cold
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cold
An inflammation of the nasal mucous membrane that usually occurs as part of a cold and leads to a runny or blocked nose.
Ich habe mir einen Schnupfen eingefangen und kann kaum durch die Nase atmen.
I've caught a cold and can hardly breathe through my nose.
To talk about a 'Schnupfen' (cold), you use fixed verb-noun combinations. The most common are 'einen Schnupfen haben' (to have a cold, state) and 'einen Schnupfen bekommen' or 'kriegen' (to get a cold, beginning).
Ich kann heute nicht kommen, ich habe einen schlimmen Schnupfen.
I can't come today; I have a bad cold.
The noun 'der Schnupfen' (the cold) is related to the verb 'schnupfen' (to sniff/snort), which means to draw something in through the nose. This helps you remember the meaning as an illness with a runny nose.
Das ständige Schniefen wegen seines Schnupfens war sehr laut.
The constant sniffling because of his cold was very loud.
'Schnupfen' (cold) is often combined with adjectives that describe its severity. Typical phrases are 'ein leichter Schnupfen' (a mild cold), 'ein starker Schnupfen' (a bad cold), or 'ein hartnäckiger Schnupfen' (a stubborn cold).
Es ist nur ein leichter Schnupfen, ich fühle mich ansonsten gut.
It's only a mild cold; otherwise I feel fine.
flu
'Grippe' and 'Schnupfen' both have to do with illness, but they do not mean the same thing. 'Grippe' is an illness that affects the whole body and can cause fever, coughing, and severe aches. 'Schnupfen' mainly affects the nose: it is runny or blocked. Learners may confuse the words because 'Schnupfen' can occur with a cold or also with the flu. As a guide: 'Schnupfen' is a single symptom, while 'Grippe' is a whole illness.
Für den Schnupfen kauft Sofia Nasenspray in der Apotheke.
Sofia buys nasal spray at the pharmacy for her stuffy nose.
Am Montag hatte er Grippe und konnte nicht zur Arbeit gehen.
On Monday he had the flu and could not go to work.