Spanish
Grade 1
15 min
Me duele... Expresando dolencias (My... hurts: Expressing ailments)
Use 'Me duele...' to express aches and pains (Me duele la cabeza, Me duele el estómago).
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify 5-7 basic body parts in Spanish.
Say the phrase 'Me duele...' to express pain.
Combine 'Me duele...' with a body part (e.g., 'Me duele la cabeza').
Point to the correct body part when they hear a phrase like 'Me duele el pie'.
Answer the question '¿Qué te duele?' with a simple phrase.
Use 'el' and 'la' correctly with the body parts learned.
Recognize the plural form 'Me duelen' for things that come in pairs, like eyes.
¡Ay! 🤕 Did you ever get a boo-boo? Let's learn how to tell someone what hurts in Spanish!
Today, we will learn the magic words 'Me duele...' which mean 'My... hurts'. We will also learn the Spanish words for our head, tummy,...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Me dueleThe magic words that mean 'My... hurts' or 'It hurts me'.You point to your tummy and say, 'Me duele'.
la cabeza 🧠The word for your head. It's where you think!'Me duele la cabeza.' (My head hurts.)
el estómago 🍎The word for your stomach or tummy. It's where your food goes!'Me duele el estómago.' (My stomach hurts.)
la mano 👋The word for your hand. You use it to wave 'hola'!'Me duele la mano.' (My hand hurts.)
el pie 🦶The word for your foot. You use it to kick a ball!'Me duele el pie.' (My foot hurts.)
¿Qué te duele?The question 'What hurts you?'. A grown-up might ask you this.Teacher: '¿Qué te duele?' You: 'Me duele la cabeza.'
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Grammar Rules & Patterns
The 'Me duele' Formula
Me duele + el / la + [body part]
Always start with 'Me duele'. Then, use 'el' or 'la' before the body part. It's like saying 'My the head hurts', but it's correct in Spanish!
Choosing 'el' or 'la'
Use 'la' for words ending in -a (cabeza, mano). Use 'el' for words ending in -o or -e (estómago, pie).
'la' is for girl words and 'el' is for boy words. This helps us know which one to use.
The 'Me duelen' Plural Rule
Me duelen + los / las + [body parts]
If more than one thing hurts (like your eyes 👀 or hands), the word 'duele' gets an 'n' at the end and becomes 'duelen'.
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Challenging
María dibuja ✏️. Se cae su lápiz. Se agacha para recogerlo y se golpea la cabeza con la mesa. ¿Qué le duele a María? (María is drawing. Her pencil falls. She bends down to get it and hits her head on the table. What hurts María?)
A.La cabeza
B.El lápiz
C.El pie
D.La mano
Challenging
Vas al doctor 👨⚕️. Tienes mucha tos (cough) y no puedes hablar bien. El doctor mira dentro de tu boca. ¿Qué te duele probablemente? (You go to the doctor. You have a bad cough and can't speak well. The doctor looks in your mouth. What probably hurts?)
A.La rodilla
B.La garganta
C.El estómago
D.El pie
Challenging
Si te duelen mucho los ojos 👁️👁️, ¿qué actividad es difícil hacer? (If your eyes hurt a lot, what activity is difficult to do?)
A.Escuchar música
B.Correr en el parque
C.Leer un libro
D.Comer una manzana
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Start Practicing FreeMore from ¡En Forma! El Cuerpo y la Salud (In Shape! The Body and Health)
Las partes del cuerpo: ¿Qué te duele? (Body parts: What hurts?)
El médico: ¿Qué te pasa? (The doctor: What's wrong?)
Comida sana: Pirámide alimenticia (Healthy food: Food pyramid)
El ejercicio: ¿Qué haces para estar en forma? (Exercise: What do you do to stay in shape?)
Diálogo: En la consulta del médico (Dialogue: At the doctor's office)