# Body parts and doctor phrases in Esperanto

Source: https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/body-health/
Language: en
Updated: 2026-10-11

> Esperanto body parts (kapo, mano, koro), health words and doctor phrases with pronunciation, from Mi havas kapdoloron to Doloras al mi la dorso.

Esperanto body parts are nouns ending in *-o*: ***kapo*** "head", ***mano*** "hand", ***koro*** "heart", ***piedo*** "foot". To say that something hurts, use the verb ***dolori***: *Mia kapo doloras* – "My head hurts". "Ill" is ***malsana***, which is ***sana*** "healthy" with *mal-*, and a doctor is a ***kuracisto***. Pronunciation guides split words into syllables, with the stressed syllable in capitals (see the [alphabet](https://esperantopedia.org/learn/alphabet/) for *ĉ*, *ĝ*, *ŝ* and *c* = "ts").

## Head and face

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| head | *kapo* | KA-po |
| face | *vizaĝo* | vi-ZA-ĝo |
| forehead | *frunto* | FRUN-to |
| eye | *okulo* | o-KU-lo |
| nose | *nazo* | NA-zo |
| mouth | *buŝo* | BU-ŝo |
| lip | *lipo* | LI-po |
| tooth | *dento* | DEN-to |
| tongue | *lango* | LAN-go |
| ear | *orelo* | o-RE-lo |
| cheek | *vango* | VAN-go |
| chin | *mentono* | men-TO-no |
| hair (one hair) | *haro* | HA-ro |

*Lango* is the tongue in your mouth; the tongue you speak is *lingvo*. *Haro* is one hair, so head hair is plural: *longaj haroj* – "long hair".

## Neck and trunk

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| body | *korpo* | KOR-po |
| skin | *haŭto* | HAŬ-to |
| neck | *kolo* | KO-lo |
| throat | *gorĝo* | GOR-ĝo |
| shoulder | *ŝultro* | ŜUL-tro |
| chest | *brusto* | BRUS-to |
| back | *dorso* | DOR-so |
| belly, abdomen | *ventro* | VEN-tro |

ReVo defines *ventro* as the part between chest and pelvis; the organ inside is the *stomako*.

## Arms and legs

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| arm | *brako* | BRA-ko |
| elbow | *kubuto* | ku-BU-to |
| hand | *mano* | MA-no |
| finger | *fingro* | FIN-gro |
| leg | *kruro*, *gambo* | KRU-ro, GAM-bo |
| knee | *genuo* | ge-NU-o |
| foot | *piedo* | pi-E-do |
| toe | *piedfingro* | pi-ed-FIN-gro |

*Kruro* is a leg in general and also the part from knee to foot. *Gambo* is the whole human leg, thigh included (ReVo).

## Inside the body

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| heart | *koro* | KO-ro |
| lung | *pulmo* | PUL-mo |
| stomach | *stomako* | sto-MA-ko |
| liver | *hepato* | he-PA-to |
| brain | *cerbo* | CER-bo |
| bone | *osto* | OS-to |
| blood | *sango* | SAN-go |

## Health, illness and doctors

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| healthy | *sana* | SA-na |
| ill | *malsana* | mal-SA-na |
| illness, disease | *malsano* | mal-SA-no |
| sick person | *malsanulo* | mal-sa-NU-lo |
| patient | *paciento* | pa-ci-EN-to |
| hospital | *malsanulejo*, *hospitalo* | mal-sa-nu-LE-jo, hos-pi-TA-lo |
| doctor | *kuracisto* | ku-ra-CIS-to |
| nurse | *flegisto*, *flegistino* | fle-GIS-to, fle-gis-TI-no |
| dentist | *dentisto* | den-TIS-to |
| pharmacy | *apoteko* | a-po-TE-ko |
| medicine | *medikamento* | me-di-ka-MEN-to |
| pill | *pilolo* | pi-LO-lo |
| prescription | *recepto* | re-CEP-to |

*Doktoro* is also an informal courtesy title for a physician; its main meaning is the academic degree (ReVo).

