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PhrasesDescribing SymptomsHo tossito del sangue.
B1urgent

Ho tossito del sangue.

I coughed up blood.

Pronunciation

tos-SI-to — three syllables, stress on second. 'Sangue' — SAN-gwe. Past participle construction.

When to use it

Report haemoptysis to a doctor immediately — this is always a serious symptom requiring urgent investigation.

What it means

'Ho tossito del sangue' = I coughed up blood (haemoptysis). 'Emottisi' is the medical term. Even a small amount is significant. Causes include: lung infections (TB, pneumonia), bronchitis, lung cancer, pulmonary embolism, or heart failure. Do not confuse with blood from the mouth or nose — haemoptysis specifically comes from the respiratory tract.

Variations

C'era sangue nel catarro.

There was blood in the phlegm.

Blood mixed with mucus — typically seen in bronchitis or early infection

Ho sputato sangue rosso vivo stamattina.

I spat up bright red blood this morning.

Bright red blood — more concerning, may indicate significant bleeding

Non so se il sangue viene dai polmoni o dallo stomaco.

I do not know if the blood is from the lungs or stomach.

Important distinction — haemoptysis vs haematemesis have different causes and urgency

Mini Dialogue

— Ho tossito del sangue stamattina. — Quanto sangue? — Un cucchiaino, mescolato al catarro. — Ha la tosse da quanto? — Da tre settimane. Sono fumatore. — Dobbiamo escludere cause serie. Le chiedo una radiografia del torace e un esame dell'espettorato oggi stesso.

— I coughed up blood this morning. — How much blood? — A teaspoon, mixed with phlegm. — How long have you had the cough? — Three weeks. I am a smoker. — We need to exclude serious causes. I will request a chest X-ray and sputum test today.

Cultural Note

Lung cancer ('tumore del polmone') is the leading cause of cancer death in Italy. Italy has one of the highest smoking rates in Europe — though declining. Italian oncology guidelines recommend low-dose CT screening for high-risk smokers (age 50-80, 20+ pack-years). Tuberculosis ('tubercolosi') has resurged in Italy among homeless populations and recent immigrants — Italian public health monitors TB cases through 'notifica obbligatoria' (mandatory reporting).