It’s the time of year when even the healthiest of us can get struck down with a seasonal illness. If this happens when you’re in Italy, it can be helpful to have the right vocabulary to talk about how you feel and what you need. With a little rest and a visit to the pharmacy if necessary, hopefully you’ll be fighting fit in no time.
Cold and flu
Let’s start with looking at the common cold and the flu and associated ailments:
Un raffreddore – a cold
Sono raffreddato/a – I have a cold (m/f)
Ho il raffreddore – I have a cold
L’influenza – the flu
Ho preso l’influenza – I’ve got the flu
Lo starnuto – a sneeze
La febbre – fever
Ho il naso che cola – I have a runny nose
La tosse – a cough
Tossire – to cough
Continuo a tossire – I keep coughing
Ho il naso chiuso – My nose is blocked
Aches and pains
Sometimes you might not have a full-blown cold, but just have some niggling aches and pains. Here are some ways to talk about them:
Mal di gola – sore throat
Ho mal di gola – I have a sore throat
Mal di testa – headache
Ho mal di testa – I have a headache
Mal di pancia – stomach ache
Ho mal di panica – I have a stomach ache / my tummy hurts
Il dolore – ache / pain
Mi fa male – It hurts
General illness
To express that you generally don’t feel well, you can use any of these expressions:
Sono malato – I’m sick / unwell
Mi sento male – I feel sick / unwell
Non mi sento bene – I don’t feel well
Getting better
It can be hard getting ill while travelling, but with the right treatment, hopefully you’ll be back to your normal self as quickly as possible. Here is some vocabulary that can help with asking for what you need to help you get better:
Il riposo – rest
Riposarsi – to rest
Ho bisogni di riposarmi – I need to rest
Stare a letto – to stay in bed
Voglio stare a letto – I want to stay in bed
Il tè – tea
La tisana – herbal tea
Mi prepari una tisana zenzero, limone e miele? – Can you make me a herbal tea with ginger, honey and lemon?
La zuppa – soup
Mi fai una zuppa? – Can you make me a soup?
La farmacia – pharmacy / chemist
La medicina / il farmaco – medicine / medication
L’antidolorifico – painkiller
Vorrei un antidolorifico – I would like a painkiller
I’ll leave you with one last expression:
Guarisci presto! – Get well soon!
