El cuerpo y la salud
A topic-driven lesson: body parts and basic health vocabulary. The grammatical highlight is the verb doler (to hurt). It works like gustar: the subject is the thing that hurts; the person is the indirect object. Me duele la cabeza = my head hurts (literally 'the head hurts to me').
Head and face
la cabeza (head), el pelo (hair), la cara (face), los ojos (eyes), la nariz (nose), la boca (mouth), los dientes (teeth), la lengua (tongue), las orejas (outer ears), los oídos (inner ears).
Torso and arms
el cuello (neck), los hombros (shoulders), el pecho (chest), la espalda (back), el estómago (stomach), el brazo (arm — from shoulder to wrist), la mano (hand), los dedos (fingers).
Legs
la pierna (leg — hip to foot), la rodilla (knee), el pie (foot), los dedos del pie (toes).
Doler — verb like gustar
Conjugation in the present: duele (one thing hurts — singular), duelen (multiple things hurt — plural). With me, te, le, nos, os, les. Me duele la cabeza (my head hurts). Me duelen los pies (my feet hurt). Le duele el estómago (his/her stomach hurts). Tengo dolor de cabeza is also possible, but me duele is more natural.
Article instead of possessive
Notice: me duele la cabeza, not mi cabeza. With body parts and clothing, Spanish often uses the definite article instead of a possessive — the owner is already clear from me. Same: me lavo las manos (I wash my hands — literally 'I wash myself the hands'), le duele la espalda.
Illnesses and conditions
estar enfermo (to be sick), estar cansado (to be tired). tener fiebre (to have a fever), tener tos (to have a cough), tener gripe (to have the flu), tener un resfriado (to have a cold). Estoy enfermo = I'm sick (right now, state). Tengo gripe = I have the flu. Tengo fiebre = I have a fever. Estoy mal = I feel bad.
At the doctor's
ir al médico (to go to the doctor — by default al médico, male form). hospital, receta (prescription), medicina / medicamento (medicine), pastilla (pill). Tengo cita con el médico (I have a doctor's appointment). El médico me dio una receta (the doctor gave me a prescription).
