Italian for English speakers Hospital · Lesson 3

Sickness

Illness phrases in Italian — Se hai la febbre, non dovresti uscire (If you have a fever, you shouldn't go out) — with conditional advice.

Conversation

  1. Yennifer Yennifer

    Se hai la febbre non devi uscire di casa

    If you have a fever, you shouldn't leave

  2. Honey Honey

    Ma io non ho la febbre

    But I don't have a fever

  3. Yennifer Yennifer

    Ma come? Non stai male?

    But how? Aren't you sick?

  4. Honey Honey

    Sì, ma è solo un po' di tosse

    Yes, but it is only a little cough

    Tip: <Ho la tosse> = I have a cough <Tossire> = to cough <Io tossisco> = I cough

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

How do you say 'I have a fever' in Italian?

Ho la febbre. The verb avere (to have): ho, hai, ha, abbiamo, avete, hanno. Also: ho mal di + body part.

What does non dovresti mean?

'You shouldn't' — conditional of dovere. Polite advice. Non dovresti uscire = 'you shouldn't go out'.

Italian 'if ... then ...' structure?

Se + indicative/subjunctive + main clause. Se hai la febbre, resta a casa = 'if you have a fever, stay home'.

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