Inklingo

How to Say "to wound" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “to wound” is “herir” — use 'herir' when referring to a general physical injury that may or may not break the skin, often implying a more serious impact..

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herir

/eh-REER//eˈɾiɾ/

VerbA2General
Use 'herir' when referring to a general physical injury that may or may not break the skin, often implying a more serious impact.
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.

lastimar

lahs-tee-MAHR/lastiˈmaɾ/

VerbA2General
Use 'lastimar' specifically when the injury involves breaking the skin, such as a cut or a bite.
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 vs. Lastimar

Learners often confuse 'herir' and 'lastimar'. Remember that 'lastimar' is more specific to breaking the skin, like a scratch or cut. 'Herir' is broader and can describe any physical injury, even internal ones.

Related Translations

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