Going to the doctor in Spain? 🇪🇸 Don’t panic! 😷 Whether you’ve got a headache 🤕, a cold 🤧 or you’re feeling a bit under the weather 🌧️, knowing how to describe your symptoms in Spanish can make everything much easier.
In this post, you’ll find real everyday conversations 💬 that will help you explain what hurts, talk to the doctor 👩⚕️ or pharmacist 💊, and even understand what they tell you. You’ll also get audio clips 🎧 to practise pronunciation, plus essential vocabulary 🧠 for parts of the body, types of pain, and common medicines.
Ready to sound like a local next time you visit the doctor in Spain? 🇪🇸 Let’s start! 🚀
💬 At the general doctor’s appointment 👨🏻⚕
Context: You’ve been feeling unwell for a few days and finally decide to see a doctor.
👨🏻⚕Doctor: Buenos días, ¿qué le pasa?
Good morning, what seems to be the problem?
👩💼 Paciente: Buenos días, doctor. Me encuentro mal desde hace tres días.
Good morning, doctor. I've been feeling unwell for three days.
👨🏻⚕Doctor: Qué síntomas tiene?
What symptoms do you have?
👩💼 Paciente: Tengo fiebre, dolor de cabeza y me duele la garganta.
I have a fever, a heahache and my throat hurts.
👨🏻⚕Doctor: ¿Ha tomado algún medicamento?
Have you taken any medicine?
👩💼 Paciente: Sí, paracetamol, pero no me ha hecho nada.
Yes, paracetamol, but it hasn't helped much.
👨🏻⚕Doctor: De acuerdo, voy a recetarle un jarabe para la garganta y antibióticos. Descanse y beba mucha agua.
Alright, I'll prescribe you some syrup for your throat and antibiotics. Rest and drink plenty of water.
👩💼 Paciente: Muchas gracias, doctor.
Thank you very much, doctor.
👨🏻⚕Doctor: De nada, que se mejore.
Your' re welcome, hope you get better.
📝Vocabulary: types of pain💥
Dolor de cabeza – headache
Dolor de garganta – sore throat
Dolor de estómago – stomachache
Dolor de espalda – back pain
Fiebre – fever
Náuseas – nausea
Mareo – dizziness
Tos – cough
🎬 Watch a real example!
Here’s a real-life clip where someone explains what's hurting and a friend asks follow-up questions, like if they have a fever — just like in the dialogue above 👀 🎧 Listen carefully and try to catch phrases like:
Me duele…
Tengo fiebre...
¿Qué te pasa?
💬At the pharmacy 💊
Context: You go to the pharmacy to buy something for a sore throat.
👩💼 Cliente: Buenas tardes, ¿tiene algo para el dolor de garganta?
Good afternoon, do you have something for a sore throat?
🥼Farmacéutico: Sí, tenemos pastillas y también un spray. ¿Le duele mucho?
Yes, we have lozenges and also a spray. Does it hurt a lot?
👩💼 Cliente: Un poco, pero me cuesta tragar.
A little, but it’s hard for me to swallow.
🥼Farmacéutico: Le recomiendo estas pastillas. Son sin receta.
I recommend these tablets. They’re over the counter.
👩💼 Cliente: ¿Cada cuánto debo tomarlas?
Perfect, how often should I take them?
🥼Farmacéutico: Cada ocho horas, con un poco de agua.
Every eight hours, with some water.
👩💼 Cliente: Vale, gracias. Buenas tardes.
Okay, thank you. Have a good afternoon.
🥼Farmacéutico: Adiós, que se mejore.
Goodbye, I hope you get better soon.
📝Vocabulary: medicines and treatments 🩹
Paracetamol / ibuprofeno – paracetamol / ibuprofen
Jarabe – syrup
Pastillas – pills
Crema – cream
Receta – prescription
Radiografía – X-ray
Análisis de sangre – blood test
🎬 Watch another real-life situation… kinda 😏
Let’s practise listening again — this time at the pharmacy! 💊🇪🇸 In this video, someone goes to the pharmacy and uses useful phrases like:
Me duele…
¿Tiene algo para…?
