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How to Say ‘Giulia was telling me you had the flu?’ in Italian

Giulia mi diceva che avevi l'influenza?

JOO-lyah mee dee-CHEH-vah keh ah-VEH-vee l een-floo-ENT-sah

[JOO-lyah mee dee-CHEH-vah keh ah-VEH-vee l een-floo-ENT-sah]

🇮🇹 In Italy: Family news travels fast in Italy, and asking after someone's health is a warm way to show you care. Expect detailed questions back about your own health too.

Phrase Breakdown

Giulia mi diceva

JOO-lyah mee dee-CHEH-vah

Giulia was telling me

This introduces reported information. The stress falls on di-CE-va.

Example

Mia madre mi diceva sempre così.

My mother always used to tell me that.

Words in this phrase

Giulia

[JOO-lyah]

Julia

A common Italian female first name.

Example

Giulia ha dieci anni.

Giulia is ten years old.

[mee]

to me

Indirect object pronoun meaning to me; used to express personal reaction.

Example

Nella frase Mi fa piacere, Mi indica la persona che prova la sensazione.

In the phrase 'Mi fa piacere,' 'Mi' indicates the person feeling the emotion.

diceva

[dee-CHEH-vah]

was telling

Imperfect of 'dire', to say or tell.

Example

Mia madre diceva sempre così.

My mother always said that.

che avevi l'influenza?

keh ah-VEH-vee l een-floo-ENT-sah

that you had the flu?

'Che' means 'that'. Rising intonation makes it a question.

Example

Ho sentito che avevi l'influenza.

I heard you had the flu.

Words in this phrase

che

[keh]

that

Used to identify a specific thing or person.

Example

Quello che lei fa è incredibile.

What she does is incredible.

avevi

[ah-VEH-vee]

you had

Imperfect of 'avere' for 'tu'.

Example

Avevi ragione.

You were right.

[l]

the (before a vowel)

Contracted article used before a vowel; part of the expression "l'importante."

Example

"L'" atmosfera dello stadio è unica.

The atmosphere of the stadium is unique.

influenza

[een-floo-ENT-sah]

flu

Influenza, a common viral illness.

Example

Ho preso l'influenza.

I caught the flu.

Guides for Italian learners

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