Caught a Cold or Flu? How to Talk About This in English [Updated]

Around a certain time of the year, lots of people begin catching colds — or worse, the flu. We hope you stay healthy, but if you do get sick, here are 14 terms you'll want to know!

How to Say You Caught a Cold or the Flu

“Flu” or “the Flu”?

Learners often wonder if it’s “flu” or “the flu.” Across the biggest English-speaking countries, “the flu” is standard.

My coworker is out with the flu, so I'll need to cover for him.

It usually takes a week for people to recover from the flu.

However in the UK, “flu” is also acceptable.

But remember: "a flu" is not correct!

You might sometimes see the word "influenza." This is actually the full name of the sickness, and it's only used in formal, scientific writing. You can find a lot of examples by searching "influenza" on Engoo Daily News.

“Catch” vs. “Have”

If you "catch" a cold, you become infected with a cold virus. If you "have" a cold, you are already infected. That's why people usually say "I caught a cold" (using "catch" in the past tense) but "I have a cold" (using "have" in the present tense).

• Tom caught a cold last week. [= Tom caught a cold. We don't know if he still has it.]
• Tom had a cold last week. [= Tom no longer has a cold.]

Here are some examples where "catch" works but "have" doesn't.

• Try not to catch a cold. [Try not to have a cold.]
• My daughter caught a cold from her classmates. [My daughter has a cold from her classmates.]

Come down with

"Come down with" is a popular English idiom which means "to catch (an illness)" or "to start showing symptoms (of an illness)."

I've been sneezing all day. I might be coming down with something.

I'm afraid I've come down with a bad cold, so I'll need to take the day off.

How to Describe How Sick You Feel

Mild

If you come down with something but your symptoms are not too bad, they're "mild."

I caught the flu, but it's mild, so I'm OK.

If you have a cold — even a mild cold — you should call in sick and stay home instead of going to work.

Serious

The opposite of "mild" is "serious." For example, in movies, you'll often see patients ask doctors something like, "How serious is it?"

My coworker had a serious case of the flu and had to be hospitalized.

If your symptoms continue for more than three days, you might have something more serious than a cold.

Nasty

The adjective "nasty" can be used to describe something that causes a lot of damage. For example, a "nasty" storm could bring floods and power outages. And anyone with a "nasty" injury knows how hard it is to recover from it.

You can also use "nasty" to describe a particularly bad cold.

I had a nasty cold last month. I felt awful.

I'm not sure if I have the flu or just a nasty cold.

English speakers don't usually use "nasty" to describe the flu, probably because everyone already knows it's nasty!

How to Describe Nose and Throat Symptoms

Runny

We use "run" to talk about a liquid that moves. For example, someone might say that a river "runs" through their hometown. So if you have a "runny" nose, there's liquid flowing out of it.

My nose is runny and I've been blowing it non-stop.

I saw a boy on the bus with a runny nose, so I offered him a tissue.

Stuffy

If your nose is "stuffy," it feels like there's something blocking it.

Matt had a hard time going to sleep because of his stuffy nose.

Taking a hot shower is a good way to clear a stuffy nose.

Related article: What Does "Stuff" Mean and How Do You Use It?

Congested

English speakers also often describe a stuffy nose as "congested." This word comes from the medical term "(nasal) congestion."

I'm super congested today. I can hardly breathe through my nose.

She sounds really congested. I recommended that she stay home and rest.

The difference between "stuffy" and "congested" is that you can't say, "I have a congested nose." Instead, you would just say, "I'm congested."

You'll also hear speakers of British English use the slang expression "bunged up," as in "My nose is all bunged up!"

Sniffle

"Sniffle" describes the sound someone makes when they keep breathing air in through their nose because it's runny and they don't want it to drip.

Do you need a tissue? You keep sniffling.

I can't tell if I have allergies or a cold, but I've been sniffling all week.

"Sniffle" is also used as a plural noun, as in "I've got the sniffles." This is another way to say you have a mild cold.

Sore

If your throat is "sore," it feels uncomfortable and maybe even painful.

My throat was so sore I could barely talk.

This morning, I woke up with a sore throat. I hope I'm not coming down with anything.

You'll also hear people say they have a "scratchy" throat.

Cough

When you "cough," you force air out of your mouth in a sudden and noisy way.

Brian couldn't sleep because he kept coughing.

I had to leave a meeting early because I couldn't stop coughing.

"Cough" can also be used as a noun, as in "I had a really nasty cough last week." And if you have a cough, you might want to take some "cough drops" or "cough syrup" to make you feel better.

How to Describe Symptoms That Affect Your Whole Body

Fever

When you have a "fever," you have a high body temperature.

My skin feels hot and I feel a bit weak and dizzy. Maybe I have a fever.

A mild fever might not be something to worry about, but a high fever requires more care.

The adjective form of "fever" is "feverish," as in "I'm feeling kind of feverish." This means your body temperature is high and you're probably also experiencing aches and chills.

Chills

When you have the "chills," your body feels very cold and possibly shakes.

I couldn't sleep last night. I kept getting the chills and then feeling hot right afterwards.

If you have a fever and the chills, covering yourself with a heavy blanket will raise your body temperature even more.

Wrap-up

Colds and the flu have many related words that often appear in regular conversations. To test your knowledge, check out our Health & Well-Being materials. The lessons in this category will train you to talk about all kinds of health-related topics in English.

For example, you can learn how to buy medicine, ask for a day off because you're sick, and even call an ambulance if you need to. Taking these lessons with an Engoo tutor will help you to improve even more, so give it a try!

• other ways to say
• Vocabulary