Learn Italian: Ho il naso chiuso per il raffreddore. - My nose is blocked because of the cold.

In Italian, when talking about body parts, you usually do not use possessive words like mio (my). Instead, you use the verb avere (to have) plus the definite article (il, la, etc.). Literally, you are saying 'I have the nose blocked.'

Doesn't chiuso usually mean 'closed'?

Yes, it does! While chiuso literally means 'closed,' Italians use it naturally to describe a congested, stuffy, or 'blocked' nose.

Why use per here? Doesn't that mean 'for'?

Per often translates to 'for,' but it is also used to show the cause or reason for something. Here, per il raffreddore translates to 'because of the cold' or 'due to the cold.'

What is the difference between raffreddore and freddo?

Il raffreddore is the specific word for the illness (a head cold). Il freddo just refers to cold temperatures or the physical feeling of being cold, as in ho freddo (I am cold).