Mam kaszel i katar, ale nie mam gorączki.

I

Breakdown of Mam kaszel i katar, ale nie mam gorączki.

• mieć: to have
• i: and
• ale: but

Questions & Answers about Mam kaszel i katar, ale nie mam gorączki.

Why does Polish use mam here? In English we say “I have a cough”, but sometimes also “I’m coughing” or “I have a cold”. How does this work in Polish?

Polish normally uses mieć (mam = I have) with many illnesses and symptoms, just like English “have”:

• Mam kaszel. – I have a cough.
• Mam katar. – I have a runny nose / I have a cold (mild, stuffy/runny-nose type).
• Mam gorączkę. – I have a fever.

You do not say jestem kaszlem or jestem katarem (I am a cough / I am a runny nose), just as in English that sounds wrong.

However, for general states you can also use adjectives with być (to be):

• Jestem chory. – I am ill/sick.
• Jestem przeziębiony. – I have a (mild) cold / I am chilled/snippling.

So:

• For specific symptoms or illnesses: usually mam
  • noun.
• For overall condition: jestem
  • adjective (chory, przeziębiony, osłabiony, etc.).

---

Why is it gorączki here, but the dictionary form is gorączka?