Phrasal verb
Come down with
What does 'come down with' mean?
'Come down with' means to begin being ill or showing signs of an illness, usually a relatively minor one. For example, 'I am coming down with a cold, so I will rest.' Keep 'come down with' together, and put the illness or 'something' after 'with'.
Key points
- The phrase describes an illness as it starts.
- Put the illness or 'something' after 'with'.
- Use 'coming' for an illness starting now.
- Use 'came' for a finished past beginning.
Can you use "Come down with" yourself?
This lesson has 5 stages. You can stop at any time and continue later.
Stage 1 of 5
Understand
What it means, when to use it, and mistakes to avoid.
The full explanation
Come down with means begin to be ill or begin showing signs of an illness, usually a relatively minor one.
I think I am coming down with something, so I will finish dinner later.
Why it works: The speaker notices early signs but does not name the illness.
2 more examples
-
My neighbor came down with a cold over the weekend.
Came places the beginning of the illness in the past.
-
Our driver has come down with the flu, so someone else will collect us.
A recent illness explains a change to today's plan.
Read the full guide
Describe an illness as it starts
Choose come down with when the useful information is that an illness is beginning or has recently begun. At dinner, you might notice a sore throat and unusual tiredness. Saying you are coming down with something draws attention to this change. Saying you are ill describes your condition more generally. Neither sentence tells the listener exactly how long you will feel unwell.
-
I am coming down with a cold, so I will have an early night.
Why it works: The illness is starting, and the speaker explains a plan.
Your turn
What does 'I am coming down with a cold' emphasize?
Answer: My cold is starting.
Show the answer
Answer: My cold is starting.
Come down with focuses on becoming ill, rather than recovering or describing a regular habit.
Use something when you are unsure
You do not need to name an illness to use this phrase. Something is useful when you feel different but cannot identify the illness. Add I think if you want to present your own uncertain judgment. Compare two dinner messages: 'I am tired' only reports a feeling. 'I think I am coming down with something' suggests that an illness may explain it.
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I think I am coming down with something because my throat feels sore.
Why it works: I think shows uncertainty, and something leaves the illness unnamed.
This also comes up in Come across and Narrow Down 3.
Your turn
You suspect an illness but cannot name it. Which message fits?
Answer: I think I am coming down with something.
Show the answer
Answer: I think I am coming down with something.
Something can stand for an unknown illness. Tired describes a feeling and cannot fill that position.
Put the illness after with
Learn come down with as one unit. The illness follows with, and you cannot move it between the three words. This rule also applies to it when an illness has already been mentioned. Change come to show time, but keep down with in the same order. For recall practice, cover the example, say the three-word unit aloud, and then add an illness.
-
My brother had a cold, and I came down with it yesterday.
Why it works: It refers to the cold and stays after with.
Your turn
Which sentence keeps the phrase in the correct order?
Answer: I came down with it yesterday.
Show the answer
Answer: I came down with it yesterday.
The words down with stay together after came, and it follows the complete phrase.
Show when the illness began
Use am, is, or are coming down with when you notice the illness starting around now. Use came down with when you place its beginning at a finished past time, such as last Friday. Use have or has come down with when a recent illness explains the present situation. After have or has, choose come, not came. These forms change the time connection, not the basic meaning.
-
She came down with a cold last Friday.
Why it works: Last Friday places the beginning at a finished past time.
-
She has come down with a cold and cannot join us.
Why it works: The recent illness affects the current plan.
Your turn
Complete the message: 'I have ___ a cold, so I need to cancel dinner.'
Answer: come down with
Show the answer
Answer: come down with
Use have come down with. Came is the simple past form and does not follow have here.
Name an illness, not a feeling
Common choices after the phrase include a cold, the flu, and a stomach bug. A stomach bug is an informal name for an illness affecting your stomach or digestion. Use a with cold and stomach bug. American English commonly uses the flu; flu without the also occurs, especially in British English. A feeling such as tired needs another pattern: say I feel tired.
-
Two people in our building came down with a stomach bug.
Why it works: An illness name follows the phrase.
Your turn
Which ending correctly names an illness?
Answer: I came down with a cold.
Show the answer
Answer: I came down with a cold.
A cold names an illness. Exhausted and very tired describe how someone feels.
Choose between catch, have, and come down with
Catch a cold describes getting an illness, often with attention to infection. Have a cold describes being ill. Come down with a cold emphasizes the beginning. Their meanings can overlap, but their word patterns differ. Do not combine catch with down with. Also listen for a place after down: coming down the stairs with a bag describes movement and uses a different structure.
-
I have a cold, but I feel better today.
Why it works: Have describes the current condition.
-
I caught a cold during my trip.
Why it works: Catch takes the illness directly.
Your turn
Which sentence correctly uses catch?
Answer: I caught a cold.
Show the answer
Answer: I caught a cold.
Use catch a cold or come down with a cold as separate patterns.
Listen for the phrase and explain a change
In speech, down often stands out more than with, and with may connect closely to the following word. Recover the whole phrase even when one word sounds less clear. Listen for am or think before coming to understand the speaker's wording. In a written message, add a practical consequence or request. This helps the reader respond without needing a long account of your symptoms.
-
I think I am coming down with something, so could we move dinner to Saturday?
Why it works: The illness phrase gives a reason for a clear request.
Your turn
Which message asks to change a plan because an illness may be starting?
Answer: I think I am coming down with something. Could we meet next week?
Show the answer
Answer: I think I am coming down with something. Could we meet next week?
The speaker mentions a possible illness and asks to arrange a different meeting time.
Common mistakes with "come down with"
What learners often say, what to say instead, and why.
-
Not this:
I am coming down something with.Say: I am coming down with something.
