A2 Collocation Neutral

prendere il raffreddore

to catch a cold

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use 'prendere il raffreddore' to describe the common act of catching a cold, typically due to weather or germs.

  • Means: To contract a common cold (sneezing, coughing, etc.)
  • Used in: Casual conversations about health, work absences, or weather complaints.
  • Don't confuse: With 'avere l'influenza' (having the flu), which is more severe.
❄️ + 🤧 = prendere il raffreddore

Explanation at your level:

In Italian, to say you have a cold, you use 'prendere il raffreddore'. 'Prendere' means 'to take'. 'Raffreddore' is the cold. You use this when you start to feel sick. For example: 'Ieri ho preso il raffreddore'. It is a very important phrase for daily life and talking about your health.
At the A2 level, you should know that 'prendere il raffreddore' is a common collocation. We use the verb 'prendere' (to take/catch) with the noun 'raffreddore'. Remember that the past tense is 'ho preso'. You use it to explain why you are sneezing or why you cannot go to a party. It's often linked to the weather or cold air.
As an intermediate learner, you'll notice that 'prendere il raffreddore' is often used reflexively: 'prendersi un raffreddore'. This makes the sentence more personal. You should also be able to use it in the conditional or subjunctive: 'Se non ti fossi vestito leggero, non avresti preso il raffreddore'. It's a key phrase for discussing health and giving advice to others about staying warm.
At this level, you should understand the cultural nuances of 'prendere il raffreddore'. It's not just a medical fact; it's often a social topic. Italians frequently discuss 'how' they caught it, usually blaming 'correnti d'aria' (drafts). You can also use idiomatic intensifiers like 'un raffreddore da cavallo'. Mastery involves knowing when to use 'prendere' versus 'beccarsi' (informal) or 'buscarsi' (slightly more literary or regional).
For advanced learners, 'prendere il raffreddore' serves as a baseline for more complex medical and idiomatic expressions. You should analyze the transitive nature of 'prendere' in this context and how it contrasts with 'ammalarsi'. While 'ammalarsi' is a general process, 'prendere il raffreddore' is a specific event. You should also be comfortable using it in figurative contexts or within complex narrative structures, understanding its role in the Italian 'hypochondriac' cultural narrative.
At the C2 level, one appreciates the cognitive linguistics behind 'prendere il raffreddore'. The conceptual metaphor 'ILLNESS IS AN ENTITY THAT SEIZES THE BODY' is embedded in the verb 'prendere'. You can explore its usage in Italian literature (e.g., Natalia Ginzburg or Italo Calvino) where minor ailments like the 'raffreddore' are used to characterize the domestic sphere or the fragility of the human condition. You should also master the subtle register shifts between 'contrarre una rinofaringite' and 'prendersi un raffreddore'.

Significado

Becoming sick with a cold.

🌍

Contexto cultural

The 'Colpo d'aria' (hit of air) is a culturally specific fear. Italians believe that even a small draft can cause a cold, leading to the ubiquitous use of scarves (sciarpe) even in mild weather. The 'Maglia della salute' is an undershirt, usually cotton or wool, that Italian mothers insist children wear to prevent catching a cold. It's a symbol of maternal care. In Italy, taking a 'sick day' for a 'raffreddore' is generally accepted, but people often feel the need to explain exactly 'how' they caught it (e.g., 'the AC was too high'). The 'Cambio di stagione' (change of season) is considered the most dangerous time for health. Italians are very cautious about how they dress during these weeks to avoid 'prendere il raffreddore'.

💡

Use 'beccarsi' with friends

If you want to sound more like a native speaker in casual settings, use 'Mi sono beccato il raffreddore'.

⚠️

Don't forget the article

Always say 'IL raffreddore'. Omitting the article sounds very unnatural in Italian.

Significado

Becoming sick with a cold.

💡

Use 'beccarsi' with friends

If you want to sound more like a native speaker in casual settings, use 'Mi sono beccato il raffreddore'.

⚠️

Don't forget the article

Always say 'IL raffreddore'. Omitting the article sounds very unnatural in Italian.

💬

The AC Warning

If you are in Italy during summer, you will hear people complain about 'prendere il raffreddore' because of the AC. It's a very common social script.

🎯

Past Participle

Memorize 'preso'. You will use it 90% of the time with this phrase.

Ponte a prueba

Conjugate the verb 'prendere' in the Passato Prossimo.

Ieri io ________ (prendere) il raffreddore.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: ho preso

'Prendere' uses 'avere' and has an irregular past participle 'preso'.

Choose the most natural phrase to warn someone.

Copriti bene, altrimenti...

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: prendi il raffreddore

This is the standard warning for catching a cold.

Complete the dialogue.

A: Perché non vieni al cinema? B: Scusa, ma ________ il raffreddore e non mi sento bene.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: ho preso

You 'take' (catch) a cold to explain why you are sick.

Match the symptom to the phrase.

Starnutisco e ho il naso chiuso.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: Ho preso il raffreddore

Sneezing and a stuffed nose are classic symptoms of a cold.

