I can make a doctor's appointment by phone, say what hurts, understand and follow the doctor's instructions, buy medicine for a cough or a fever at the pharmacy, and ask whether I need a prescription.
At the doctor's and at the pharmacy
At the doctor's and at the pharmacy
To make an appointment with a doctor: objednat se (se in second position: „Musím se objednat“). You call the doctor's office (ordinace), and sestřička answers: that's what people call a nurse and how they address her, in the vocative: „Sestřičko!“ (officially zdravotní sestra). Bring kartu pojištěnce, your health insurance card. At night and on weekends: pohotovost (urgent care).
The doctor is pan doktor; you address him as „pane doktore!“. He'll ask what hurts: „Co vás bolí?“ Answer „Bolí mě…“ (literally “the … hurts me”) or „Je mi špatně“ (“I feel sick”).
The doctor's commands are set phrases; learn them as a whole: Posaďte se, Lehněte si, Svlékněte se, Otevřete ústa, Dýchejte zhluboka (see the table). Ústa means “mouth” and is plural only.
Medicine is lék, a pill is tableta; you buy them at the pharmacy, lékárna. You can't buy medicine in drogerie (a drugstore). Some medicines need a prescription: recept (not a “receipt”). “Something for …” is na + the accusative: něco na rýmu, lék na chřipku.
Common mistakes:
• ×Moje hlava bolí → Bolí mě hlava.
• ×Mám bolí zub → Bolí mě zub.
What the doctor says
Set phrases: you recognize them by ear and do what they say.
| The doctor says | In English |
|---|---|
| Posaďte se | Sit down |
| Lehněte si | Lie down |
| Svlékněte se | Get undressed |
| Otevřete ústa | Open your mouth |
| Dýchejte zhluboka | Breathe deeply |
Lesson notes
At the doctor's and at the pharmacy
To make an appointment with a doctor: objednat se (se in second position: „Musím se objednat“). You call the doctor's office (ordinace), and sestřička answers: that's what people call a nurse and how they address her, in the vocative: „Sestřičko!“ (officially zdravotní sestra). Bring kartu pojištěnce, your health insurance card. At night and on weekends: pohotovost (urgent care).
The doctor is pan doktor; you address him as „pane doktore!“. He'll ask what hurts: „Co vás bolí?“ Answer „Bolí mě…“ (literally “the … hurts me”) or „Je mi špatně“ (“I feel sick”).
The doctor's commands are set phrases; learn them as a whole: Posaďte se, Lehněte si, Svlékněte se, Otevřete ústa, Dýchejte zhluboka (see the table). Ústa means “mouth” and is plural only.
Medicine is lék, a pill is tableta; you buy them at the pharmacy, lékárna. You can't buy medicine in drogerie (a drugstore). Some medicines need a prescription: recept (not a “receipt”). “Something for …” is na + the accusative: něco na rýmu, lék na chřipku.
Common mistakes:
• ×Moje hlava bolí → Bolí mě hlava.
• ×Mám bolí zub → Bolí mě zub.