'Come down with' stays together, and 'something' follows 'with'.
-
Not this:
He came it down with yesterday.Say: He came down with it yesterday.
The pronoun follows the complete phrase, not the word 'came'.
-
Not this:
I have came down with a cold.Say: I have come down with a cold.
After 'have', use 'come', not the simple past form 'came'.
-
Not this:
I am coming down with very tired.Say: I feel very tired.
'Tired' describes a feeling, not an illness that follows the phrase.
Use it naturally
How people really use “come down with”
Neutral Fine almost anywhere, at work or with friends.
Words it often goes with
- come down with a coldI often come down with a cold in the winter.
- come down with the fluI think I have come down with the flu.
- come down with a stomach bugTwo people at work have come down with a stomach bug.
- come down with somethingYou look like you might come down with something.
What people also say
- “I think I am coming down with something.” instead of “I think I am beginning to be ill.” This sounds natural when you notice early signs but cannot name the illness.
Questions about "Come down with"
Can I say coming down with something without naming an illness?
Yes. Use something when you suspect an illness but do not know what it is. I think can make your uncertainty clear. The sentence reports your impression rather than identifying a particular illness.
I think I am coming down with something, so I will stay home tonight.
Where does it go in come down with it?
Put it after with. The phrase stays together even when you replace an illness name with a short word. Use it when the listener already knows which illness you mean.
My partner had a cold, and I came down with it on Monday.
Should I say came down with or have come down with?
Use came down with to report the beginning at a finished past time. Use have come down with when a recent illness matters now. After have, the correct form is come.
I came down with a cold last Tuesday.
I have come down with a cold and need to cancel our walk.
Does come down with always mean the illness is mild?
No. The phrase is especially common for familiar illnesses such as colds and flu, but it does not guarantee that an illness is mild. It describes the beginning of illness, not a precise level of seriousness.
He came down with the flu and felt very unwell.
Before you go
Remember this
When an illness starts, use come down with followed by the illness or something. Keep the phrase together. Choose coming, came, or have come to match the time, and add a clear request when the illness changes a plan.
Stage 2 of 5
Listen
Hear it in real sentences, from short to long, and write what you hear.
0 of 4 done
Listening 1 of 4
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
0:00
- My neighbor came down with a cold over the weekend.
- Our driver has come down with the flu, so someone else will collect us.
Read the transcript
I think I am coming down with a cold.
Coming down with describes the beginning of a cold. I think presents this as the speaker's judgment.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- listen for "wit-ha": "with a" flows together before "cold."
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- listen for "wit-ha": "with a" flows together before "cold."
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- listen for "wit-ha": "with a" flows together before "cold."
Listening 2 of 4
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
0:00
- My neighbor came down with a cold over the weekend.
- Our driver has come down with the flu, so someone else will collect us.
Read the transcript
My brother came down with a stomach bug on Monday.
Came down with places the beginning in the past. On Monday gives the day.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- listen for "bu-gon": the g in "bug" joins directly to "on."
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- listen for "bu-gon": the g in "bug" joins directly to "on."
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- listen for "bu-gon": the g in "bug" joins directly to "on."
Try a longer clip. Listen once, then replay the part you missed.
Listening 3 of 4
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
0:00
- My neighbor came down with a cold over the weekend.
- Our driver has come down with the flu, so someone else will collect us.
Read the transcript
I think I am coming down with something. My throat hurts, so I will miss the class tonight. Could you send me the notes tomorrow?
The speaker describes a possible new illness, explains an absence, and requests the class notes.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- listen for "thin-kI": the last sound in "think" joins directly to "I."
- listen for "sen(d) me": the d in "send" may be hard to hear before "me."
- In American English this t sounds like a quick, soft d.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- listen for "thin-kI": the last sound in "think" joins directly to "I."
- listen for "sen(d) me": the d in "send" may be hard to hear before "me."
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- listen for "thin-kI": the last sound in "think" joins directly to "I."
- In American English this t sounds like a quick, soft d.
This clip is longer. Follow the instruction above the answer field.
Listening 4 of 4
Listen, then type the missing words. The rest of the text is already there.
0:00
- My neighbor came down with a cold over the weekend.
- Our driver has come down with the flu, so someone else will collect us.
Read the transcript
I was going to make soup tonight, but I think I am coming down with something. I felt fine at lunchtime. Now my throat hurts, and I just want to rest. Could you take the bread out of the oven? We can have dinner together another night. I will send you a message tomorrow morning.
The speaker contrasts feeling fine earlier with new symptoms now. Something leaves the illness unidentified. The rest of the message gives a practical request and a plan to stay in contact.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- listen for "brea-dout": the d in "bread" joins directly to "out."
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
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Save my progressStage 3 of 5
Speak
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I think I am coming down with a cold.
Play the line slowly, then speak at the same time as the speaker. Copy the rhythm, not just the words.
Your turn
Say it your way
Speak for 30 to 60 seconds from memory. You are at a pharmacy. Tell the pharmacist that you think an illness is starting. Describe how you feel, mention someone who was recently sick, and ask for help choosing something for your symptoms.
Use: coming down with a cold came down with
Think for ten seconds, then answer out loud for as long as the task above asks, without looking at the lesson. Nothing is sent unless you ask for feedback.
0:00
Hear how someone else might say it
Hi, I think I am coming down with a cold. My throat started hurting this morning, and now my nose is running. I felt fine yesterday, so this is quite sudden. My brother came down with a cold a few days ago. We live together, so maybe I caught it from him. I would like something for my sore throat, but I am not sure what to choose. Could you explain the options? I would also like to know how to use anything I buy.
Try once more and answer this: When did you first start feeling sick?
Stage 4 of 5
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Goes with
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