dolor
/doˈloɾ/masculine
The Spanish word for "pain" is dolor.
dolor is a noun used to describe an ache or bodily suffering. When you want to describe the sensation of being painful, you can use the adjective doloroso. To express that something specifically hurts you, you would use the related verb doler, such as in the phrase me duele.
Meaning: ache or bodily suffering (noun)
Which one should you use?
While dolor is the noun for the sensation of pain, the verb doler is used to express that something hurts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, you might commonly hear dolor de barriga to describe a stomachache.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun dolor is masculine and requires masculine articles like el or un.
How do you pronounce it?
/doˈloɾ/
Did you know?
- The verb doler functions like gustar, meaning you do not say 'I hurt' but rather 'it pains me'. In the phrase me duele la cabeza, the head is actually the subject performing the action of causing pain to you.
- The word dolor shares an ancestor with the English word 'doleful', which describes something full of grief or sorrow.
- While 'pain' is a general term in English, Spanish speakers often use the word pena to describe a different kind of suffering, specifically emotional heartache or pity.
Examples in context
- El dolor se ha ido.The pain has gone.This sentence shows how to state that the dolor has departed.Tatoeba #1968931 by Shishir, translation #278308 by CK
- No soporto el dolor.I can't bear the pain.This sentence is useful for expressing an inability to bear the dolor.Tatoeba #1803718 by marcelostockle, translation #278300 by CK
- Mi dolor es crónico.My pain is chronic.This sentence illustrates how to describe the nature of one's dolor as being chronic.Tatoeba #9130752 by rafaeldejesus8199, translation #9130754 by rafaeldejesus8199
- Tengo dolor de cabezaI have a headache
- Siento una molestia en el estómagoI feel discomfort in my stomach
- Tengo ardor en el pechoI have burning pain in my chest
- Sufro un malestar constanteI suffer from constant discomfort
- Tengo una jaqueca horribleI have a terrible migraine
- Me molesta mucho la gargantaMy throat is bothering me a lot
- Sentí un pinchazo en la piernaI felt a sharp pain in my leg
- Tengo dolor en la espaldaI have pain in my back
- Siento una molestia en…I feel discomfort in…
- Tengo un ardor en…I have a burning sensation in…
- Me duele mucho…I have a lot of pain in…
- Me duele mucho la cabezaI have a lot of pain in my head
- 235 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel is talking to Elena about his injury at home.
- DanielElena, tengo un dolor en el tobillo.Elena, I have a pain in my ankle.
- Elena¿Es un dolor muy fuerte, Daniel?Is it a very strong pain, Daniel?
- DanielSí, es un dolor agudo.Yes, it is a sharp pain.
- ElenaDebes descansar para aliviar el dolor.You should rest to relieve the pain.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pain” translations and entries dolor, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dolor, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
