# 'I have a body pain' or 'I have body pain'?



## Emerlander

Ben: Hey, how are you feeling?
Bob: I have a body pain. (Or I have body pain.)

Which is correct? I did a google search and a search here. No clear answer. I know we say 'I have a cold'. Is it the same with body pain? Thanks


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## owlman5

Both are possible, Emerlander.  If you are talking about pain in one particular part of your body, "a pain" makes sense: I have a sharp pain in my neck.  If you are talking about generalized pain throughout your body, then "body pain" makes sense.

Rather than saying "I have a body pain", I'd say this: I have a pain in my chest/neck/head, etc.


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## Copyright

Body pain is general, so no need for an article: _I have body pain. I have a leg pain. _

In reality, though, I can't think of anyone ever saying "I have body pain." We might say "My whole body aches."

Added: Cross-posted with the Owl.


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## perpend

Copyright said:


> In reality, though, I can't think of anyone ever saying "I have body pain." We might say "My whole body aches."



"I have body pain" still has currency/legs.


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## Copyright

perpend said:


> "I have body pain" still has currency/legs.


I’m getting a little brain pain here. By “currency/legs,” I guess you mean it’s used.


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## Dale Texas

Copyright said:


> I’m getting a little brain pain here. By “currency/legs,” I guess you mean it’s used.


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## perpend

Copyright said:


> I’m getting a little brain pain here. By “currency/legs,” I guess you mean it’s used.



Yes, "I have body pain" is used.


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## bennymix

X has body pain.    Sounds common enough, and understandable.


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## velisarius

In BE I don't think anyone would use "body pain" or "physical pain" unless they were trying to contrast it to "mental pain".
I'd say: "I ache all over".


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## Andygc

In 40+ professional years I never heard a patient say "I have body pain" or "I have a body pain". We had the "unt hier" syndrome - "Doctor, I have pain here, and here, and here, and here", but never "body pain".


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## suzi br

We need context!

Is this  a quote from a TV show? It is probably meant to be a joke, as it is not a normal expression, although understandable. As an oddity, you can choose to use (or not use) an article because there is no convention already in existence and you might think one version sounds more amusing than the other.


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## Hermione Golightly

It sounds like something a native speaker child might say when  they haven't learnt how to talk about pain using the conventional - 'normal'- ways used by the millions in their cultural group. 'I have aches/pains/pain everywhere/all over my body' is what I'd probably say.


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## perpend

"I have body pain" is idiomatic in American English.

EDIT: I should have added "for me", above, since it's clear from the thread it sounds normal only in my neck of the woods (and in India). Sorry. Actually, just realized Benny seems familiar with it too.


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## Emerlander

Wow so many responses. Thanks a lot to you all! So the consensus among Americans is that it's natural to say "I have body pain" while it's not the case among English people. Man. I'm so thankful to this website and you guys. I'm learning so much. Since I'm going for British English, I'll just say "My whole body hurts/aches" like Copyright suggested. 

Owlman, the detailed explanation was helpful. Thanks. 

Suzi, yeah, I should have given more context. My mistake. What I had in mind was two friends meeting each other. And one friend asking the other how he's doing since he's been ill. I should have typed that out in the original post.


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## Copyright

Emerlander said:


> So the consensus among Americans is that it's natural to say "I have body pain" while it's not the case among English people.


Just to clarify, this American doesn't think it's all that natural.  (See post 3.)


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## Cagey

I wouldn't say 'I have body pain' either, and would be surprised to hear it.
Like Owlman, I would expect the location of the pain to be specified.
If the pain was general, I would expect to hear something like Copyright's "My whole body hurts," or, maybe, "I hurt all over".

If the point was to contrast pain in the body with mental pain, I would expect something like "I am in physical pain".


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## Emerlander

Ah yes, right. I'll keep that in mind.  Thanks Copyright and Cagey.


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## london calling

velisarius said:


> In BE I don't think anyone would use "body pain" or "physical pain" unless they were trying to contrast it to "mental pain".
> I'd say: "I ache all over".





