Inklingo

How to Say "to hurt" in Spanish

English → Spanish

doler

doh-LEHRdoˈleɾ

verbA1general
Use 'doler' when referring to the sensation of physical pain, often felt in a specific body part.
A storybook illustration of a young child sitting on the ground, clutching their knee and looking slightly distressed, indicating physical pain.

Examples

¿Te duele la espalda después de trabajar?

Does your back hurt after working?

Me duelen mucho los pies por los zapatos nuevos.

My feet hurt a lot because of the new shoes.

Al dentista le dolió la cabeza todo el día.

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

Using Doler (The 'Gustar' Structure)

Unlike English ('I hurt my leg'), Spanish phrases the sentence backward: the object (the leg) is the subject, and the person feeling the pain is the indirect object. You must use 'me, te, le, nos, os, les' first.

Singular vs. Plural

The verb 'doler' must agree with the body part that is hurting. If you have one aching body part (la cabeza), use 'duele'. If you have multiple (los pies), use 'duelen'.

Forgetting the Indirect Pronoun

Mistake: “La cabeza duele (The head hurts).”

Correction: Me duele la cabeza (My head hurts me). You must include the 'me, te, le, etc.' to say who is feeling the pain.

Using the 'Yo' form incorrectly

Mistake: “Yo duelo la pierna.”

Correction: Me duele la pierna. The 'yo' form (duelo) is almost never used naturally in this context, as you are usually describing the body part's action (duele/duelen) on you (me).

lastimar

lahs-tee-MAHRlastiˈmaɾ

verbA2general
Use 'lastimar' when describing an action that causes physical pain or injury, especially to a person or animal.
A simple storybook illustration of a sad child sitting on the floor with a bright red bandage wrapped around their knee, clearly showing a physical injury.

Examples

El perro lastimó al cartero en el brazo.

The dog injured the mail carrier on the arm.

Ten cuidado, no te vayas a lastimar con esa herramienta.

Be careful, don't hurt yourself with that tool. (using lastimarse)

¿Te lastimaste cuando te caíste de la bicicleta?

Did you hurt yourself when you fell off the bicycle?

Using 'Lastimarse'

When you hurt yourself, you must use the reflexive form ('lastimarse') and a pronoun (me, te, se, nos). For example: 'Me lastimé' (I hurt myself).

Focus on the Body Part

Spanish usually focuses on the body part being hurt, not the possessor. Say: 'Me lastimé la mano' (I hurt MY hand), not 'Me lastimé mi mano'.

Lastimar vs. Doler

Mistake: “Using 'lastimar' when you mean 'to feel pain,' e.g., 'Mi cabeza lastima.'”

Correction: Use 'doler' for the sensation of pain. 'Me duele la cabeza' (My head hurts). 'Lastimar' is the *action* of causing the injury.

herir

eh-REEReˈɾiɾ

verbA2general
Use 'herir' for general physical harm or injury, especially when it's more serious or involves wounds.
A high quality simple colorful storybook illustration showing a small cartoon child character holding a knee with a colorful bandage on it, signifying a physical wound.

Examples

El accidente hirió a tres personas gravemente.

The accident injured three people seriously.

No quiero herirte con esta aguja.

I don't want to wound you with this needle.

La bala le hirió el hombro.

The bullet wounded his shoulder.

The 'e' to 'ie' Change

This verb is irregular. In the present tense, the 'e' changes to 'ie' in all forms except 'nosotros' and 'vosotros'. Remember: 'hiero' (I wound) but 'herimos' (we wound).

The 'e' to 'i' Change in the Past

In the simple past (preterite), the third-person forms change 'e' to 'i': 'él hirió' (he wounded) and 'ellos hirieron' (they wounded). This is a common pattern for many 'ir' stem-changing verbs.

Forgetting the Stem Change

Mistake: “Yo herro (I wound)”

Correction: Yo hiero. The 'e' must change to 'ie' in the present tense 'boot' forms.

molestar

moh-lehs-tahrmolesˈtaɾ

verbB1general
Use 'molestar' for mild pain, discomfort, or annoyance, often less intense than 'doler'.
A storybook illustration of a young child sitting and gently holding their toe with a slightly pained expression, illustrating mild physical discomfort after stubbing it.

Examples

¿Te molesta la espalda después de hacer ejercicio?

Does your back hurt after exercising?

La etiqueta de la camisa me molesta mucho.

The shirt tag bothers/irritates me a lot.

El doctor preguntó si algo le molestaba al caminar.

The doctor asked if anything troubled him when walking.

Using 'Molestar' vs. 'Doler'

'Molestar' is usually for minor, temporary, or irritating discomfort (like a scratchy throat or a tight shoe). 'Doler' is used for actual, usually sharper pain (like a broken bone or a headache).

lesionar

leh-syo-narlesjoˈnaɾ

verbB1general
Use 'lesionar' to refer to causing damage or injury to a body part, often in a sports or medical context.
A child with a small bandage on their knee sitting on a bench.

Examples

El jugador lesionó a su compañero accidentalmente durante el entrenamiento.

The player injured his teammate accidentally during practice.

Ten cuidado con el levantamiento de pesas o te vas a lesionar la espalda.

Be careful with weightlifting or you are going to injure your back.

La caída lesionó gravemente su rodilla izquierda.

The fall seriously injured his left knee.

Using 'a' with people

When you injure a specific person, you must use the word 'a' before their name or the description of the person. Example: 'Lesionó a Pedro' (He injured Pedro).

Injuring yourself

To say you injured yourself, you add 'me', 'te', 'se', etc. before the verb. 'Me lesioné' means 'I injured myself'.

Don't confuse with 'herir'

Mistake: “Using 'lesionar' for a cut from a knife.”

Correction: Use 'herir' for wounds that bleed or involve cuts. Use 'lesionar' for internal injuries like muscle pulls or broken bones.

Doler vs. Lastimar/Herir

The most common mistake is using 'lastimar' or 'herir' when you simply mean a body part *feels* painful. Remember, 'doler' is for the sensation of pain itself, while 'lastimar' and 'herir' describe the action of causing harm or injury.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.