Learn Hardcore Italian: Ho la tosse da due giorni, oggi faccio una visita. - I’ve had a cough for two days; today I’m having a checkup.

Italian uses avere + noun for many symptoms to describe a condition: Ho la tosse (I have a cough), Ho la febbre (I have a fever), Ho il raffreddore (I have a cold).
Use Sto tossendo or Tossisco when you want to emphasize the action of coughing, especially right now.

Condition: Ho la tosse da due giorni.
Ongoing action: Sto tossendo da stamattina.

Why the definite article in la tosse? Could I say Ho tosse?

With common ailments, Italian typically uses the definite article: la tosse, la febbre, il mal di testa. Saying Ho tosse is not idiomatic.
Use the indefinite article when you qualify it: Ho una tosse secca/forte.

Is tosse feminine? Can it be plural?

Yes, tosse is feminine: la tosse, una tosse. The plural le tossi exists in technical/medical contexts but is rare in everyday speech.

How would I say “a single cough”?

Use un colpo di tosse:

Ho avuto un colpo di tosse.

What does da due giorni tell me about time?

Da + time with the present tense expresses an action or state that started in the past and is still true now. Ho la tosse da due giorni means you’ve had it for the last two days up to the present.

What’s the difference between da due giorni and per due giorni?

da due giorni
- present: ongoing duration (started in the past, still true).
per due giorni: total duration of a completed event.
Examples:
Ho la tosse da due giorni. (still have it)
Ho tossito per due giorni. (I coughed for two days, and it’s over)

How is da due giorni different from due giorni fa?

da due giorni = for the last two days (ongoing).
due giorni fa = two days ago (a point in the past).
Examples:
Ho la tosse da due giorni.
Mi è venuta la tosse due giorni fa.

Can I move da due giorni to the front?

Yes. Word order is flexible for emphasis:

Ho la tosse da due giorni.
Da due giorni ho la tosse.

Is the comma between the two clauses okay in Italian?

Yes. Linking two independent clauses with a comma is common in Italian, especially in speech and informal writing. You could also use e, a semicolon, or a period:

Ho la tosse da due giorni e oggi faccio una visita.
Ho la tosse da due giorni; oggi faccio una visita.
Ho la tosse da due giorni. Oggi faccio una visita.

Why is the present tense used in oggi faccio una visita to talk about the near future?

Italian often uses the present for scheduled or planned near‑future events, especially with a time expression like oggi or domani. The future farò is also possible, but the present sounds natural and immediate.

Is faccio una visita what people actually say when they mean a medical appointment?

Yes, it’s common, especially as shorthand for faccio una visita medica or vado a fare una visita (medica). Many speakers also say:

Oggi ho una visita (medica).
Oggi ho una visita dal medico/dal dentista.
All are idiomatic for a patient.

What’s the difference between fare una visita and fare visita?

fare una visita (medica) = undergo or perform a medical examination: Oggi faccio una visita (medica).
fare visita a qualcuno = pay someone a visit (socially): Oggi faccio visita a mia nonna.
Be careful: the little word una changes the meaning.

Should I add where the visit is, like dal medico?

It’s optional but common and clear:

Oggi faccio una visita dal medico/dal dottore/dal dentista.
Oggi ho una visita in ospedale/in clinica.

Is there a difference between visita, appuntamento, and controllo?

visita (medica) = the consultation/exam itself.
appuntamento = the scheduled appointment time (with any professional).
controllo = a check‑up/follow‑up.
You can say: Ho un appuntamento dal medico or Ho una visita dal medico; both are fine, with a slight emphasis difference.

Why una visita medica and not un visita medico?

Visita is feminine, so the article and adjective agree: una visita medica.

Correct: una visita medica
Incorrect: un visita medico

Could I say Mi faccio una visita?

Not in the patient sense. For “get myself examined,” say Mi faccio visitare (dal medico) or more simply Vado a farmi visitare.
Note: Il medico mi visita = “The doctor examines me.”

If I want to be very precise about the future, should I use farò?

You can. Oggi farò una visita is grammatical but can sound a bit formal or detached. For a scheduled visit later the same day, Oggi faccio una visita or Oggi ho una visita is the most natural.

How else could I say the first part, focusing on the action of coughing?

Sto tossendo da due giorni. (I’ve been coughing for two days)
Tossisco da due giorni. (I cough/I’ve been coughing for two days)
Remember: the condition is Ho la tosse, the action is tossire/sto tossendo.

How would I answer “How long have you had it?” using a pronoun?

Use ce l’ho with avere + object pronoun:

Q: Da quanto tempo hai la tosse?
A: Ce l’ho da due giorni.

Any quick pronunciation tips for these words?

oggi: double consonant sound on the “g” ([ˈɔdʒːi])
tosse: double “s” sound ([ˈtosːe])
visita: stress the first syllable ([ˈviːzita] roughly “VEE-zee-ta”)
giorni: soft “g” like English “j” ([ˈdʒorni])