italiano · A1 · vocabulary · 4 minutes
The body
Name body parts and use the common avere + pain construction.
Understand the choice
Body vocabulary includes irregular plurals that change gender or ending. Learn l’occhio/gli occhi, la mano/le mani, and il braccio/le braccia alongside symptom frames.
Core rule: Use avere mal di + body area for common pain; fare male agrees with the painful part.
Notice it in context
Ho mal di testa e mi fanno male gli occhi.
I have a headache and my eyes hurt.
Ho mal di testa is fixed; plural gli occhi is subject of fanno male and triggers fanno.
Mi fa male la mano destra.
My right hand hurts.
Singular mano triggers fa; destra agrees despite mano ending in -o.
Il bambino ha le braccia e le gambe fredde.
The child has cold arms and legs.
Braccia and gambe are feminine plurals and take fredde.
What to remember
- La mano is feminine despite ending -o.
- Il braccio has plural le braccia for human arms; bracci can occur for mechanical/branch-like arms.
Common trap: Do not say sono mal di testa. Use ho mal di testa.