你哪里不舒服？
nǐ nǎlǐ bù shūfu?
What hurts you?
How to say "I have a headache" in Chinese
我头疼。
wǒ tóuténg
I have a headache
Character breakdown
Grammar and structure
This is a simple topic-comment structure: 我 (I) is the topic, and 头疼 (headache) is the comment. There's no verb 'to have' in Chinese; the state is directly stated. 头 means head, 疼 means pain.
Variations and politeness
我有点头疼
wǒ yǒudiǎn tóuténg
I have a slight headache. — More colloquial; adds 有点 (yǒudiǎn) to soften the statement.
我头很疼
wǒ tóu hěn téng
My head hurts a lot. — Emphasizes the intensity with 很 (hěn).
头疼
tóuténg
Headache. — Shortened version without the pronoun, often used when the context is clear.
Mini dialogue
A
你好，我头疼。
nǐ hǎo, wǒ tóuténg
Hello, I have a headache.
B
你需要看医生吗？
nǐ xūyào kàn yīshēng ma
Do you need to see a doctor?
When to use it
Appropriate
- When you want to tell a doctor or pharmacist about your headache.
- When you need to explain why you are not feeling well.
Avoid when
- Don't use it when you want to say 'I have a headache' with the verb 'to have' (我有头疼) – that's a common mistake; use the topic-comment structure instead.
- Don't use it when you are talking about a headache in the past or future; this phrase is in the present tense.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'I have a headache' in Chinese?
You say 我头疼 (wǒ tóuténg). Literally it means 'I head pain' – there is no verb 'to have' in this structure.
How do you pronounce 我头疼?
It is pronounced wǒ tóuténg. The tones are: wǒ (3rd tone), tóu (2nd tone), téng (2nd tone).
When do you use 我头疼?
Use it when you are describing a current headache, for example to a doctor or pharmacist. It is appropriate in both formal and informal situations.
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