My body and health: me duele

Say what hurts, say how you feel when you are ill, and talk about keeping healthy.

Practise this lesson free (7 questions)

The body

la cabeza (head), la garganta (throat), la espalda (back), la pierna (leg), la mano (hand, feminine!), la nariz (nose), la boca (mouth)
el brazo (arm), el pie (foot), el estómago (stomach), el oído (ear, inside), los ojos (eyes), los dientes (teeth)

What hurts?

Me duele + one thing: Me duele la cabeza. = My head hurts / I have a headache.
Me duelen + plural: Me duelen los pies. = My feet hurt.
Doler works like gustar: A mi hermano le duele el estómago.
Use el / la, not mi: me duele la pierna.
Also: Tengo dolor de cabeza / de estómago / de garganta.

Feeling ill and keeping healthy

Estoy enfermo / enferma. = I am ill. Estoy cansado / cansada. = I am tired.
Tengo fiebre (a temperature), tengo tos (a cough), tengo gripe (flu).
Para estar en forma, como fruta y verdura, bebo agua y hago deporte.
La comida basura es mala para la salud. = Junk food is bad for your health.
Worked example

Translate: I am ill: I have a headache and my legs hurt.

  1. I am ill: estoy enfermo (or enferma), using estar for a temporary state.
  2. I have a headache: me duele la cabeza (one thing).
  3. my legs hurt: me duelen las piernas (plural, and las not mis).

Answer: Estoy enfermo: me duele la cabeza y me duelen las piernas.

Key idea

Me duele + singular, me duelen + plural, with el / la / los / las (not mi). Le duele for he or she. Estoy enfermo / enferma; tengo fiebre, tengo tos.

Common mistakes
Quick check

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Extra practice

2 more questions

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  1. Complete: Me ___ los ojos.

    1. duele
    2. duelen
    3. duelo
    4. dolen
    Show the answer

    Answer: duelen

    Plural: me duelen.

  2. Complete: Me duele ___ espalda.

    1. mi
    2. el
    3. la
    4. mía
    Show the answer

    Answer: la

    Body parts take the article: la espalda.

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Practise this lesson free (7 questions)All KS3 Spanish lessons

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Sources and references

Last updated 2 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it.