Bolivia situation guide
Describing how you feel
A clear description usually covers four things: what you feel (a síntoma or dolor), where, since when (desde), and how strong (leve to fuerte). The aim of this mission is description, not diagnosis: you give the doctor the facts in plain words and let them interpret. Practice with placeholder words (“my [body part] hurts”) rather than real personal health data, and keep the Spanish natural, like “Me duele la cabeza” or “Desde ayer me siento mal”. If you can’t find the words, it is perfectly fine to say “No sé cómo explicarlo bien” and let the doctor ask follow-up questions. Never rely on this app to tell you what your symptoms mean.
Essential vocabulary
- síntoma: symptom The word for what you want to describe.
- dolor: pain Pair it with a body part to be clear.
- desde: since States how long something has lasted.
- fuerte: strong / severe Describe intensity at the high end.
- leve: mild Describe intensity at the low end.
- más o menos: more or less Soften an estimate when you’re unsure.
Bolivian Spanish terms
Useful phrases
- Me duele la cabeza.: My [body part] hurts. Point to where it hurts.
- Desde ayer me siento mal.: Since [time] I have felt unwell. Give the duration of a symptom.
- El dolor es leve.: The pain is mild. Rate intensity simply.
- No sé cómo explicarlo bien.: I don't know how to explain it well. Buy time and ask for patience.
- Empezó hace unos días.: It started a few [time units] ago. Place when it began.
Learn this in the app
Doctor and Hospital Spanish for Bolivia