Health and Body Parts

What You Will Learn

You'll learn to talk about your body and health in everyday situations — at the doctor's office, with friends, or when something hurts. This is practical vocabulary you'll actually use.

Explanation (with real-life context)

When you're sick or injured, you need to communicate where it hurts and what's wrong. Instead of pointing silently at your head, you can say "I have a headache" or "My back hurts." Doctors ask "Where does it hurt?" so you need to know your body parts.

In English, we often use have + illness ("I have a cold") or hurt + body part ("My throat hurts"). It's different from just naming the body part — context matters!

Examples (natural sentences from daily life)

At the doctor's office:
- "Doctor, I have a fever and my throat hurts."
- "My stomach has been bothering me all week."
- "I fell and hurt my knee."

Texting a friend:
- "Can't come tonight — I have a headache 😷"
- "My legs are killing me after the gym!"

Talking with family:
- "Mom, my tooth hurts. Can I see the dentist?"
- "The shoulder pain is worse when it rains."

Common Mistakes

❌ "I have pain in my head" → ✅ "I have a headache" (use the specific word)

❌ "My hands are paining" → ✅ "My hands hurt" or "I have pain in my hands"

❌ "I'm ill in my stomach" → ✅ "I have a stomachache" or "My stomach hurts"

Quick Tips

• Compound words matter: headache, toothache, stomachache, earache — these are single words in English

• Use "have" for illnesses: "I have the flu," "I have a cold" — NOT "I have influenza" (too formal)

• "Hurt" is simpler than "pain": Say "It hurts" in casual conversation, save "pain" for doctors

• Pronunciation trick: "Ache" sounds like "ace" — so "headache" is "HED-ace," not "head-a-chay"