🦷😖

How to Say ‘I have a toothache’ in Italian

Ho mal di denti

oh mahl dee DEN-tee

[oh mahl dee DEN-tee]

💬 Usage Tip: Italians "have pain of" a body part with ho mal di. Swap it: ho mal di testa "I have a headache".

Phrase Breakdown

Ho mal di

oh mahl dee

I have a ... ache

The 'h' in 'Ho' is silent, so it sounds like 'oh'. 'Mal di' introduces the part that hurts.

Example

Ho mal di testa.

I have a headache.

Words in this phrase

[oh]

I have

First person singular of avere, used with a past participle to form the present perfect.

Example

Ho parlato con tre aziende oggi.

I have spoken with three companies today.

mal

[mahl]

pain

An unpleasant sensation indicating harm or discomfort.

Example

Ho un mal di testa.

I have a headache.

[dee]

Preposition linking nouns, often translated as of.

Example

Che tipo di ruolo è disponibile?

What kind of role is available?

denti

[DEN-tee]

teeth

Plural of 'dente', tooth.

Example

Mi lavo i denti ogni sera.

I brush my teeth every evening.

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