Inklingo
← Dictionary

doler

doh-LEHRdoˈleɾ

“doler” means “to hurt” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to hurt, to ache

Also: to be painful
VerbA1irregular (stem-changing o > ue) and used like gustar er
A storybook illustration of a young child sitting on the ground, clutching their knee and looking slightly distressed, indicating physical pain.
past Participledolido
gerunddoliendo
infinitivedoler

📝 In Action

¿Te duele la espalda después de trabajar?

A1

Does your back hurt after working?

Me duelen mucho los pies por los zapatos nuevos.

A2

My feet hurt a lot because of the new shoes.

Al dentista le dolió la cabeza todo el día.

B1

The dentist had a headache all day (literally: The head hurt the dentist all day).

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • Me duele la garganta – My throat hurts
  • Me duele el estómago – My stomach hurts

to grieve, to pain

Also: to regret
VerbB1irregular (stem-changing o > ue) and used like gustar erneutral/formal
A storybook illustration of a lone person sitting on a wooden bench, head lowered, exhibiting a sad expression with a single tear, representing grief or sorrow.
past Participledolido
gerunddoliendo
infinitivedoler

📝 In Action

Le duele mucho que sus hijos no la visiten.

B1

It pains her greatly that her children don't visit her.

Nos duele pensar en todo el tiempo perdido.

B2

It grieves us to think about all the lost time.

Me duele que la gente no sea más amable.

C1

It bothers me that people aren't kinder (literally: It pains me that people...).

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • Me duele el alma – My soul aches (deep emotional pain)
  • Me duele decir que... – It pains me to say that...

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yodoliera
túdolieras
él/ella/usteddoliera
nosotrosdoliéramos
vosotrosdolierais
ellos/ellas/ustedesdolieran

Present Subjunctive

yoduela
túduelas
él/ella/ustedduela
nosotrosdolamos
vosotrosdoláis
ellos/ellas/ustedesduelan

Indicative

Imperfect

yodolía
túdolías
él/ella/usteddolía
nosotrosdolíamos
vosotrosdolíais
ellos/ellas/ustedesdolían

Present

yoduelo
túdueles
él/ella/ustedduele
nosotrosdolemos
vosotrosdoléis
ellos/ellas/ustedesduelen

Preterite

yodolí
túdoliste
él/ella/usteddolió
nosotrosdolimos
vosotrosdolisteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesdolieron
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "doler" in Spanish:

to ache→to grieve→to hurt→to pain→to regret→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: doler

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'doler' to mean 'My knees hurt'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Doler comes directly from the Latin verb *dolēre*, which had the same meaning: 'to feel or suffer pain.' The original sense of physical suffering has been perfectly preserved for thousands of years.

First recorded: 10th century (Old Spanish)

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: dolereFrench: douleur (noun form)

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is 'doler' considered an irregular verb?

It's irregular because of the stem change. In the present tense, the 'o' changes to 'ue' in the 'boot' forms (yo, tú, él/ella, ellos/ellas): *doler* becomes *duelo*, *duele*, *duelen*. The 'nosotros' and 'vosotros' forms stay regular (*dolemos*, *doléis*).

Is it okay to use 'doler' for minor annoyances, or just serious pain?

It is usually reserved for actual pain or deep emotional distress. For minor annoyances, it is better to use 'molestar' (to bother) or 'picar' (to itch).