Walk ‘n’ Talk Essentials #17 – How to talk about feeling sick in English

Being sick is not something that anyone looks forward to but sometimes we do get sick. Now, how can you describe how you feel in English? Or how can you show your concern for someone who is not feeling well? Come listen to this dialogue to learn phrases so you can talk about sickness! Enjoy this episode with Scott, teacher from Fluency Academy!

The Dialogue:‍

‍Bob: Hey, what’s up James?
James: I’m not doing so well, man.
Bob: What’s wrong?
James: I have a bad cold. I also have a headache and a runny nose.
Bob: Are you taking any medicine?
James: Yeah, I took an aspirin.
Bob: You should get some rest. I hope you get better soon!
James: I will. Thanks!‍

‍Vocabulary Expansion:‍

‍What’s wrong?
This expression can be used to ask someone if they are feeling sick, sad, crying, angry, etc. It is also okay to use this expression “What’s the matter?”. Here are some phrases:

You don’t look well. What’s wrong?
What’s wrong with you? – I have a headache.
You look upset. What’s the matter?

‍Have a cold
If you have a cold, you have a mild, very common illness which makes you sneeze a lot and gives you a sore throat or a cough. It’s important to know the difference between “I am cold” and “I have a cold”. We use “I am cold” to say our temperature is low, it’s the opposite of “I am hot”. And we use “I have a cold” to say we’re sick, we have a virus. Here are some examples:

I am cold, I need a jacket.
I feel terrible because I have a cold.
Did you know that you can have two colds at the same time?

Runny nose
If your nose is runny, it is producing more mucus than usual, usually because you are sick. That is, when liquid comes out of your nose because of a cold, allergy, or crying. Check out some examples:

My daughter has a cough and a runny nose.
A common cold is characterized by sneezing, coughing, and a runny nose.
I wish I could do something about my runny nose.

We hope this content was helpful and that you enjoyed the episode! Don’t forget that you can listen to it as many times as you want and that the more you practice, the more confident you will feel. See you next time!