (Since + day)
Examples:
Conversation Example
Pablo has come to Ana's clinic because he is feeling terrible. Ana, who is a doctor in Guadalajara, examines him and gives advice. Pablo has had a bad cold for a few days.
🌍 Healthcare in the Spanish-Speaking World
Healthcare systems vary widely across Spanish-speaking countries, but some traditions are shared across the culture. In Spain, the public health system (la Seguridad Social) provides free healthcare to residents. You visit your "médico de cabecera" (family doctor / GP) at the local "centro de salud" (health center), and they refer you to specialists if needed. Wait times can be long, so many people also use private healthcare (sanidad privada). In Latin America, systems vary by country. Mexico has IMSS (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social), while countries like Colombia have a mix of public and private options. In many areas, people go directly to the farmacia first for minor ailments, as pharmacists can recommend and sell many medications that would require a prescription in other countries. The farmacia plays a central role everywhere. Marked with a green cross, Spanish pharmacies are staffed by highly trained professionals who can advise on common health problems. Many medications are available "sin receta" (without a prescription) that would need one in the UK or US. It's common to describe your symptoms to the pharmacist and receive treatment on the spot. Home remedies (remedios caseros) remain very popular. Chicken soup (caldo de pollo) is the universal cold cure across the Americas. In Mexico, "té de manzanilla" (chamomile tea) is a go-to remedy, while in Colombia, "agua de panela con limón" (raw cane sugar water with lemon) is the classic cure-all for colds and flu.