doler Preterite Conjugation
doler — to hurt
The preterite of doler is regular (dolió, dolieron) and describes a specific instance or onset of pain.
doler Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite when a pain started at a specific moment or when a painful event has completely ended.
Notes on doler in the Preterite
Doler is regular in the preterite; it does not have the o > ue stem change here.
Example Sentences
Me dolió el brazo cuando me vacunaron.
My arm hurt when they vaccinated me.
él/ella/usted
Ayer le dolieron las piernas por el ejercicio.
Yesterday his legs hurt from the exercise.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
No me dolió la caída.
The fall didn't hurt me.
él/ella/usted
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Me duelió el estómago.
Correct: Me dolió el estómago.
Why: Learners often try to keep the 'ue' stem change from the present tense, but doler is regular in the preterite.
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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.
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.
Present Subjunctive
yo: duela
The present subjunctive uses the 'ue' stem change: duela, duelan.
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.