🎉 Puntuación: /4

Ayudas visuales

Preguntas frecuentes

10 preguntas

It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend.

Yes, using 'un' is fine, especially if you add an adjective like 'un brutto raffreddore'.

'Raffreddore' is a common cold (sneezing). 'Influenza' is the flu (fever, aches).

Culturally, yes. While they know about viruses, the 'colpo d'aria' is still blamed for the onset.

You can say 'Mi sta venendo il raffreddore'.

'Prendersi' is more common in spoken Italian as it adds emphasis, but both are correct.

Usually, we say 'prendere la tosse', but 'prendere il raffreddore' often implies the whole set of symptoms.

It's an idiom for a very strong, persistent cold.

'Beccarsi il raffreddore' is the most common informal/slangy version.

Use 'avere' for 'ho preso' and 'essere' for the reflexive 'mi sono preso'.

Frases relacionadas

🔗

Avere il raffreddore

similar

To have a cold

🔄

Beccarsi un raffreddore

synonym

To catch a cold (informal)

🔗

Prendere freddo

builds on

To get chilled

🔗

Passare il raffreddore

contrast

To give someone a cold / To get over a cold

🔗

Raffreddore da cavallo

specialized form

A very bad cold

Dónde usarla

🏢

At the office

Collega: Perché non è venuto Marco?

Tu: Ha preso il raffreddore e preferisce restare a casa.

neutral
👵

With a parent

Mamma: Metti la maglia di lana!

Figlio: Ma mamma, fa caldo!

Mamma: Non importa, se sudi e poi prendi freddo, prendi il raffreddore.

informal
💊

At the pharmacy

Farmacista: Buongiorno, come posso aiutarla?

Cliente: Buongiorno, credo di aver preso il raffreddore. Ha qualcosa per il naso?

neutral
🍷

On a date

A: Scusa se starnutisco spesso.

B: Oh no, hai preso il raffreddore?

A: Sì, purtroppo. C'era troppa aria condizionata al cinema.

informal
☁️

Weather complaint

Amico 1: Che tempo terribile oggi.

Amico 2: Davvero. Spero di non prendere il raffreddore con questa pioggia.

informal
✈️

Returning from a trip

Amico: Com'è andata a Londra?

Viaggiatore: Bene, ma faceva così freddo che ho preso il raffreddore il secondo giorno.

neutral

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Prendere' as 'Picking up' a 'Raffreddore' (Rough-cold). You 'pick up' the 'rough' feeling.

Visual Association

Imagine a giant, invisible hand (the cold) reaching out from a drafty window to 'grab' (prendere) a person who isn't wearing a scarf.

Rhyme

Se il freddo vuoi sfidare, il raffreddore vai a prendere.

Story

Pietro went out in the snow without a coat. He 'took' (preso) the cold air into his lungs. Now he is sneezing. He says, 'Ho preso il raffreddore!'

Word Web

naso chiusostarnutirefazzolettosciarpafreddofebbretossemedicina

Desafío

Try to tell a friend (in Italian) about the last time you were sick, using 'Ho preso il raffreddore' and explaining why (e.g., 'perché faceva freddo').

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Resfriarse / Coger un resfriado

Spanish prefers a reflexive verb for the action of getting sick.

French high

Attraper un rhume

French 'attraper' is slightly more active than 'prendere'.

German moderate

Sich erkälten

German is strictly reflexive and doesn't use 'take'.

Japanese low

風邪をひく (Kaze o hiku)

The verb 'pull' vs 'take'.

Arabic low

أصيب بالزكام (Uṣība bi-zukām)

Passive vs active voice.

Chinese low

感冒 (Gǎnmào)

No separate verb like 'take' is needed.

Korean moderate

감기에 걸리다 (Gamgie geollida)

The person is the object being 'caught' by the cold.

Portuguese high

Pegar um resfriado

Almost no difference in conceptual metaphor.

Easily Confused

prendere il raffreddore vs Prendere un colpo

Both start with 'Prendere' and involve health.

'Prendere un colpo' means to have a stroke or to be very shocked. 'Prendere il raffreddore' is just a cold.

prendere il raffreddore vs Raffreddarsi

It sounds like the noun 'raffreddore'.

'Raffreddarsi' usually means a physical object or a person's body temperature cooling down, not necessarily the illness.

Preguntas frecuentes (10)

It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend.

Yes, using 'un' is fine, especially if you add an adjective like 'un brutto raffreddore'.

'Raffreddore' is a common cold (sneezing). 'Influenza' is the flu (fever, aches).

Culturally, yes. While they know about viruses, the 'colpo d'aria' is still blamed for the onset.

You can say 'Mi sta venendo il raffreddore'.

'Prendersi' is more common in spoken Italian as it adds emphasis, but both are correct.

Usually, we say 'prendere la tosse', but 'prendere il raffreddore' often implies the whole set of symptoms.

It's an idiom for a very strong, persistent cold.

'Beccarsi il raffreddore' is the most common informal/slangy version.

Use 'avere' for 'ho preso' and 'essere' for the reflexive 'mi sono preso'.

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