Doler is a verb.
/doˈleɾ/
Doler is used in the Spanish language to express the sensation of pain or discomfort. It is most commonly used when referring to physical pain, although it can also be extended metaphorically to emotional or psychological pain. The verb is often used in conjunction with indirect object pronouns to indicate who is experiencing the pain (e.g., "me duele" means "it hurts me").
Frequency of Use: "Doler" is frequently used in both oral and written contexts, particularly in conversations about health, emotions, and physical states.
Me duele la cabeza.
My head hurts.
¿Te duele el estómago?
Does your stomach ache?
Les duele el corazón por su partida.
Their hearts ache because of his departure.
"Doler" is found in several idiomatic expressions in Spanish that emphasize various contexts of pain or discomfort:
Ejemplo: A María le duele que no la inviten a la fiesta.
Maria is hurt that she is not invited to the party.
Como un dolor de muelas
This idiom refers to something that is very painful or bothersome, similar to toothache.
Ejemplo: La espera fue como un dolor de muelas.
The wait was like a toothache.
Dolor ajeno
This expression refers to the feeling of empathy towards someone else’s pain.
Ejemplo: A veces, el dolor ajeno duele más que el propio.
Sometimes, the pain of others hurts more than one’s own.
No doler
It implies that something will not cause pain or discomfort.
Ejemplo: No te preocupes, esto no va a doler.
Don't worry, this is not going to hurt.
Duele decirlo
This phrase is used when something is unpleasant to admit.
The verb "doler" originates from the Latin word "dolere," which means "to feel pain" or "to suffer." This Latin root is also the source of various related terms in Romance languages.
Thus, "doler" encapsulates the concept of pain in both physical and emotional contexts in the Spanish language and has a variety of applications in everyday speech and idiomatic expressions.