go down or come down with flu

[Annister]

Hello (and happy new year). My little baby has come down with a cold and a flu. I wonder if that sentence is correct or the verb should be "go down".

I've tried, as per your advice, to search similar topics but I'm not able to do that. Where do you write what you need to search ? I can see only a space on top of this page (to the right) but it says "google search". Is that the correct one ?
Thank you for your patience. Bye bye for now

 

[GoesStation]

In AmE you would say ...come down with a cold and the flu. That's grammatically and idiomatically correct. Medically, your baby has one or the other, not both.

 

[Tarheel]

We come down with a cold or we come down with the flu.

 

[emsr2d2]

In BrE, we get flu or come down with flu (no article needed). I am aware that "the flu" is correct in AmE. "A flu" is not correct in any variant.

 

[GoesStation]

In BrE, we get flu or come down with flu (no article needed). I am aware that "the flu" is correct in AmE. "A flu" is not correct in any variant.

It's odd that flu takes the definite article in AmE. Lots of conditions and illnesses used to take it, but somehow only the flu has retained it.

 

[Tdol]

Gone down would also work for me in BrE.

 

[teechar]

Hello, and Happy New Year.

Happy New Year to you too.

My little baby has come down with a cold [STRIKE]and a[/STRIKE] or (the) flu. I wonder if that sentence is correct, or should the verb [STRIKE]should[/STRIKE] be "go down"?

See replies above.

I've tried, as per your advice, to search for similar topics, but I'm not able to do that. Where do you [STRIKE]write[/STRIKE] type what you need to search for? I can see only a [STRIKE]space[/STRIKE] search box [STRIKE]on[/STRIKE] near the top of this page (to the right), but it says "Google Custom Search". Is that the correct one?

Yes, that's the one.

Thank you for your patience. Bye bye for now

You're welcome, and I hope your baby gets better soon. ;-)

 

[Annister]

I think I get it now, thanks you all especially for the corrections. So it's basically "come down" with A cold or with flu ("the" is added in AmE), right?
I'll use the search box before posting, now that I know that's the correct one.
My baby is better by the way, no fever today. You are very kind to ask

 

[teechar]

So it's basically "come down" with A cold or with flu ("the" is added in AmE), right?

Right; "the flu" is acceptable in other varieties of English too.

My baby is better by the way, no fever today.

Great!

 

[Tdol]

My baby is better by the way, no fever today.

That is more important than the definite article. :up: