Volume 1 · Chapter 07

Health and Emergency

Say what hurts, ask for help, and handle pharmacy basics.

Health Japanese should be blunt and reusable. In a clinic or pharmacy, you do not need elegant grammar. You need body part + hurts, symptom + exists, and “please help me.”

Emergency first

I feel sick.
My head hurts.
I want to go to a hospital.
Please call an ambulance.
Please help me.
I do not understand much Japanese.
Is there someone who can speak English?

Use only when it is actually urgent. For non-emergency care, or is enough.

Body part + が痛いです

The pattern is simple: body part + The が marks the thing that hurts.

My head hurts.
My stomach hurts.
My throat hurts.
My tooth hurts.
My leg/foot hurts.

Symptoms

I have a fever.
I have a cough.
I feel nauseous.
I feel dizzy.
I have an allergy.
病院 びょういん hospital / clinic 薬 くすり medicine 熱 ねつ fever 怪我 けが injury Common word whose kanji do not transparently match the everyday meaning. 保険証 ほけんしょう insurance card 薬局 やっきょく pharmacy 受付 うけつけ reception 診察 しんさつ medical exam / consultation 処方箋 しょほうせん prescription 痛い いたい painful / hurts

Clinic flow

Where is reception?
It is my first time here.
I have an insurance card.
I do not have an appointment.
About how long will I wait?

Pharmacy flow

When do I take this medicine?
How many times per day?
Do I take it after meals?
Will it make me sleepy?
This is the prescription.

Mini dialogue

Randomized practice

Health Practice

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  1. Say it

    Say you feel sick.