BOY: What’s the matter with you?
TWO GIRLS: We’ve got colds.
In this small conversation why is the world cold was written as 'colds'?Are there any other diseases that can be expressed like this? Please give me some examples.

The following nouns that express symptoms or pains: a headache, temperature, toothache, tummy ache, cough, etc. Can they also have plural forms? If they can also have plural forms, please give me some examples. Thanks a lot！

Question

BOY: What’s the matter with you? 
TWO GIRLS: We’ve got colds. 
In this small conversation why is the world cold was written as 'colds'?Are there any other diseases that can be expressed like this? Please give me some examples.

The following nouns that express symptoms or pains: a headache, temperature, toothache, tummy ache, cough, etc. Can they also have plural forms? If they can also have plural forms, please give me some examples. Thanks a lot！

Answer

'We have colds.' 'We both have colds.' 'We've got colds.' All versions have the same meanings.

You can have similar constructions with 'headaches,' 'toothaches,' 'coughs,' and 'tummy aches,' as well.

For 'temperatures,' for the plural, I would only use it with the construction 'We both have temperatures,' the other constructions are probably fine too, but that one sounds more natural. We often say 'fever' as well-- or, 'We both have fevers.'

If you put 'a' in front (especially with the 'both' variant), then it switches back to the singular, i.e. 'We both have a cold (headache, fever, cough).'

Answer

I appreciate your help. I have another question. They've got colds. They got a cold. Do they have the same meaning?

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