How to Say "to pain" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to pain” is “doler” — B1 level.
Examples
Le duele mucho que sus hijos no la visiten.
It pains her greatly that her children don't visit her.
Nos duele pensar en todo el tiempo perdido.
It grieves us to think about all the lost time.
Me duele que la gente no sea más amable.
It bothers me that people aren't kinder (literally: It pains me that people...).
Doler + Subjunctive
When 'doler' expresses regret or sadness about someone else's action or a situation, the verb that follows must be in the subjunctive mood (the special form for wishes and feelings): 'Me duele que vivas tan lejos.'
Mixing Physical and Emotional Contexts
Mistake: “Me duele la noticia (I hurt the news).”
Correction: Me entristece la noticia (The news saddens me). While 'doler' works, 'entristecer' or 'dar pena' are often smoother for general bad news.
Related Translations
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