Italian · Body & Health
"Cough" in Italian: tosse
la tosse
Cough in Italian is la tosse (TOHS-seh). Say ho la tosse when you're coughing a lot. A dry cough is tosse secca; a productive one is tosse grassa.
Night symptoms
Di notte ho la tosse e non dormo.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce tosse
Say it
TOHS-seh
/ˈtos.se/
Tosse is TOHS-seh. Double s; stress TOHS.
"Cough" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| la tosse | the cough Default noun. | Default noun. |
| ho la tosse | I have a cough Symptom. | Symptom. |
| tosse secca | dry cough Type. | Type. |
| tosse grassa | chesty cough Type. | Type. |
How to use tosse in real life
- 1Night symptoms
Di notte ho la tosse e non dormo.
At night I have a cough and I can't sleep.
Ho la tosse.
- 2Pharmacy
Cercavo uno sciroppo per la tosse.
I was looking for cough syrup.
Per la tosse.
- 3Work call
Scusa, la tosse non mi lascia in pace.
Sorry, the cough won't leave me alone.
La tosse.
Mistakes English speakers make with tosse
Incorrect: Ho un cough.
Correct: Ho la tosse.
Use la tosse.
Incorrect: Il tosse è forte.
Correct: La tosse è forte.
Tosse is feminine.
Good to know
Pharmacists ask if the tosse is secca or grassa before recommending syrup. Covering your mouth on trams is expected good manners.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing a cough syrup
ChatPal
La tosse è secca o grassa?
Is the cough dry or chesty?
You
È una tosse secca da tre giorni.
It's a dry cough for three days.
ChatPal
Allora prendi questo sciroppo.
Then take this syrup.
You
Grazie. Spero che la tosse cali stasera.
Thanks. I hope the cough eases tonight.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Cough" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Cough" in Italian
How do I say I have a cough?
Ho la tosse.
Dry cough?
Tosse secca.
Gender?
Feminine: la tosse.
Cough syrup?
Sciroppo per la tosse.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
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- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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