Spanish · Elementary (A2) · Chapter 3 of 12
At the doctor's
En el médico
Say what hurts and since when, understand a doctor's advice with tener que and deber, and name the main parts of the body in Spanish.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Say what hurts with me duele and me duelen
- Say how long you've been ill with desde and desde hace
- Understand advice with tener que and deber
- Ask for something at the pharmacy
Listen
Manuel Ortiz goes to see the doctor at his local health centre in Valladolid. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Doctor
Buenos días, señor Ortiz. ¿Qué le pasa?
Good morning, Mr Ortiz. What's the matter?
Manuel
Buenos días. Me duele mucho la garganta y tengo fiebre.
Good morning. My throat really hurts and I've got a temperature.
Doctor
¿Desde cuándo tiene fiebre?
How long have you had a temperature?
Manuel
Desde el sábado. Y hoy también me duele la cabeza.
Since Saturday. And today I've got a headache too.
Doctor
¿Ha tomado algo?
Have you taken anything?
Manuel
Sí, esta mañana he tomado un paracetamol.
Yes, I took a paracetamol this morning.
Doctor
A ver… Sí, tiene la garganta muy roja. Es una infección, pero no es grave.
Let's see… Yes, your throat is very red. It's an infection, but it isn't serious.
Manuel
¿Puedo ir a trabajar mañana?
Can I go to work tomorrow?
Doctor
No, debe descansar dos o tres días. Y tiene que beber mucha agua.
No, you should rest for two or three days. And you have to drink lots of water.
Manuel
¿Tengo que tomar algo más?
Do I have to take anything else?
Doctor
Sí, un paracetamol cada ocho horas. Y si el viernes todavía tiene fiebre, tiene que volver.
Yes, a paracetamol every eight hours. And if you still have a temperature on Friday, you have to come back.
Manuel
Muy bien. Muchas gracias, doctora.
All right. Thank you very much, doctor.
Understand
Me duele, me duelen: saying what hurts
(to hurt) works like : the part of the body is the subject. Use for one thing and for more than one. The o changes to ue, as in .
With parts of the body, Spanish uses , , , , not or : (My head hurts / I've got a headache). The already shows whose head it is.
| Spanish | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| head | ||
| throat | ||
| stomach | ||
| back | ||
| arm | ||
| leg | ||
| feet | ||
| eyes |
¿Desde cuándo? Since when?
To say since when, use + a point in time: , . For a length of time, use : (for three days).
Spanish uses the present here, where English uses “have been” or “have had”: (I've had a temperature since Saturday).
- ¿Desde cuándo le duele la espalda?How long has your back been hurting?
- Me duele desde ayer.It's been hurting since yesterday.
- Tengo fiebre desde hace dos días.I've had a temperature for two days.
Advice: tener que and deber
+ infinitive means “to have to”: (You have to drink lots of water). + infinitive means “should”, “ought to”: (You should rest). is stronger; sounds more like a recommendation.
At the pharmacy, ask for something with ¿Tiene algo para…? (Do you have something for…?) and the problem: (a headache), (a cough), .
- Tienes que ir al médico.You have to go to the doctor.
- No debe trabajar esta semana.You shouldn't work this week.
- ¿Tiene algo para el dolor de cabeza?Do you have something for a headache?
More in the grammar: Gustar: saying what you like · Tener and hay · The present perfect: he comido, has visto
New words
- ¿Qué le pasa?What's the matter? (polite) · informal:
- me duele / me duelen… hurts / … hurt (me) · from , which works like
- la gargantathroat · feminine
- tener fiebreto have a temperature, to have a fever
- ¿Desde cuándo…?Since when…? / How long…?
- desdesince; desde hace: for (a length of time)
- la cabezahead · feminine
- a verlet's see
- graveserious
- descansarto rest
- debershould, ought to · + infinitive: , you should rest ()
- tener queto have to · + infinitive: , , …
- cadaevery, each · never changes: ,
- siif · no accent; with an accent means yes
Practise
1.Your feet hurt. What do you say?
2.Complete the sentence: “I've had a headache since yesterday.”
I've had a headache since yesterday.
3.Complete with : “You have to rest.” ()
You have to rest.
4.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.How long have you had a temperature?
5.Match the parts of the body.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
6.What does mean?
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Me duele la cabeza.
I've got a headache.
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.