If you’re learning Spanish, you might have noticed that there are multiple ways to talk about pain. Words like dolor, duele, dolorido/adolorido, and doloroso can be confusing because they all relate to pain but are used differently. In this post, we’ll break down these four terms, explain how to use them correctly, and provide examples to help you understand their differences.
1. “Dolor” (Noun) – Used with “Tener”
“Dolor” is a noun that means “pain” or “ache” and is used with the verb “tener” (to have).
✅ Structure:
👉 Tener + dolor + de + [body part]
✅ Examples:
- Tengo dolor de cabeza. (I have a headache.)
- Tiene dolor de estómago. (He/She has a stomachache.)
- Después del ejercicio, tuve dolor en las piernas. (After exercising, I had pain in my legs.)
💡 Tip: This phrase is similar to how we say “I have a headache” in English, but in Spanish, we use “tener” instead of “to have.”
2. “Duele” (Verb) – Works Like “Gustar”
“Doler” is a verb that means “to hurt” or “to be painful.” It works like the verb “gustar”, meaning the thing that hurts is the subject of the sentence, and the person feeling the pain is the indirect object.
✅ Structure:
👉 Me/Te/Le/Nos/Les + duele/n + [body part]
✅ Examples:
- Me duele la cabeza. (My head hurts.)
- Te duele el estómago? (Does your stomach hurt?)
- Le duelen los pies después de caminar tanto. (His/Her feet hurt after walking so much.)
💡 Tip:
- Use “duele” if one body part hurts (e.g., Me duele la espalda. – My back hurts).
- Use “duelen” if multiple body parts hurt (e.g., Me duelen los ojos. – My eyes hurt).
3. “Dolorido/Adolorido” (Adjective) – Used to Describe Someone or Something in Pain
“Dolorido” or “Adolorido” are adjectives that mean “sore” or “in pain.” These words describe how someone or something feels after experiencing pain.
✅ Structure:
👉 Estar + dolorido/adolorido
✅ Examples:
- Después de correr, mis músculos están doloridos. (After running, my muscles are sore.)
- Me caí y ahora mi brazo está adolorido. (I fell, and now my arm is sore.)
- Está dolorido después de la cirugía. (He/She is sore after the surgery.)
💡 Tip:
- “Dolorido” is more commonly used in Spain.
- “Adolorido” is more common in Latin America.
4. “Doloroso” (Adjective) – Used to Describe Something That Causes Pain
“Doloroso” means “painful” and is used to describe something that causes pain, either physical or emotional.
✅ Structure:
👉 Ser + doloroso
✅ Examples:
- El procedimiento fue doloroso. (The procedure was painful.)
- Fue una experiencia muy dolorosa para todos. (It was a very painful experience for everyone.)
- Perder a un ser querido es muy doloroso. (Losing a loved one is very painful.)
💡 Tip: Use “doloroso” when talking about things that cause pain, not when describing how someone feels.
Key Differences at a Glance
| Word | Meaning | Type | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolor | Pain / Ache | Noun | Tengo dolor de cabeza. (I have a headache.) |
| Duele | Hurts | Verb | Me duele la pierna. (My leg hurts.) |
| Dolorido/Adolorido | Sore / In pain | Adjective | Después del ejercicio, estoy adolorido. (After exercising, I’m sore.) |
| Doloroso | Painful (causing pain) | Adjective | Fue un procedimiento doloroso. (It was a painful procedure.) |
Final Thoughts
Understanding these four words will help you express pain more accurately in Spanish. Remember:
- Use “tener dolor de” for having pain.
- Use “doler” like gustar to say something hurts.
- Use “dolorido/adolorido” to describe soreness.
- Use “doloroso” to describe things that cause pain.
Do you have any questions about these words? Let us know in the comments! 😊
