Chronic cough, a common complaint among adults, is often a diagnostic challenge. The aim of the study was the analysis of the causes of chronic cough among nonsmokers, with normal chest X-ray and lung function tests and the estimation of the diagnostic usefulness of the symptome questionnaire in 90 patients with chronic cough admitted to the hospital. Most cases of chronic cough were associated with upper airway cough syndrome – UACS (38.9%), asthma (13%) and gastroesophageal reflux disease – GERD (40%). There was one cause of chronic cough in 54 patients (60%), two causes in 24 patients (26.7%). Cough was the sole presenting manifestation of asthma, UACS and GERD in 50%, 16.7% and 29.2% of the patients respectively. The diagnosis could not be established in 6 patients (6.7%). Symptom questionnaire had low specifity and sensitivity in differential diagnosis of chronic cough.