Italian Phrase
Che sintomi hai?
Meaning
Literally, "What symptoms do you have?" It is the standard way to ask someone about the health problems they are experiencing, especially in a medical or caring context.
When to use
Use this phrase when a doctor, nurse, or a friend wants to know which signs of illness a person is feeling. It is informal, so reserve it for conversations with peers or patients you address with "tu".
✦Grammar Breakdown
Chesintomihai
Che (interrogative pronoun)
Used to ask "what" before a noun; it replaces the article, so you say "Che sintomi" instead of "Quali sintomi" or "I sintomi".
sintomi (noun, plural)
Plural of "sintomo" (symptom). In questions introduced by "che" the noun appears without an article.
hai (2nd person singular of avere)
The present indicative of "avere" used with "tu". It asks about something the listener possesses or experiences.
Word order
Italian questions often follow the pattern Interrogative + noun + verb, without needing inversion or a question mark in speech.
🗨In Conversation
Che sintomi hai?
What symptoms do you have?
Ho mal di testa, febbre e una leggera tosse.
I have a headache, fever, and a slight cough.
✕Common Mistakes
Che i sintomi hai?
Do not use the definite article after "che"; the article is omitted.
Che sintomi ha?
Use "hai" with "tu" (informal). "Ha" is the formal third‑person form; mixing it with an informal setting sounds odd.
↔Alternatives
Quali sintomi hai?
Which symptoms do you have?
Che sintomi presenti?
What symptoms are present?
Hai dei sintomi?
Do you have any symptoms?
Che sintomi ha? (formal)
What symptoms do you have? (formal)
Cultural Tip
In Italy doctors usually address patients with the formal "Lei", so you’ll hear "Che sintomi ha?" in a clinic. With friends or family the informal "tu" and "hai" is perfectly natural. Remember that after "che" you never add the article "i" – saying "Che i sintomi hai?" sounds ungrammatical. Also, Italians often follow up with "Da quanto tempo?" (Since when?) to get a timeline of the symptoms.