Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| me duele la cabeza | /me ˌdwele la kaˈbeθa/ /me ˌdwele la kaˈbesa/ |
| tengo dolor de cabeza | /tenɡo doloɾ de kabeθa/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /tenɡo doloɾ de kabesa/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
You can use these phrases to communicate that you are experiencing head pain. Me duele la cabeza focuses on the sensation of pain itself, while tengo dolor de cabeza focuses on the possession of a headache as a physical condition.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase me duele la cabeza literally translates to "the head hurts me".
How does it change in a sentence?
When describing pain, the verb must agree with the part of the body that hurts. While me duele la cabeza uses the singular form, if the source of the pain is plural, such as the temples (me duelen las sienes), the verb must change to the plural form duelen.
How do you pronounce it?
/me ˌdwele la kaˈbeθa/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying mi cabeza duele. While this follows English logic, Spanish speakers do not use possessive adjectives like "mi" (my) with body parts in this context. Instead, they use the indirect object pronoun me and the definite article la.
Did you know?
- Spanish uses the same verb doler for a headache as it does to describe the 'aching' of a broken heart in romantic poetry.
- The word cabeza shares a common ancestor with the English word 'capital', as both trace back to the Latin 'caput', meaning 'head'.
- The word dolor is a direct cognate of the English word 'dolor', which refers to a state of great sorrow or distress.
Examples in context
- Me duele la cabeza ahora.I have a headache now.This sentence is useful for expressing that you have a headache at the current moment using me duele la cabeza.Tatoeba #1253763 by hayastan, translation #65874 by CK
- No esta noche, tengo dolor de cabeza.Not tonight, I have a headache.This sentence is useful for explaining that you have a headache using tengo dolor de cabeza.Tatoeba #1510017 by marcelostockle, translation #1507893 by rileyphone
- Estoy cansado y tengo dolor de cabeza.I'm tired and I have a headache.This sentence is useful for connecting tiredness to a headache using tengo dolor de cabeza.Tatoeba #7871977 by Seael, translation #10083602 by CK
- Tengo dolor de cabeza y necesito tomar un descansoI have a headache, and I need to take a break.
- Disculpe, sufro de cefalea y necesito medicaciónExcuse me, I suffer from a headache and need medication.
- Perdone, pero me duele la cabeza y me gustaría descansar un momentoExcuse me, but I have a headache, and I would like to rest for a moment.
- Ay, tengo un dolor de cabeza terribleOh, I have a terrible headache.
- Ay, me duele un montón la cabeza, no puedo concentrarmeOh, I have a really bad headache, I can't concentrate.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are at home in the evening.
- ElenaMe duele la cabeza.I have a headache.
- Daniel¿Quieres una aspirina, Elena?Do you want an aspirin, Elena?
- ElenaSí, por favor, Daniel.Yes, please, Daniel.
- DanielAquí tienes, espero que te sientas mejor.Here you go, I hope you feel better.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I have a headache” translations and entries me duele la cabeza, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cabeza, de, dolor, la, me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
