¿qué te duele?
The English phrase "what hurts" is translated into Spanish as ¿qué te duele?
This phrase is a question used to ask someone which part of their body is causing them pain. Common ailments you might encounter in response include Dolor de cabeza (headache), Dolor de estómago (stomachache), Dolor de espalda (backache), Dolor de garganta (sore throat), Dolor de dientes (toothache), Dolor muscular (muscle pain), Dolor de oído (earache) and Dolor de piernas (leg pain).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ¿qué te duele? is literally structured as "what to you hurts?"
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are asking a group of people what hurts them, use the plural form ¿qué les duele?
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly try to use the verb doler as a transitive verb similar to the English "to hurt" (for example, saying ¿qué duele te?). In Spanish, the thing that is causing the pain is the subject and the person feeling it is the indirect object.
When do people say it?
When someone expresses pain, a common sympathetic response is Lo siento mucho. (I'm really sorry.).
Did you know?
- The word qué is inherited from the Latin word quid, which is also the source of the English word 'quid' used as slang for a pound sterling.
- While English uses the word 'hurt' for both feeling pain and causing an injury, the Spanish doler is only used for the sensation of pain. To describe the act of injuring someone, a different verb like herir is used.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, the question ¿qué te duele? can be used figuratively to ask someone what is bothering them emotionally or why they are complaining.
Examples in context
- ¿Qué te duele?What hurts you?This example shows how to ask what hurts someone using the form ¿qué te duele?Tatoeba #716547 by Shishir, translation #716550 by qdii
- Me duele la cabezaMy head hurts
- Tengo dolor de estómagoI have a stomachache
- Siento dolor de espaldaI feel back pain
- Tengo dolor de gargantaI have a sore throat
- Me duelen los dientesMy teeth hurt
- Tengo dolor muscularI have muscle pain
- Me duele el oídoMy ear hurts
- Tengo dolor de piernasI have leg pain
Example conversation
Elena is sitting on a sofa looking unwell and Alejandro approaches her.
- AlejandroElena, ¿qué te duele?Elena, what hurts?
- ElenaMe duele mucho la cabeza.My head hurts a lot.
- Alejandro¿Quieres un poco de medicina?Do you want some medicine?
- ElenaSí, por favor, Alejandro.Yes, please, Alejandro.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries qué, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
