Learning the Chief Complaint in Spanish 

Last updated: December 8, 2025

By  Doc Molly

Doctor speaking to patient.


You are about to hear a lesson from our History and Exam Course. This course covers all the necessary Spanish for performing a complete history and exam. The course level is beginner to intermediate, and all the lessons are interactive. 

In this lesson, we will learn how to ask the patient's chief complaint in Spanish. 

LEVEL - ADVANCED BEGINNER 

Timestamps 

  • 1:07  What's wrong?
  • 2:27  How do you feel? What do you feel? 
  • 3:38  How are you?
  • 4:21  Point to the problem? 

Watch the video and access the full transcript within the course. 

Support this project by becoming a member at docmolly.com!

Gracias por escuchar y hasta la próxima. 


What is wrong?

el consultorio 
doctor’s office, clinic

¿Que le trae al consultorio hoy?
What brings you to the clinic today?

¿Cuál es el problema?
What is the problem?

¿Qué le pasa?
What is wrong?

la molestia
discomfort, physical concern, trouble

¿Qué molestia tiene hoy?
What concerns do you have today?

¿Qué me cuenta?
What do you have to tell me?

¿Cómo le puedo ayudar?*
How can I help you?
* This is located in a subsequent section in the audio lesson. 

How / What do you feel? 

We use the reflexive verb SENTIRSE to express HOW we feel

We use the non-reflexive verb SENTIR when expressing WHAT we feel. 

¿Cómo se siente?
How are you feeling?

¿Cómo se ha sentido?
How have you been feeling?

¿Se siente bien?
Do you feel well?

¿Se siente mal?
Do you feel sick?

¿Siente dolor en la pierna?
Do you feel pain in your leg?

How are you?

¿Cómo está?
How are you?

¿Cómo ha estado?
How have you been?

¿Cómo le va?
How is it going?

¿Cómo le ha ido?
How’s it been going?

Localizing pain

¿Tiene dolor?
Do you have pain?

Señale dónde tiene dolor.
Point to where you have pain.

Señale dónde tiene el problema.
Point to where you have the problem.

Señale dónde tiene la molestia.
Point to where the trouble is.

¿Dónde le duele?
Where do you hurt?

Señale dónde le duele.
Point to where it hurts.


¿Tienes alguna pregunta?

Don't be shy, leave a comment below! We learn better, learning together.

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}

Not a member yet?

Start Mastering Medical Spanish Today!

Master Spanish with Engaging Lessons – Created by a practicing doctor and teachers from Latin America.

Monthly

Learn on your terms – pause anytime!

$22/mo

Annual

Commit to fluency and save $66 per year!

$198/yr

Tight budget? More Pricing Options!.

✅ Self-Paced Courses – Learn at your own speed and track your progress.

🎧 400+ Interactive Audio Lessons – Learn anytime, anywhere by engaging with the audio.

📄 Quizzes & Downloadable PDFs – Reinforce learning with interactive quizzes and lesson notes.

🌱 Always Growing – New lessons, fresh tips, and updated content every month!

🩺 Interpret Clinical Encounters – Build confidence through authentic medical scenarios.

👩‍⚕️ Patient & Provider Interviews – Hear real conversations and improve comprehension.

📚 Master Spanish Grammar – Improve fluency by learning grammar through clinical conversations.

💬 Ask Questions, Get Answers – Get responses to your Spanish questions within 24 hours!

✅ Self-Paced Courses – Learn at your own speed and track your progress.

🎧 400+ Interactive Audio Lessons – Learn anytime, anywhere by engaging with the audio.

📄 Quizzes & Downloadable PDFs – Reinforce learning with interactive quizzes and lesson notes.

🌱 Always Growing – New lessons, fresh tips, and updated content every month!

🩺 Interpret Clinical Encounters – Build confidence through authentic medical scenarios.

👩‍⚕️ Patient & Provider Interviews – Hear real conversations and improve comprehension.

📚 Master Spanish Grammar – Improve fluency by learning grammar through clinical conversations.

💬 Ask Questions, Get Answers – Get responses to your Spanish questions within 24 hours!

>
Success message!
Warning message!
Error message!