DAR to Express Symptoms

Explicamos la gramática

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In our most recent member lesson covering Spanish for the Evaluation of Vertigo, we reviewed the following question by the physical therapist:

¿Recuerda qué estaba haciendo cuando le dieron mareos las otras veces?
(Do you remember what you were doing when you got dizzy the other times?)

I am guessing that some of you struggled with the following phrase:

cuando le dieron mareos
(when you experienced dizziness -o- when you got dizzy)

Here, we use LE to refer to “you” (usted) and the verb DAR acts like the verb GUSTAR, where the subject of the verb in English corresponds to the object of the verb in Spanish.

You got dizzy. >>> Le dieron mareos.

In English, “you” is the subject of the verb. In Spanish, you (usted) is the object of the verb and expressed by the pronoun “le.”

Let’s look at another example.

I get chills. >>> Me dan escalofríos.

In English, “I” is the subject of the verb. When we interpret this into Spanish, I become the object of the verb, which expressed by the pronoun “me.”

Ejemplos Interactivos

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¿Te dieron escalofríos?
Did you get chills? 

Me da dolor de estómago después de comer.
I get a stomach ache after eating.

¿Cuándo le da dolor en el pecho?
When do you get pain in your chest? (addressing the patient as usted)

Me dan calambres en la piernas por la noche.
I get leg cramps at night.

¿Recuerda qué estaba haciendo cuando le dieron mareos las otras veces?
Do you remember what you were doing when you got dizzy the other times?

¿Quieres Practicar Más?

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• Spanish Grammar members at docmolly.com, we practice a ton of examples in our series covering reverse construction verbs. 
• Medical Spanish members, check out the new member lessons covering Spanish for Evaluation of Vertigo in our Physical Therapy series. 
• Use the coupon code PODCAST to get 15% when you become a member at docmolly.com/store. 

Special thanks to Elizabeth Cortez, my Spanish teacher at the San Pedro Spanish School in Guatemala.

The lessons offered at docmolly.com are a fun way to practice medical Spanish. They are not intended to teach medicine or provide medical advice. These lessons are intended to improve communication with Spanish-speaking patients, but they are not intended to substitute for a qualified medical interpreter.