我生病了
wǒ shēngbìng le
The Chinese phrase for "I am sick" is 我生病了 (wǒ shēngbìng le).
我生病了 is used to state that you are suffering from an illness. If you want to express that you simply don't feel well, there are several informal alternatives: 我不舒服 can mean "I don't feel well" or "I feel sick", while 我有点儿不舒服 conveys a sense of mild discomfort. You might also use the informal phrase 我感觉不太好 to literally say "I don't feel too good".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 我 (I), 生病 (to fall ill) and 了 (a particle indicating a change of state).
Which one should you use?
While 我生病了 describes the state of being ill, 我身体不舒服 is a more common and slightly more polite way to say "I am not feeling well".
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle 了 at the end of 我生病了 indicates that the speaker's state has changed from being healthy to being sick.
How do you pronounce it?
wǒ shēngbìng le
Did you know?
- The word for 'sick' in 生病 is composed of two characters: 生 meaning 'to give birth' or 'to grow' and 病 meaning 'illness'.
- In many Chinese-speaking cultures, instead of asking 'Are you sick?', people often ask 你身体怎么样? to inquire about your general health or state of being.
- Saying 我生病了 can actually sound quite blunt or harsh in certain Chinese social settings compared to more indirect alternatives.
Examples in context
- 我生病了。I am sick.This sentence is useful for stating that you are sick.Tatoeba #780291 by Martha, translation #436427 by lukaszpp
- 我不舒服，请问有医生吗？ (wǒ bù shūfu, qǐng wèn yǒu yīshēng ma?)I am not feeling well, is there a doctor available?
- 我生病了，需要请假 (wǒ shēngbìng le, xūyào qǐng jià)I am sick and need to take a leave of absence.
- 我身体不舒服，不能参加会议 (wǒ shēntǐ bù shūfu, bùnéng cānjiā huìyì)I am feeling unwell and cannot attend the meeting.
- 我今天不舒服，不去上课了 (wǒ jīntiān bù shūfu, bù qù shàngkè le)I don't feel well today, so I won't go to class.
- 昨天吃了不新鲜的食物，现在有点儿不舒服 (zuótiān chī le bù xīnxiān de shíwù, xiànzài yǒu diǎnr bù shūfu)I ate some stale food yesterday, and now I'm feeling a little unwell.
- 我生病了，不能去上班。I am sick, so I cannot go to work.
- 我生病了，不想去上班。Wǒ shēngbìng le, bù xiǎng qù shàngbān.I am sick, and I don't want to go to work.
- 对不起，我生病了，得休息。Duìbuqǐ, wǒ shēngbìng le, děi xiūxi.I'm sorry, I am sick and need to rest.
Example conversation
Wei calls Zihan to explain why he cannot meet her.
- 伟 Wei梓涵，我生病了。Zǐhán, wǒ shēngbìng le.Zihan, I am sick.
- 梓涵 Zihan你觉得哪里不舒服吗？Nǐ juéde nǎlǐ bù shūfu ma?Do you feel unwell anywhere?
- 伟 Wei我头很疼。Wǒ tóu hěn téng.My head hurts a lot.
- 梓涵 Zihan那你快去休息吧。Nà nǐ kuài qù xiūxi ba.Then go rest quickly.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
