Speak and Write Language Series
Unit III — In città e nella comunità · Unit III — Around Town and in the Community
13

Salute e benessere

Volume I, Chapter 13: Health and Well-Being · Speak and Write Italian: Foundations of Practical Communication

Chapter Overview and Objectives

Chapter 13 continues Unit III by moving from free time into everyday health and well-being. You will name basic body parts, describe common symptoms, say how you feel, ask for help, and understand simple advice from a friend, a pharmacist, or a clinic. By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. Name common body parts and point to or describe where something hurts.
  2. Describe basic symptoms and physical states using avere and stare expressions.
  3. Ask for help politely in a pharmacy or clinic setting.
  4. Express need and basic ability using avere bisogno di, potere, and dovere.
  5. Understand simple, controlled advice such as devi riposare or è meglio bere acqua.
  6. Make or confirm a basic appointment.

Communication Scenario

Giulia wakes up feeling unwell before an exam week. She stops at the neighborhood pharmacy to describe her symptoms to the pharmacist, and then calls the doctor's office to confirm whether she needs an appointment.

  1. This chapter teaches you to describe symptoms, ask for help, and understand basic advice.
  2. You will practice this through Giulia's pharmacy visit and phone call, then apply it to your own health situations.

Where This Chapter Fits

Chapter 13 continues Unit III. It builds on the avere expressions from Chapter 4 and the polite request language of Chapters 8 and 11, and it introduces new material: body vocabulary, symptom language, and controlled modal-based advice.

Coming Into This Chapter

You can already use avere for age and possession (Ch. 4) and make polite requests with vorrei and per favore (Ch. 8, Ch. 11). You can also give and follow directions (Ch. 11).

In This Chapter

You will add body-part vocabulary, symptom expressions with avere and stare, avere bisogno di, and a first controlled look at potere and dovere for ability, obligation, and simple advice.

Looking Forward

Chapter 14, Studio e lavoro, continues Unit III with school, work, and formal requests using modal verbs in institutional contexts.

Vocabolario — Vocabulary

Core Vocabulary

ItalianEnglishNotes
la testaheadfeminine
la golathroatfeminine
lo stomacostomachmasculine
la schienabackfeminine
il braccioarmirregular plural: le braccia
la gambalegfeminine
il piedefootmasculine
la manohandfeminine, irregular
gli occhieyesplural, masculine
ItalianEnglishNotes
Ho mal di testa.I have a headache.avere expression
Ho mal di gola / stomaco.I have a sore throat / stomachache.avere expression
Ho la febbre.I have a fever.avere expression
Ho tosse e raffreddore.I have a cough and a cold.avere expression
Sto bene. / Sto male.I'm well. / I'm not well.stare for wellbeing
Mi sento stanco/stanca.I feel tired.formulaic, agreement recognition
Ho fame. / Ho sete.I'm hungry. / I'm thirsty.
ItalianEnglishNotes
la farmaciapharmacyfeminine
il medico / il dottoredoctormasculine
l'appuntamentoappointmentmasculine
la ricettaprescriptionfeminine
Ho bisogno di...I need...avere bisogno di
Può aiutarmi?Can you help me?
Devo prendere un appuntamento?Do I need to make an appointment?dovere question

This chapter uses only a small, high-frequency set of health and body vocabulary. Specialized medical terminology is not part of Volume I and is reserved for later, more specialized instruction.

Pronunciation Focus

Pronunciation Focus — ho versus o, and doubled consonants in health words

The written h in ho, hai, ha, hanno is silent, so ho (I have) sounds identical to the vowel o (or). Rely on context and spelling, not sound, to tell them apart. Also notice the doubled consonant in stomaco is a single m, while words like febbre (FEB-breh) contain a true doubled consonant that must be held slightly longer than a single one.

13.1 Sympathetic and concerned intonation

When someone describes not feeling well, a caring response such as Mi dispiace, stai bene? typically uses a gentle falling-then-rising pitch, softer than an ordinary question. A flat, businesslike tone can sound less caring than intended.

