Dutch names symptoms with hebben and a bare noun: ik heb koorts, ik heb hoofdpijn, ik heb keelpijn. Aches are compounds ending in -pijn built straight onto the body part, and none of them takes an article.
Examples
- Ik heb koorts en keelpijn.
- I have a fever and a sore throat.
- Mijn zoon heeft sinds maandag hoest.
- My son has had a cough since Monday.
- Heb je hoofdpijn?
- Do you have a headache?
The mistake to avoid
Ik ben ziek says you are ill in general; it does not name the symptom.
Where this fits in
Body, health & feelings, Dutch A2: Talk about your body, common illnesses, and how you feel. Visit a doctor or pharmacy and describe symptoms.