Spanish · A1 · Family moment
Comfort and Cuddles in Spanish
This guide helps parents comfort their little ones by asking where they feel pain. You will learn how to use the verb 'doler' (to hurt) and basic body parts in a child-friendly way.
What you'll learn
- Ask 'Where does it hurt?' in Spanish
- Identify common body parts involved in minor aches
- Understand the basic structure of the verb 'doler'
Spanish phrases for comfort and cuddles
¿Dónde te duele?
Where does it hurt?
A general question to start with.
¿Te duele la barriga?
Does your tummy hurt?
'Barriga' is a common child-friendly word for tummy.
¿Te duele la cabeza?
Does your head hurt?
Standard phrase for headaches.
¿Te duele el oído?
Does your ear hurt?
Use 'oído' for the inner ear (earache) and 'oreja' for the outer ear.
¿Te duele la boca?
Does your mouth hurt?
Simple and direct.
¿Te duele la mano?
Does your hand hurt?
Hand is feminine: 'la mano'.
¿Te duele el pie?
Does your foot hurt?
Foot is masculine: 'el pie'.
¿Te duele el diente?
Does your tooth hurt?
If it is a molar, you could also say 'la muela'.
Hear these phrases and practise them
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
La barriga
Tummy / Belly
Often used with children instead of 'estómago'.
El oído
Ear (inner)
Spanish distinguishes between the organ of hearing (oído) and the physical flap (oreja).
Doler
To hurt / to ache
This verb works like 'gustar'; the thing that hurts is the subject.
Asking about pain with 'Doler'
In Spanish, we don't say 'My head hurts.' Instead, we say 'The head hurts me.' When asking a child, we use 'te' (to you). Notice we use 'the' (el/la) instead of 'your' (tu) when talking about body parts.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Singular Ache | ¿Te duele + el/la [body part]? | ¿Te duele la mano? |
| Plural Ache | ¿Te duelen + los/las [body parts]? | ¿Te duelen los pies? |
More examples
Pobrecito, ¿te duele mucho?
Poor thing, does it hurt a lot?
A sympathetic way to follow up.
Señala dónde te duele.
Point to where it hurts.
Useful if the child is too young to name the body part.
Ya pasó, todo está bien.
It's over now, everything is okay.
A comforting phrase for after a bump or scrape.