Andygc said:


> In 40+ professional years I never heard a patient say "I have body pain" or "I have a body pain". We had the "unt hier" syndrome - "Doctor, I have pain here, and here, and here, and here", but never "body pain".



I was surprised too that it is acceptable to some in AE.


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## joanvillafane

No consensus here, either.  I've never heard nor would I ever say "I have body pain."


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## Simple1234

I is very common in India though.  I heard it almost all time people say "I have body pain".


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## ewie

I can't imagine anyone ever saying _I have body pain_, anywhere, ever.
Except Perp, of course.


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## RM1(SS)

joanvillafane said:


> No consensus here, either.  I've never heard nor would I ever say "I have body pain."


Ditto.


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## Parla

I'm with the majority vote: I _cannot imagine_ anyone saying "I have body pain". Maybe it's peculiar to Perpend's part of the country.


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## Hermione Golightly

Simple1234 said:


> I is very common in India though. I heard it almost all time people say "I have body pain".



If so, it must be an example of Indian English usage. Usage, vocabulary and even grammar of the language can vary from the 'major' varieties depending on where it's being spoken. 
It only matters when the speaker of one variety is communicating with speakers of another variety. BE English speakers often have to learn some AE if they want to communicate successfully, while in the USA. What is correct and acceptable in one country, might not be in another.


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## Emerlander

Simple1234 said:


> I is very common in India though.  I heard it almost all time people say "I have body pain".




Ah, now I know why "I have body pain" sounded pretty natural to me. Haha


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## perpend

It's not unheard in parts of the USA, Emerlander. 

_You can Google usage that is idiomatic in the USA._


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## suzi br

Emerlander said:


> Ah, now I know why "I have body pain" sounded pretty natural to me. Haha



So now, can you tell us: In places where this IS idiomatic  ...... does it refer to a pain in the torso or all over aches and pains?


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## ewie

perpend said:


> _You can Google usage that is idiomatic in the USA._


Or, even better, _you_ can Google it and provide us with examples, Perp


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## natkretep

Most droll.  We (in Singapore) share lots of things with Indians here, but I've never heard of body pain. Emerlander, what does it mean when you say you have body pain?


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## Barque

I usually hear it used to mean muscle pain in the torso, especially soreness caused by physical activity/exercise (DOMS). I don't know if Emerlander and Simple1234 are referring to the same thing.


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## Emerlander

perpend said:


> It's not unheard in parts of the USA, Emerlander.



Perhaps, you've heard Indian Americans there using it. =P jk



suzi br said:


> So now, can you tell us: In places where this IS idiomatic  ...... does it refer to a pain in the torso or all over aches and pains?



Well, it refers to pain in most parts of the body from the torso to the legs. Suppose I fell down the stairs and now parts of my legs, hands and torso hurt, I'd say I have body pain. Of course, if I fall down now I'll say "I have pain all over" or "My whole body hurts". I hope I never have to use it!



Copyright said:


> India-_na_.



Haha I like that 'na'  I use it when speaking with speaking with other Indians in English. I think it's a good addition to the English language!



ewie said:


> _Delhi_-ware.
> 
> (Copyright started it!)



I don't get this term though. lol


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## Hermione Golightly

Well I was sleepless in Surrey in the early morning, over excited by that moon so I did google 'body pain'. The first site I found it on, asked me if I wanted to read it in Hindi, Marathi or Tamil. The second site was not so obviously 'Indian' using the word loosely but on close reading there were several slight peculiarities.

Now, 'body aches and pains' _is_ a commonly used phrase, in my experience. It's used to mean all sorts of aches and pains suffered throughout the body including the arms and legs and includes muscles, bones, connective tissue. A disease like fibromyalgia can cause this sort of problem. You might feel body aches and pains if you have flu.


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## Emerlander

Barque said:


> Just to make sure people aren't too shocked - I suppose you meant _that_ word ending with o (which some people do use here) and not _that_ word ending with r.



Oh yes yes. It's the one that ends with an 'o'. I should have said with more clarity. Most Indians haven't even heard of the one ending with an 'r' of course.