## How the words are built

The hospital word *malsanulejo* breaks into five pieces:

| Part | Meaning | Role |
|---|---|---|
| *mal-* | the opposite | prefix |
| *san-* | healthy | root |
| *-ul-* | a person with this quality | suffix |
| *-ej-* | a place for something | suffix |
| *-o* | noun | ending |

PMEG defines *malsanulejo* as a place where ill people are cared for and treated. The same parts give a word family:

| Word | Parts | English |
|---|---|---|
| *malsaniĝi* | mal·san·iĝ·i | to fall ill |
| *sanigi* | san·ig·i | to cure, to make well |
| *resaniĝi* | re·san·iĝ·i | to recover |
| *kuracisto* | kurac·ist·o | doctor |
| *kuracilo* | kurac·il·o | remedy |
| *dentisto* | dent·ist·o | dentist |

*-ist-* names a person who works with something: *kuracisto* "one who treats", *dentisto* "one who works with teeth". *-in-* makes it female. More on [word building](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/word-building/), [prefixes](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/prefixes/) and [suffixes](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/suffixes/).

### Pain words with -doloro

*Doloro* "pain" joins a body part to name an ache; the last root is the main word, so *kapdoloro* is "head-pain":

| Word | Parts | English |
|---|---|---|
| *kapdoloro* | kap·dolor·o | headache |
| *dentodoloro*, *dentdoloro* | dent·o·dolor·o | toothache |
| *gorĝdoloro* | gorĝ·dolor·o | sore throat |
| *dorsdoloro* | dors·dolor·o | back pain |
| *lumbodoloro* | lumb·o·dolor·o | lower-back pain |
| *stomakdoloro* | stomak·dolor·o | stomach ache |

ReVo lists *dentodoloro* and also quotes *dentdoloron*. It advises plain compounds like *kapdoloro* over Greek-style terms such as *cefalalgio* or *odontalgio*.

## Saying where it hurts

With *dolori* the sore body part is the subject, and you show whose it is with *mia* "my" or *al mi* "to me":

| Esperanto | English |
|---|---|
| *Mi havas kapdoloron.* | I have a headache. |
| *Mia kapo doloras.* | My head hurts. |
| *La kapo doloras al mi.* | My head hurts. (literally "the head hurts to me") |
| *Doloras al mi la dorso.* | My back hurts. |
| *Kie doloras?* | Where does it hurt? |
| *Ĉu doloras ĉi tie?* | Does it hurt here? |

PMEG treats *Mi lavas al mi la manojn* as equal to *Mi lavas miajn manojn* – "I wash my hands": *al* shows whose body part it is. ReVo notes that older texts also make the person an object (*mia internaĵo min doloras*), but that modern usage seems to prefer the forms above. The subject is the sore part, so *Mi doloras* does not mean "I hurt". See also [the accusative](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/accusative/).

## At the doctor

| Esperanto | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| *Mi devas iri al la kuracisto.* | mi DE-vas I-ri al la ku-ra-CIS-to | I have to go to the doctor. |
| *Mi ne fartas bone.* | mi ne FAR-tas BO-ne | I don't feel well. |
| *Mi havas febron.* | mi HA-vas FE-bron | I have a fever. |
| *Mi malvarmumis.* | mi mal-var-MU-mis | I've caught a cold. |
| *Mi sentas naŭzon kaj kapturnon.* | mi SEN-tas NAŬ-zon kaj kap-TUR-non | I feel nauseous and dizzy. |
| *Mi vundis al mi la manon.* | mi VUN-dis al mi la MA-non | I've hurt my hand. |
| *Mi havas alergion kontraŭ penicilino.* | mi HA-vas a-ler-GI-on KON-traŭ pe-ni-ci-LI-no | I'm allergic to penicillin. |

Questions and instructions you may hear:

| Esperanto | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| *Kiam komenciĝis la doloro?* | KI-am ko-men-CI-ĝis la do-LO-ro | When did the pain start? |
| *Prenu unu pilolon trifoje tage.* | PRE-nu U-nu pi-LO-lon tri-FO-je TA-ge | Take one pill three times a day. |
| *Vi devas ripozi kaj trinki multe da akvo.* | vi DE-vas ri-PO-zi kaj TRIN-ki MUL-te da AK-vo | You must rest and drink plenty of water. |
| *Ĉu tio estas grava?* | ĉu TI-o ES-tas GRA-va | Is it serious? |

*Farti* "to be in a good or bad state" is the verb of *Kiel vi fartas?* – "How are you?". What you have, feel or take is an object, so it ends in *-n*: *febron*, *naŭzon*, *pilolon*.