¿Cada cuánto tengo que tomarlo?
But… 🤭 spoiler alert:
He doesn’t just want medicine — he might be trying to flirt with the pharmacist too 👀😂
💬At the emergency room🏥
Context: You’ve twisted your ankle while playing football and go to the emergency room.
👨🏻⚕ Doctor: Buenas noches, ¿qué le ha pasado?
Good evening, what happened?
🤵Paciente: Creo que me he torcido el tobillo jugando al fútbol. Me duele muchísimo.
I think I’ve twisted my ankle playing football. It hurts a lot.f course!
👨🏻⚕ Doctor: ¿Puede apoyar el pie?
Can you put weight on your foot?
🤵Paciente: No, me duele cuando intento caminar.
No, it hurts when I try to walk.
👨🏻⚕ Doctor: Vamos a hacer una radiografía para ver si hay algo roto.
We’re going to take an X-ray to see if anything is broken.
🤵Paciente: ¿Tengo que esperar mucho?
Do I have to wait long?
👨🏻⚕ Doctor: Unos minutos. Siéntese, por favor.
Just a few minutes. Please have a seat.
🤵Paciente: Gracias, doctor.
Thank you, doctor.
👣 Parts of the body
Pierna – leg
Brazo – arm
Tobillo – ankle
Estómago – stomach
Pecho – chest
Diente / muela – tooth / molar
🦷 At the dentist’s office
Context: You feel pain in a tooth and go for a check-up.
👩💼 Paciente: Buenos días, me duele una muela y me gustaría hacer un chequeo.
Good morning, my tooth hurts and I'd like a check-up.
🤵Dentista: Buenos días. Vamos a revisar… Abra la boca, por favor. Perfecto... no es nada grave, pero voy a hacerle una radiografía.
Good morning. Let's take a look… Open your mouth, please. Alright... it is not serious but I'm going to take an X-ray.
⏳ (después de la radiografía)
(after the X-ray)
🤵Dentista: Bien, ya veo el problema. Tiene una caries y además la muela del juicio está saliendo.
Okay, I see the problem. You have a cavity and your wisdom tooth is coming in.
👩💼 Paciente: ¿Qué tratamiento necesito?
What treatment do I need?
🤵Dentista: Vamos a empastar la caries y vigilar la muela del juicio con un chequeo mensual.
We'll fill the cavity and monitor the wisdom tooth with a monthly check-up.
👩💼 Paciente: Perfecto, muchas gracias.
Perfect, thank you very much.
🤵Dentista: De nada, nos vemos en la próxima revisión. Pida cita lo antes posible.
You're welcome, see you at your next chek-up. Make an appointment as soon as possible.
📝Vocabulary: common phrases at the doctor’s🗣️
💡Talking about pain: In Spanish, the verb doler is used to describe pain. It’s a “backward verb,” meaning the thing that hurts is the subject of the sentence:
Me duele + singular noun → Me duele la mano (my hand hurts)
Me duelen + plural noun → Me duelen las piernas (my legs hurt)
You can also express pain with tener + dolor de + body part, similar to English:
Tengo dolor de cabeza (I have a headache)
Other common phrases are...
Me encuentro muy mal - I feel really unwell.
Tengo fiebre / tengo tos / tengo alergia - I have a fever / I have a cough / I have an allergy.
Quisiera pedir una cita, por favor - I’d like to make an appointment, please.
El médico me va a recetar un medicamento - The doctor is going to prescribe me medicine.
¿Cada cuánto debo tomar el medicamento? - How often should I take the medicine?
Necesito hacerme una radiografía - I need to get an X-ray.
Me van a hacer un análisis de sangre - I’m going to have a blood test.
Que se mejore - I hope you get better.
🧠Let's practise what you've learnt!
And you? Have you ever visited a doctor or pharmacy in Spain?
What phrase from today do you think you'd use first?
Tell us in the comments — we’d love to hear from you! 😄👇