Blog

This time of year, it’s common for people to get sick in all sorts of ways. Let’s learn some Italian vocabulary and expressions to help you talk about how you feel.

Sto male. I’m sick.

Let’s start with some general expressions and ways to talk about your symptoms.

• Non mi sento bene.
  I don’t feel well.
• Penso che mi sto ammalando.
  I think I’m getting sick.
• Sto male.
  I’m sick.
• Ho il raffreddore.
  I have a cold.

• Ho l’influenza. 
  I have the flu.
• Ho la tosse.
  I have a cough.
• Ho il naso chiuso.
  I have a stuffy nose.
• Ho mal di testa.
  I have a headache.
• Ho la febbre.
  I have a fever.
• Ho la nausea.
  I feel nauseated.
• Mi mancano le forze.
  I have no energy.
• Oggi non posso andare a lavoro.
  I can’t go to work today.
• Oggi non posso andare a scuola.
  I can’t go to school today.

Ho una brutta tosse. I have a bad cough.

La tosse (a cough) is a pretty common symptom of all sorts of sicknesses.

• Ho mal di gola.
  I have a sore throat.
• Tossisco in continuazione.
  I’ve been coughing non-stop.
• Non ho dormito bene, perché ho tossito tutta la notte.
  I didn’t sleep well, because I coughed all night.
• Ho i polmoni congestionati / intasati.
  My lungs are very congested.
• Devo prendere lo sciroppo per la tosse.
  I need to take cough syrup.
• Hai delle caramelle per la tosse?
  Do you have cough drops?
• Sto perdendo la voce a forza di tossire.
  I’m losing my voice because I’m coughing so much.

Ho il naso chiuso. I have a stuffy nose.

The other really common symptom of being sick is a stuffy or runny nose.

• Ho il naso chiuso.
  My nose is congested/stuffed.
• Mi cola il naso.
  My nose is running.
• Mi serve un fazzoletto.
  I need a tissue.
• Devo soffiarmi il naso.
  I need to blow my nose.
• Devo comprare un decongestionante.
  I need to buy a decongestant.
• Non posso respirare con il naso.
  I can’t breathe through my nose.
• Starnutisco in continuazione.
  I sneeze a lot.
• Questo naso mi sta facendo impazzire.
  My nose is driving me crazy.

Ho mal di testa. I have a headache.

Il mal di testa (a headache) or i dolori muscolari (body aches) are also pretty common when you’re sick.

• Ho un terribile mal di testa.
  I have a terrible headache.
• Mi sta scoppiando la testa.
  My head is pounding.
• Hai un’aspirina?
  Do you have aspirin?
• Non ho più aspirine.
  I ran out of aspirin.
• Devo sdraiarmi.
  I need to lie down.
• Ho un’emicrania.
  I have a migraine.
• Ho dolori muscolari.
  I have body aches.

Ho la febbre. I have a fever.

If you’re sick it’s important to know if you have la febbre (a fever).

• Penso di avere la febbre.
  I think I have a fever.
• Mi sembri caldo / calda.
  You feel very warm to me.
• Devi misurarti la febbre.
  You need to take your temperature.
• Hai un termometro?
  Do you have a thermometer?
• Hai la febbre bassa.
  You have a low fever.
• Hai la febbre alta.
  You have a high fever.
• Devi abbassare la febbre.
  You need to lower your temperature.
• Mi è scesa la febbre.
  My fever broke.

Sto per vomitare. I’m going to throw up.

There are lots of other unpleasant symptoms that you may need to describe.

• Mi gira la testa.
  I’m dizzy.
• Sto per svenire.
  I’m going to faint.
• Ho la nausea.
  I’m nauseated.
• Sto per vomitare.
  I’m going to vomit/throw up.
• Ho la diarrea.
  I have diarrhea.
• Ho i brividi.
  I have chills.
• Sto sudando.
  I’m sweating.
• Ho perso il senso dell’olfatto.
  I’ve lost my sense of smell.
• Ho perso il senso del gusto.
  I’ve lost my sense of taste.

All’ufficio del medico: At the doctor’s office

If you’re sick and it’s not going away, you need to go to the doctor.

• Sei andato / andata dal medico?
  Have you gone to see the doctor?
• Devo prendere un appuntamento dal medico.
  I need to make a doctor’s appointment.
• L’infermiere / L’infermiera mi ha misurato la pressione.
  The nurse took my blood pressure.
• Il dottore mi controlla la gola e le orecchie.
  The doctor looks in my throat and ears.
• Che sintomi ha?
  What are your symptoms?
• Ha un’infezione.
  You have an infection.
• Ha l’influenza.
  You have the flu.
• Ha la bronchite.
  You have bronchitis.
• Ha la polmonite.
  You have pneumonia.
• Ha bisogno di antibiotici.
  You need antibiotics.
• Ecco la prescrizione.
  Here is a prescription.
• Deve rimanere isolato / deve rimanere isolata.
  You need to isolate yourself.
• Non contagi nessuno.
  Don’t get anyone else sick.
• Si deve riposare.
  You need to rest.
• Deve bere molti fluidi.
  You need to drink a lot of fluids.
• Le prescrivo delle analisi del sangue.
  I’m going to do blood tests on you.
• Deve fare una radiografia.
  You need an X-ray.

Guarisci presto! Get Better Soon!

If you’re not sick but know someone who is, you may want to know how to say:

• Ti senti meglio oggi?
  Are you feeling any better today?
• Da quanto tempo stai male?
  How long have you been sick?
• Devi andare dal dottore.
  You need to go to the doctor.
• Non mi contagiare!
  Don’t get me sick!
• Posso portarti qualcosa?
  Can I bring you anything?
• Spero che ti senti meglio!
  I hope you feel better!
• Guarisci presto!
  Get well soon!

Do you want to learn Italian?

Check out our other posts on Italian language, culture, and more. And if you’re looking for convenient and affordable live Italian lessons with a real teacher, check out The Language Garage. Our lessons are given online in a virtual classroom, so it doesn’t matter where you live or work – we can come to you. And we have flexible options, with a free trial so that you can decide if there’s a fit. Check us out!

Image by Christo Anestev from Pixabay