Hermione Golightly said:


> Well I was sleepless in Surrey in the early morning, over excited by that moon so I did google 'body pain'. The first site I found it on, asked me if I wanted to read it in Hindi, Marathi or Tamil. The second site was not so obviously 'Indian' using the word loosely but on close reading there were several slight peculiarities.
> 
> Now, 'body aches and pains' _is_ a commonly used phrase, in my experience. It's used to mean all sorts of aches and pains suffered throughout the body including the arms and legs and includes muscles, bones, connective tissue. A disease like fibromyalgia can cause this sort of problem. You might feel body aches and pains if you have flu.



Right. Would you say it's more suited for written language? Or can I say, "I'm down with fever. I have body aches and pains since yesterday."


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## Simple1234

Can we also say "My whole body is paining"?


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## natkretep

Not in standard English.


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## Simple1234

Ok. Thanks nat


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## velisarius

Emerlander said:


> Oh yes yes. It's the one that ends with an 'o'. I should have said with more clarity. Most Indians haven't even heard of the one ending with an 'r' of course.


:No idea what this is about, Perhaps it's off topic.



Emerlander said:


> I have body aches and pains since yesterday."



Apart from the incorrect tense for this particular sentence, in BE we don't normally say "I have body aches and pains", and we can't say "My whole body is paining" or even "My tooth is paining".

_My whole body aches/I ache all over - are_ pretty standard. It would describe the kind of pain we have after working out too hard at the gym, or the sort that accompanies a fever.

_My whole body hurts - _is also possible.
_._


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## Lun-14

If the whole body aches, then for this, I hear:
_I have pain*s* in my body._
Does it sound natural to the native speakers?

Or perhaps (in case the above doesn't work)
_I have pain/a lot of pain in my body.
_
Thanks_._


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## owlman5

Lun-14 said:


> If the whole body aches, then for this, I hear:
> _I have pain*s* in my body._
> Does it sound natural to the native speakers?


It doesn't sound especially natural to me, Lun.  Velisarius came up with the versions I usually hear:



velisarius said:


> _My whole body aches/I ache all over - are_ pretty standard. It would describe the kind of pain we have after working out too hard at the gym, or the sort that accompanies a fever.
> 
> _My whole body hurts - _is also possible.






Lun-14 said:


> Or perhaps (in case the above doesn't work)
> _I have pain/a lot of pain in my body._


If you want to talk about your body hurting, I recommend that you use Velisarius's versions.  "I have pain in my body" is _possible_, but it doesn't sound very _natural_.


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## Emerlander

velisarius said:


> :No idea what this is about, Perhaps it's off topic.



It appears the mods have deleted a few comments. Not sure how it started but I think I mentioned for some reason that most Indians don't know that a certain word has become a derogatory term decades ago. So they still use it. I didn't mention the word. I only alluded to it. There's another version of the word which has probably always been derogatory. So another Indian clarified which word I was referring to. 

Oh OK. Thanks. So I'll just stick to 'My whole body hurts'.


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## Phoebe1200

Is this natural/idiomatic?

_I have pain all over my body._


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## london calling

Phoebe1200 said:


> Is this natural/idiomatic?
> 
> _I have pain all over my body._


I would never say that, although it is correct and perfectly understandable.


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## GreenWhiteBlue

Something that someone might say is "my whole body _*hurts*_."


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## london calling

GreenWhiteBlue said:


> Something that someone might say is "my whole body _*hurts*_."


See this. The bold is mine.



velisarius said:


> _*..... My whole body hurts* - _is also possible.
> _._





Emerlander said:


> Oh OK. Thanks. So I'll just stick to '*My whole body hurts'.*


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## You little ripper!

Phoebe1200 said:


> Is this natural/idiomatic?
> 
> _I have pain all over my body._


_I get pain all over my body _would be more common.


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## GreenWhiteBlue

london calling said:


> See this. The bold is mine.



Ah -- I had not looked at the sections of the discussion earlier than this month.


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## Phoebe1200

Thank you.


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