Hebrew for Describing Pain

When you need to explain pain in Hebrew, the goal is to be simple and clear. In real life, you usually do not need long sentences. A doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or even a friend just needs to know what hurts, where it hurts, and how bad it is.

The most useful word: כאב

The basic word for pain is כאב (ke'ev). You can use it in a few common ways:

• יש לי כאב — I have pain
• כואב לי — It hurts
• כואב לי הראש — My head hurts
• כואבת לי הבטן — My stomach hurts

In everyday Hebrew, כואב לי is often the easiest and most natural way to say something hurts.

Saying where it hurts

A very common pattern is:

כואב לי + body part

Examples:

• כואב לי הראש — My head hurts
• כואב לי הגרון — My throat hurts
• כואבת לי הרגל — My leg hurts
• כואב לי הגב — My back hurts
• כואבת לי היד — My arm hurts

Notice that Hebrew changes the form a little depending on the body part. You do not need to master the grammar first to be understood. For learners, it is enough to memorize a few high-frequency examples and use them as-is.

Useful pain words

Here are some common words you may hear or need:

• כאב — pain
• כואב — hurts
• כואבת — hurts, feminine form
• כואבים — hurt, plural form
• רגישות — sensitivity
• נפיחות — swelling
• דקירה — a stabbing pain
• שריפה — burning sensation

If you are describing a symptom to medical staff, simple words are often better than trying to sound advanced.

How bad is it?

You may want to explain intensity. These phrases are practical:

• קצת כואב לי — It hurts a little
• כואב לי מאוד — It hurts a lot
• יש לי כאב חזק — I have strong pain
• הכאב מחמיר — The pain is getting worse
• הכאב לא עובר — The pain is not going away

If you need to describe a sudden or serious symptom, say so clearly. That can help medical staff understand urgency.

Common real-life phrases

Here are some full sentences you might actually use:

• כואב לי פה. — It hurts here.
• כואב לי בצד הזה. — It hurts on this side.
• כואב לי כשאני נוגע. — It hurts when I touch it.
• כואב לי כשאני הולך. — It hurts when I walk.
• אני מרגיש כאב בחזה. — I feel pain in my chest.

If you are speaking with a doctor, you can also say:

• יש לי כאב ב... — I have pain in...
• אני צריך לראות רופא. — I need to see a doctor.
• אני לא מרגיש טוב. — I don’t feel well.

In a pharmacy or clinic

If you are in Israel and need help quickly, short sentences are fine. You might also want to connect this vocabulary with other everyday situations, like Hebrew for Asking Someone How They Are or Hebrew for Saying You’re Tired, because medical conversations often start with basic questions about how you feel.

If you need to explain that the issue is affecting your day, phrases from Hebrew for Saying You’re Busy can also help you talk about work, appointments, or needing time off.

A simple pattern to remember

Try this formula:

כואב לי + body part + how much + when

Examples:

• כואב לי הראש קצת. — My head hurts a little.
• כואב לי הגב מאוד. — My back hurts a lot.
• כואב לי כשאני זז. — It hurts when I move.

You do not need perfect Hebrew to describe pain. Clear, direct language is usually enough. If you can say כואב לי, point to the area, and add קצת or מאוד, you will already be able to handle many everyday situations in Israel.