16 Other Ways To Say I’m Sick In English

There are many ways to say I’m sick or I’m not feeling well in English. The phrase you choose depends on how ill you feel, who you’re speaking to and how formal the situation is.

You might say I’m unwell, I’m under the weather, I’m not 100% or I think I’m coming down with something. Some expressions are neutral and useful in many situations. Others are very informal and should only be used with people you know well.

If you use English at work, you also need to know what sounds appropriate with a manager or colleague. Later in the lesson, you’ll learn how to say you’re sick professionally, how to call in sick, what to write in a short message to your manager and what the British expression pull a sickie really means.

Let’s look at each expression more carefully. Pay attention to the tone, because some of these phrases are perfectly natural with friends but would sound too informal when you’re speaking to your manager.

Everyday ways to say you feel unwell

These four are the expressions you’ll hear most often in ordinary conversation. Two of them are strong and informal, and two are soft and neutral.

1. I feel crap / I feel like shit

These are strong informal ways to say that you feel very bad.

I feel crap is informal. I feel like shit is much stronger and can sound vulgar, so keep it for very informal conversations with people you know well.

2. I don’t feel so good

This is a common way to say that you feel unwell without explaining exactly what is wrong.

In British English, I don’t feel very well is also very natural and is a little more neutral.

3. I’m out of sorts

If you are out of sorts, you don’t feel like your normal self. You may feel slightly ill, tired, uncomfortable or simply not quite right.

This expression is quite vague, so it’s better for conversation than for formally telling your employer that you can’t work.

4. I don’t feel the best / I don’t feel my best

This is a softer way to say that you’re not feeling well.

I don’t feel my best is a useful neutral version that works in many situations.

Neutral and stronger expressions

Two of these are the safest expressions you can use at work. The other two are natural in conversation but too informal for a message to your manager.

5. I’m unwell

I’m unwell is a neutral and clear way to say that you’re ill. It can sound slightly more formal than I’m not feeling well, but it’s completely natural in professional situations.

6. I’m under the weather

If you’re under the weather, you feel slightly ill or not quite yourself. It usually suggests that the illness isn’t extremely serious.

7. I’m not 100%

If you say I’m not 100%, you mean that you don’t feel completely well. It’s informal but very common in conversation.

8. I feel ghastly

If you feel ghastly, you feel extremely unwell. This is a strong expression and is particularly associated with British English.

It’s natural in conversation, but I’m unwell is a better choice for a formal message to your manager.

Catching something — and pulling a sickie

These four are about becoming ill rather than describing how you feel. The last one is different from all the others, so read it carefully.

9. I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus

This is an exaggerated, informal way to say that you feel extremely ill, weak or exhausted.

Use this with friends or colleagues you know well. It’s too dramatic for most formal work messages.

10. I’m coming down with something / I’ve come down with something

These two expressions are similar, but the timing is slightly different.

This is a very useful expression when you don’t know exactly what illness you have.

11. I picked something up

To pick something up can mean to catch an illness or infection. It’s particularly common when you don’t know exactly where the illness came from.

12. Pull a sickie

This expression is different from the others. To pull a sickie doesn’t simply mean to be sick.

In British English, pull a sickie means to pretend that you’re ill so that you can take time off work.

This is British slang and normally suggests that the person is being dishonest. Don’t use pull a sickie as another way to say call in sick.

Viruses, nausea and stronger informal expressions

The last four cover the illness itself. Two of them are neutral, and two are informal enough that you need to think about who you’re speaking to.

13. It’s some sort of virus

You can use this when you think you have a virus but don’t know exactly what it is.

If you’re not sure what is causing the illness, you can make that clear:

14. I have morning sickness / I feel nauseous

These expressions have different meanings.

In British English, you’ll also hear I feel sick.

15. I have a raging hangover

A hangover is the unpleasant feeling you have after drinking too much alcohol. A raging hangover means a very bad hangover.

This describes the reason you feel unwell, but it isn’t something you would normally tell a manager when reporting an absence.

16. I was throwing my guts up all night

This is a very informal and graphic way to say that you were vomiting repeatedly.

Neutral, informal and strong expressions

The meaning is only half the decision. Before you use one of these expressions, ask yourself who you’re speaking to.

How to tell your manager you’re unwell in English

When you’re sick and can’t work, you normally don’t need a complicated explanation.

Your manager mainly needs to understand three things.

A clear message can be very simple.

If your absence affects something important, add one practical piece of information.

You don’t need to use complicated or very formal English.

Useful professional phrases

These expressions are clear without giving unnecessary details about your symptoms.

Call in sick, take a sick day or be off sick?

These expressions are related, but they don’t mean exactly the same thing.

Call in sick

To call in sick means to tell your employer that you’re too ill to work.

The exact way you report your illness depends on your company. The important meaning is that you have told your workplace that you can’t work because you’re ill.

Be off sick

Be off sick is very common in British English. It means to be absent from work because you’re ill.

Take a day off sick

This means not to work for a day because you’re ill.

Take a sick day

This is also common and widely understood, particularly in American English.

Sick leave

Sick leave is a more formal workplace and HR term. It means time away from work because of illness.

Call in sick vs pull a sickie

This distinction is important, so these are not interchangeable expressions.

How to write a short sick-day message to your manager

You don’t need to write a long explanation. Keep the message clear and tell your manager what they need to know.

Common mistakes when talking about being sick in English

“I feel sick” doesn’t always mean “I’m ill”

In British English, I feel sick often means I feel as if I’m going to vomit.

If you simply mean that you’re generally unwell, say:

Don’t say “I have sick”

Use “have” with the illness

You do use have when you name the illness itself.

Coming down with vs came down with

Don’t use “pull a sickie” when you really are ill

“I’m not 100%” can be too vague

This is natural English:

But if your manager needs to know whether you’re working, be clearer:

Frequently asked questions

Other ways to say I’m sick in English

You now have several ways to describe feeling unwell without always saying I’m sick.

For everyday English, some of the most useful expressions are:

Remember that tone matters. I feel like shit and I was throwing my guts up are very informal. I’m unwell and I’m not feeling well are much safer at work.

If you need to tell your manager that you can’t work, you don’t need complicated English. A simple sentence is enough: