你哪里不舒服？
nǐ nǎlǐ bù shūfu?
What hurts you?
How to say "I have a cough" in Chinese
我咳嗽了。
wǒ késou le
I have a cough
Character breakdown
Grammar and structure
'我' means I, '咳嗽' means cough, and '了' indicates a change, so it means 'I've started coughing' or 'I have a cough'.
Variations and politeness
我有点咳嗽
wǒ yǒudiǎn késou
I have a bit of a cough. — More colloquial and softer, used when the cough is mild.
我咳嗽得厉害
wǒ késou de lìhai
I have a severe cough. — Emphasizes the seriousness of the condition.
Mini dialogue
A
你怎么了？
nǐ zěnme le?
What's wrong with you?
B
我咳嗽了。
wǒ késou le.
I have a cough.
A
需要去看医生吗？
xūyào qù kàn yīshēng ma?
Do you need to see a doctor?
When to use it
Appropriate
- When describing your symptom to a doctor or pharmacist.
- When someone asks what's wrong and you have a cough.
- When you want to state that you have started coughing or currently have a cough.
Avoid when
- When you want to say you are coughing right now (use '我在咳嗽' instead).
- When the cough is not a new development but a chronic condition (use '我一直咳嗽' instead).
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'I have a cough' in Chinese?
You say '我咳嗽了' (wǒ késou le). The '了' indicates a change of state, so it means 'I've started coughing' or 'I have a cough'.
How do you pronounce '我咳嗽了'?
It's pronounced 'wǒ késou le'. Note that '咳嗽' is pronounced 'késou' with a neutral tone on the second syllable.
When do you use '我咳嗽了'?
Use it when describing your symptom to a doctor or pharmacist, or when telling someone you have a cough. It's neutral and appropriate in any setting.
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