Grammar and Sentence Patterns

Language Focus — avere expressions for physical states

Form: avere + noun describes many physical states in Italian where English uses "to be": ho fame, ho sete, ho freddo, ho caldo, ho mal di testa.

Use: Ho mal di gola da ieri. (I've had a sore throat since yesterday.) Do not translate these expressions with essere; Italian consistently uses avere for this pattern.

Language Focus — stare for wellbeing

Form: Come stai? / Come sta? and responses Sto bene, sto male, sto così così.

Use: stare is the standard verb for asking and answering about wellbeing, distinct from essere, which describes identity and characteristics. Use Come stai? with tu and Come sta? with Lei.

Language Focus — avere bisogno di

Form: avere bisogno di + noun or infinitive: Ho bisogno di una ricetta. Ho bisogno di riposare.

Use: This controlled pattern expresses need. It is practiced here with io, tu, and lui/lei/Lei only; broader use develops in later chapters.

Language Focus — potere and dovere in health contexts

Form: posso, puoi, può (I can, you can, he/she/you formal can) and devo, devi, deve (I must, you must, he/she/you formal must), each followed by an infinitive.

Use and boundary: Devi riposare. Puoi prendere questa medicina due volte al giorno. (You should rest. You can take this medicine twice a day.) Advice formulas such as devi..., puoi..., and è meglio... are controlled expressions at this stage; full modal-verb conjugation across all persons is developed further in Chapter 14 and beyond.

Model Dialogue

Setting: Giulia stops at the neighborhood pharmacy to describe her symptoms, as described in the Communication Scenario above.

Farmacista Buongiorno! Come sta? Posso aiutarla? Bwon-JOR-no! KO-meh sta? PO-so a-yoo-TAR-la? Good morning! How are you? Can I help you?
Giulia Buongiorno. Non sto molto bene. Ho mal di testa e mal di gola da ieri. Bwon-JOR-no. Non sto MOL-to BEH-neh. O mal dee TEH-sta eh mal dee GO-la da YEH-ree. Good morning. I'm not doing very well. I've had a headache and a sore throat since yesterday.
Farmacista Ha anche la febbre? A AN-keh la FEB-breh? Do you also have a fever?
Giulia Un po', sì. Ho bisogno di qualcosa per la gola e per la testa. Oon po, see. O bee-ZO-nyo dee kwal-KO-za pehr la GO-la eh pehr la TEH-sta. A little, yes. I need something for my throat and my head.
Farmacista Ecco. Deve riposare e bere molta acqua. Se la febbre continua, deve prendere un appuntamento con il medico. EK-ko. DEH-veh ree-po-ZA-reh eh BEH-reh MOL-ta AK-kwa. Seh la FEB-breh kon-TEE-nwa, DEH-veh PREN-deh-reh oon a-poon-ta-MEN-to kon eel MEH-dee-ko. Here you go. You should rest and drink plenty of water. If the fever continues, you should make an appointment with the doctor.
Giulia Va bene, grazie mille. Devo telefonare oggi o posso aspettare? Va BEH-neh, GRA-tsee-eh MEEL-leh. DEH-vo teh-leh-fo-NA-reh OJ-jee o PO-so as-peh-TA-reh? Okay, thank you very much. Do I need to call today or can I wait?
Farmacista Può aspettare un giorno o due. Si riguardi! Pwo as-peh-TA-reh oon JOR-no o DOO-eh. See ree-GWAR-dee! You can wait a day or two. Take care of yourself!

Domande di comprensione — Comprehension questions:

  1. What symptoms does Giulia describe?
  2. What advice does the pharmacist give?
  3. Under what condition should Giulia see a doctor?

Guided Practice

Esercizio 1 — Complete the symptom expressions:

  1. ______ mal di testa da stamattina. (avere)
  2. Marco non ______ bene oggi. (stare)
  3. Noi ______ bisogno di riposare. (avere)

Esercizio 2 — Choose potere or dovere:

  1. Se hai la febbre, ______ riposare. (devi / puoi)
  2. ______ aspettare un giorno, non è urgente. (Devi / Puoi)
  3. ______ aiutarmi, per favore? (Puoi / Devi)

Esercizio 3 — Match the body part to the likely symptom:

  1. la gola — ______
  2. la testa — ______
  3. lo stomaco — ______

Listening Practice

Ask your instructor, a study partner, or a fluent Italian speaker to read the passage below aloud, at a natural pace, twice.

If no speaker is available, this is a Listening Script for Independent Use. Read the passage aloud yourself, slowly at first, then at a more natural pace. Any spoken model should be verified by a fluent Italian speaker before being treated as a pronunciation standard.

Una visita in farmacia — A pharmacy visit:
"Giulia non sta bene. Ha mal di testa, mal di gola e un po' di febbre. Va in farmacia e parla con il farmacista. Il farmacista le dice di riposare, di bere molta acqua, e di prendere un appuntamento con il medico se la febbre continua. Giulia ringrazia e torna a casa per riposare."

Compito di ascolto — Listening task:

QuestionAnswer
What symptoms does Giulia have?______
What two things does the pharmacist advise?______
When should Giulia see the doctor?______

Speaking Practice

Pratica controllata — Controlled practice: symptoms and wellbeing

With a partner, take turns asking Come stai? and describing one symptom using an avere expression from this chapter.

Compito comunicativo — Communicative task: pharmacy role-play

One partner plays a customer describing symptoms; the other plays a pharmacist who gives two pieces of controlled advice using devi or puoi. Confirm whether an appointment is needed.

Pratica da solo — Solo alternative

Record yourself describing one symptom you might have, one thing you need, and one piece of advice you would give a friend who feels unwell.

Reading Practice

Read the pharmacy sign and appointment message below aloud, sounding out each Italian word slowly.

Cartello in farmacia — Pharmacy sign
Farmacia Centrale. Aperta dal lunedì al sabato, dalle 8:30 alle 19:30. Per un consiglio, parli con il farmacista.
Central Pharmacy. Open Monday through Saturday, from 8:30 to 19:30. For advice, speak with the pharmacist.
Un messaggio dallo studio medico — A message from the doctor's office
Gentile Giulia, confermiamo il suo appuntamento di giovedì alle 10:00. Se sta meglio prima, può telefonare per cancellare.
Dear Giulia, we confirm your appointment on Thursday at 10:00. If you feel better before then, you can call to cancel.

Domande di comprensione — Comprehension questions:

  1. What days and hours is the pharmacy open?
  2. What is Giulia's appointment day and time?
  3. What should Giulia do if she feels better before the appointment?

Writing Workshop

Write a short message describing a health situation and asking for an appointment.

Compito di scrittura — Writing task: Write six to eight sentences describing how you feel, one symptom, one thing you need, and a question about whether you need an appointment. Include at least one avere expression, one stare expression, and one sentence with dovere or potere.

  1. Say how you feel. Use stare bene/male or mi sento....
  2. Describe a symptom. Use an avere expression such as ho mal di....
  3. State a need. Use ho bisogno di....
  4. Ask about an appointment. Use devo...? or posso...?.

Lista di controllo — Editing checklist:

  • Avere expressions for symptoms are spelled correctly, including the silent h.
  • stare is used for wellbeing, not essere.
  • devi/deve and puoi/può match the correct address form.
  • Accents and apostrophes are spelled correctly, especially in perché and più.

Culture and Communication

Culture in Context — The role of the pharmacy

In many Italian communities, a neighborhood pharmacist commonly offers basic advice for minor symptoms before a doctor's visit is needed. Practices vary by region, pharmacy, and type of concern, so this should not be treated as medical guidance or a universal rule.

Culture in Context — Directness and care in health talk

Questions about health often pair practical information with a caring tone, as in the pharmacist's closing Si riguardi! Directness and warmth can appear together; this should not be read as detached or purely clinical.

Common Mistakes

Common Mistake — Using essere instead of avere for symptoms

Error: Saying Sono mal di testa, modeled directly on English "I am headache-y" or a literal translation attempt.

Correction: Use the avere pattern: Ho mal di testa. Italian consistently uses avere for this type of physical-state expression.

Common Mistake — Confusing stare and essere for wellbeing

Error: Saying Sono bene to answer Come stai?

Correction: Use Sto bene. stare is the standard verb for describing wellbeing and condition.

Common Mistake — Mixing up devi and puoi

Error: Saying Puoi riposare to mean "You must rest," when the intended meaning is an obligation, not an option.

Correction: Use Devi riposare for obligation or strong advice, and reserve puoi for ability or permission, as in Puoi aspettare un giorno.

Chapter Summary

In this chapter you learned to name basic body parts, describe symptoms and wellbeing with avere and stare expressions, express need with avere bisogno di, and give or understand controlled advice with devi/deve and puoi/può. You practiced asking for help politely and confirming a basic appointment, and applied these systems in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Chapter Review

Parte A — Comprensione (Comprehension)

1. Return to the model dialogue and answer in English:

  1. What symptoms does Giulia describe to the pharmacist?
  2. What should Giulia do if her fever continues?

Parte B — Grammatica (Grammar)

1. Complete: ______ mal di stomaco oggi. (avere)

2. Complete: Marco non ______ bene. (stare)

3. Complete: Se hai la febbre, ______ riposare. (dovere)

Parte C — Lettura (Reading)

1. Return to the appointment message above and answer:

  1. What day and time is Giulia's appointment?
  2. What can Giulia do if she feels better before then?

Parte D — Scrittura (Writing)

1. Write a short health message, following the writing workshop steps above.

Parte E — Parlato (Speaking)

1. With a partner or recorded solo, describe a symptom, ask for help, and respond to controlled advice.

Practical Performance Task

Chapter 13 Performance Task

Visit the Pharmacy

Complete the following four connected tasks in order.

  1. Listen to the model dialogue or listening passage above and complete the listening table.
  2. Read the pharmacy sign and appointment message above and answer the comprehension questions.
  3. Write a short message describing a symptom and asking about an appointment.
  4. Speak by role-playing a pharmacy visit with a partner, or by recording a solo narration, and include one symptom description and one piece of advice.
CriterionWhat is assessed
Symptom descriptionThe learner correctly uses an avere expression for a symptom.
Wellbeing languageThe learner uses stare appropriately to describe how they feel.
Expressing needThe learner uses avere bisogno di correctly.
Advice and abilityThe learner correctly forms at least one sentence with devi/deve or puoi/può.
IntegrationSymptoms, needs, and advice connect clearly across listening, reading, writing, and speaking.

This task assesses only what this chapter has taught. It does not require full modal-verb paradigms, formal imperative forms, subjunctive advice structures, or specialized medical terminology.

Answer Key

Model Dialogue — Comprehension

  1. Giulia has a headache, a sore throat, and a slight fever.
  2. The pharmacist advises resting and drinking plenty of water.
  3. Giulia should see a doctor if the fever continues.

Guided Practice

Esercizio 1: (1) Ho (2) sta (3) abbiamo

Esercizio 2: (1) devi (2) Puoi (3) Puoi

Esercizio 3: (1) mal di gola (2) mal di testa (3) mal di stomaco

Listening

  • Giulia has a headache, a sore throat, and a bit of fever.
  • The pharmacist advises resting and drinking plenty of water.
  • Giulia should see the doctor if the fever continues.

Reading — Comprehension

  1. The pharmacy is open Monday through Saturday, from 8:30 to 19:30.
  2. Giulia's appointment is Thursday at 10:00.
  3. She can call to cancel if she feels better before then.

Chapter Review — Parte B

  1. Ho
  2. sta
  3. devi

Looking Ahead

Cosa sai fare ora — What you can do now

You can name basic body parts, describe symptoms and wellbeing, express need, ask for help politely, and understand or give simple controlled advice using devi/deve and puoi/può.

Andando avanti: Capitolo 14 — Continuing on: Chapter 14

Chapter 14, Studio e lavoro, continues Unit III with school, work, skills, and formal requests in institutional contexts.