doler Present Subjunctive Conjugation
doler — to hurt
The present subjunctive uses the 'ue' stem change: duela, duelan.
doler Present Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Present Subjunctive
Use this after expressions of emotion, doubt, or desire regarding someone else's pain (e.g., 'I hope it doesn't hurt').
Notes on doler in the Present Subjunctive
Doler follows the o > ue stem change in all forms except nosotros (dolamos) and vosotros (doláis).
Example Sentences
Espero que no te duela mucho.
I hope it doesn't hurt you much.
él/ella/usted
Dudo que les duelan los pies con esos zapatos.
I doubt their feet hurt with those shoes.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Es normal que te duela un poco después de la cirugía.
It's normal for it to hurt a bit after surgery.
él/ella/usted
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Espero que no te dola.
Correct: Espero que no te duela.
Why: The stem change o > ue must be maintained in the singular subjunctive forms.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: duelo
Doler is a stem-changing verb (o > ue) used like 'gustar', meaning it usually appears in the third person: duele or duelen.
Preterite
yo: dolí
The preterite of doler is regular (dolió, dolieron) and describes a specific instance or onset of pain.
Imperfect
yo: dolía
The imperfect dolía/dolían is used for ongoing, habitual, or background pain in the past.
Future
yo: doleré
The future tense is regular: dolerá, dolerán.
Conditional
yo: dolería
The conditional (dolería, dolerían) describes what 'would' hurt under certain conditions.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: doliera
The imperfect subjunctive (doliera) is used for hypothetical or past subjective situations.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: duele
The imperative of doler is rare but used metaphorically to command something to 'be painful'.
Negative Imperative
yo: no duelas
The negative imperative (no duela) uses the present subjunctive forms.