If you’re travelling to Italy or Switzerland and suddenly feel unwell, knowing how to describe your symptoms and ask for medicine in Italian can be incredibly helpful. To help you get by when visiting a pharmacy, speaking to a doctor, or asking for advice from a local friend, we prepared this article with a couple of phrases and vocabulary that can make all the difference for beginners!
With this vocabulary in hand, you will also be able to confidently handle minor health concerns while enjoying your time abroad! And don’t forget – to perfect your pronunciation and practise what you’ve learned, listen to the podcast below!
Describing your symptoms in Italian
You’ll need to explain what’s wrong before you can get the right medicine in Italian. In order to do that, you will need to know the Italian words for body parts. If you are already familiar with the basic ones, then it shouldn’t be too hard to describe your symptoms.
In any case, let’s review some essential phrases:
- Non mi sento molto bene. I don’t feel very well.
- Mi fa male la testa. I have a headache.
- Ho mal di gola. I have a sore throat.
- Ho la febbre. I have a fever.
- Mi fa male lo stomaco. I have a stomachache.
- Ho la tosse. I have a cough.
- Ho il raffreddore. I have a cold.
- Ho un’allergia. I have an allergy.
If you need to describe how long you’ve had your symptoms, you might hear someone say, Da quanto tempo si sente così? How long have you been feeling like this?’ to which you can respond, ‘Da due giorni più o meno. For about two days, for example.
Asking for medicine in Italian
Once you’ve described your symptoms, you may need to ask for medication from a pharmacist in an Italian pharmacy. Here’s how you can ask for medicine in Italian:
- Posso avere qualcosa per il mal di testa? Can I have something for a headache?
- Ha qualcosa per il raffreddore? Do you have something for a cold?
- Vorrei delle pastiglie per la gola. I’d like some throat lozenges.
- Mi può consigliare qualcosa per la febbre? Can you recommend something for a fever?
While most health concerns can be managed with over-the-counter medicine, sometimes you may need to see a doctor. Here are a few emergency phrases to know:
- Mi serve un dottore. I need a doctor.
- C’è un ospedale vicino? Is there a hospital nearby?
- Ho bisogno di aiuto! I need help!
- Ho un’allergia a… I am allergic to…
- È un’emergenza! It’s an emergency!
Knowing how to ask for medicine in Italian and describe your symptoms can help make your adventure smoother and ensure you get the right treatment when needed. Even if you just speak the basics, making an effort to communicate in Italian will be greatly appreciated by locals and pharmacists alike.
Would you like to feel even more confident using Italian in everyday situations or when reading an authentic Italian tiramisù recipe? Check out our blog post, which includes an authentic tiramisù recipe that you can try at home while revising some key vocabulary!
