Tengo un dolor... versus Me duele?

Question

I was doing some flashcards and came upon 2 differences that seem confusing to me.

I have a headache. = Me duele la cabeza.

I have a stomach ache. = Tengo un dolor de estomago.

What is the difference between ¨tengo un dolor¨ and ¨me duele¨?

• Thank you for the help! - yogamamaof2 Aug 7, 2010

Answer 1

As far as I can tell - and I am open to corrction - there is no obvious/discernable difference in 'meaning' between: tengo dolor de cabeza (I have a headache)

and, me duele la cabeza (My head hurts. lit to me pains/hurts the head)

I am reasonably sure that they are interchangeable.

If I am wrong about this then we will both be learning something new lol

Answer 2

I too would love to hear the clarification

...but, if you're saying 'my head hurts' then the Spanish equivalent would be 'me duele la cabeza'.

However, if you are saying 'I HAVE a headache', then I suspect 'tengo dolor en mi cabeza' would be a more parallel translation.

Answer 3

You´re both right about Head and Stomach (both forms can be used). It´s just a matter of usage, but you would never say "I have a liver, finger, eye, skin ache, etc. In these cases, it must be, "Me duele(n) el higado, dedo, los ojos, la piel."

I´m afraid this is a case of memorization.

• quite similar to English although we might say 'my eyes ache' lol - Kiwi_Girl Aug 7, 2010

Answer 4

I think they are interchangeable: me duele el hígado me duele el dedo

tengo dolor de hígado tengo dolor en el dedo anular

me duelen los ojos me arden los ojos

siento ardor en los ojos tengo dolor de ojos

• The question I always ask people is 'how would say this without worrying about translation'? So, if you were telling your wife (or whoever) you had a headache.... what phrase would you use in Spanish? - primus Aug 7, 2010

Answer 5

i think it's easy to remember the difference in use if you think in terms of:

-"Me duele": It hurts, I feel pain

-"Tengo un dolor": I have an ache, I have a pain.

So, you can say: "my head hurts" - "me duele la cabeza", or,

"I have a headache" - "tengo un dolor de cabeza".

• That seems like a logical way of putting it. - yogamamaof2 Aug 8, 2010