## At the pharmacy

| Esperanto | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| *Kie estas la plej proksima apoteko?* | KI-e ES-tas la plej prok-SI-ma a-po-TE-ko | Where is the nearest pharmacy? |
| *Ĉu vi havas ion kontraŭ kapdoloro?* | ĉu vi HA-vas I-on KON-traŭ kap-do-LO-ro | Do you have something for a headache? |
| *Mi serĉas kontraŭdolorilon.* | mi SER-ĉas kon-traŭ-do-lo-RI-lon | I'm looking for a painkiller. |

## Emergencies

For *Helpu!*, *Voku ambulancon!* and *Kie estas la hospitalo?*, see the emergency list in [travel phrases](https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/travel/). *Mi malsanas* – "I'm ill" – is in the [basic phrases](https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/basic/).

## Common questions

### What are the main body parts in Esperanto?

*Kapo* (head), *okulo* (eye), *nazo* (nose), *buŝo* (mouth), *orelo* (ear), *brako* (arm), *mano* (hand), *kruro* (leg), *piedo* (foot) and *koro* (heart). The plural adds *-j*: *okuloj*.

### How do you say "I have a headache" in Esperanto?

*Mi havas kapdoloron* or *Mia kapo doloras*. For other aches, swap *kap-* for another body part: *gorĝdoloro*, *dorsdoloro*.

### How do you say "doctor" in Esperanto?

*Kuracisto*, from *kuraci* "to treat" and *-ist-*; a woman doctor can be *kuracistino*. *Doktoro* also serves as a courtesy title.

### What is the Esperanto word for "hospital"?

*Malsanulejo*, literally "place for ill people", or the international *hospitalo*.

### How do you say "I am sick" in Esperanto?

*Mi estas malsana* or the shorter *Mi malsanas*. To say you only feel unwell, use *Mi ne fartas bone*.

### How do you ask "Where does it hurt?" in Esperanto?

*Kie doloras?* Answer with *al mi* and a body part – *Doloras al mi la genuo*, "My knee hurts" – or just *Doloras ĉi tie*, "It hurts here".

## Sources

- [ReVo: dolori, doloro, kapdoloro, dentodoloro, gorĝdoloro, dorsdoloro, lumbodoloro, stomakdoloro](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/dolor.html)
- [ReVo: sana, malsana, malsaniĝi, malsanulejo, sanigi, resaniĝi](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/san.html)
- [ReVo: kuraci, kuracisto, kuracilo, paciento](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/kurac.html)
- [ReVo: flegi, flegisto](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/fleg.html)
- [ReVo: apoteko](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/apotek.html), [pilolo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/pilol.html), [recepto](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/recept.html)
- [ReVo: malvarmumi, malvarmumo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/varm.html), [febro](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/febr.html), [naŭzi](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/nauxz.html), [kapturno](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/turn.html), [farti](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/fart.html), [doktoro](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/doktor.html)
- [ReVo: kapo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/kap.html), [kruro](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/krur.html), [gambo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/gamb.html), [ventro](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/ventr.html), [fingro](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/fingr.html), [haro](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/har.html)
- [PMEG: EJ suffix (malsanulejo)](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/vortfarado/afiksoj/sufiksoj/ej.html), [UL suffix](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/vortfarado/afiksoj/sufiksoj/ul.html), [IST suffix (kuracisto, dentisto)](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/vortfarado/afiksoj/sufiksoj/ist.html), [IN suffix](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/vortfarado/afiksoj/sufiksoj/in.html)
- [PMEG: Verboj kun al-komplemento (Mi lavas al mi la manojn)](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/verboj_frazroloj/al.html), [Posedaj pronomoj](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/pronomoj/posedaj.html)
- [PMEG: Bazaj elparolaj reguloj (stress)](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/skribo_elparolo/elparolo/bazaj_reguloj.html)