dolor de muelas
/doloɾ de mwelas/from spelling rules
The Spanish word for toothache is dolor de muelas.
You use dolor de muelas to describe a pain in a tooth.
Meaning: ache in a tooth (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to pain of molars.
Which one should you use?
Although diente is the word for tooth, dolor de muelas is the standard idiomatic way to express a general toothache, even if the pain is not specifically located in a molar.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, Dolor de dientes is commonly used to mean toothache. In Mexico, Dolor dental is a formal term used to describe toothache. In Argentina, a person might express severe dental pain by saying Me está matando la muela, necesito un dentista urgente.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express multiple instances or a recurring toothache, you can pluralize the first noun to dolores de muelas.
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, the phrase dolor de muelas is used as a colloquialism to describe something that is incredibly tedious or annoying to deal with.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, the word muela can also refer to a 'millstone' because of the similar grinding motion of the teeth.
- In traditional folklore from various Spanish-speaking regions, some people once believed that a dolor de muelas could be cured by placing a clove of garlic on the affected tooth.
Examples in context
- Ayer tuve dolor de muelas.I had a toothache yesterday.This sentence shows how to use dolor de muelas to say you had a toothache in the past.Tatoeba #1520886 by marcelostockle, translation #253383 by CK
- Él sufre de dolor de muelas.He is suffering from toothache.This sentence uses dolor de muelas to describe someone suffering from a toothache.Tatoeba #625847 by Leono, translation #495240 by blay_paul
- Heather tiene dolor de muelas.Heather has a toothache.This sentence demonstrates how to say someone has a toothache using dolor de muelas.Tatoeba #13683342 by Seael, translation #2782808 by CN
- ¡Ay, me duele mucho la muela!Ouch, my tooth hurts!
- Necesito ver a un dentista de inmediato, tengo un dolor de muela intolerable.I need to see a dentist immediately, I have an unbearable toothache.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo tells Elena that he cannot eat because of his toothache.
- MateoNo puedo comer nada por el dolor de muelas.I can't eat anything because of the toothache.
- ElenaLo siento mucho, Mateo. ¿Quieres una aspirina?I'm very sorry, Mateo. Do you want an aspirin?
- MateoSí, por favor, me duele mucho la cara.Yes, please, my face hurts a lot.
- ElenaDeberías ir al dentista pronto.You should go to the dentist soon.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
