I can tell a doctor what hurts and since when, name my symptoms, understand advice, and explain at the pharmacy what medicine I need and how to take it.
At the doctor's and at the pharmacy
At the doctor's and at the pharmacy
The doctor asks with honorifics: 어디가 아프세요? It's about you, so -(으)시-. About yourself, answer without -(으)시-: body part + 이 / 가 + 아파요. As in English “my head hurts”, the body part is the subject (and “my” is usually left out); the particle depends on the 받침.
Symptoms are set phrases: 열이 나요 (“I have a fever”), 콧물이 나요 (“I have a runny nose”; 나다 “to come out”), 기침을 해요 (“I'm coughing”). “Since when?” is 언제부터 …?; answer: time + 부터. The doctor's advice uses forms you know: “since …, do …”: …(으)니까 + -(으)세요.
At the pharmacy you talk to the 약사 (pharmacist). Cold medicine is 감기약, cough medicine 기침약: word + 약. How to take it: 하루에 세 번 (“three times a day”; 번 “times” takes native Korean numbers), 식사 후에 (“after meals”). About yourself you say 약을 먹어요: Korean “eats” medicine, where English “takes” it; the pharmacist will tell you politely: 드세요.
One spelling, different words: 눈 is “eye” and “snow” (눈이 와요: it's snowing; 눈이 커요: big eyes), 배 is “stomach”, “pear”, and “boat”. The words around it give the meaning.
Common mistakes:
• NOT “머리를 아파요” → 머리가 아파요: the body part is the subject.
• NOT “저는 목이 아프세요” → 저는 목이 아파요: never -(으)시- about yourself.
• NOT “하루에 삼 번” → 하루에 세 번: “times” takes native Korean numbers.
The body
Body part + 이 / 가 + 아파요 — “… hurts”.
| In Korean | In English |
|---|---|
| 머리 | head |
| 얼굴 | face |
| 눈 | eye |
| 코 | nose |
| 입 | mouth |
| 귀 | ear |
| 목 | neck, throat |
| 팔 | arm |
| 손 | hand |
| 배 | stomach |
| 다리 | leg |
| 발 | foot |
At the doctor's and at the pharmacy
They speak of you with honorifics; you speak of yourself without -(으)시-.
| Who | Line | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 정 선생님 | 어디가 아프세요? | Where does it hurt? |
| you | 손이 아파요. | My hand hurts. |
| 정 선생님 | 언제부터 아프셨어요? | Since when has it been hurting? |
| you | 주말부터 아파요. | Since the weekend. |
| 약사 | 식사 후에 드세요. | Take it after meals. |
Lesson notes
At the doctor's and at the pharmacy
The doctor asks with honorifics: 어디가 아프세요? It's about you, so -(으)시-. About yourself, answer without -(으)시-: body part + 이 / 가 + 아파요. As in English “my head hurts”, the body part is the subject (and “my” is usually left out); the particle depends on the 받침.
Symptoms are set phrases: 열이 나요 (“I have a fever”), 콧물이 나요 (“I have a runny nose”; 나다 “to come out”), 기침을 해요 (“I'm coughing”). “Since when?” is 언제부터 …?; answer: time + 부터. The doctor's advice uses forms you know: “since …, do …”: …(으)니까 + -(으)세요.
At the pharmacy you talk to the 약사 (pharmacist). Cold medicine is 감기약, cough medicine 기침약: word + 약. How to take it: 하루에 세 번 (“three times a day”; 번 “times” takes native Korean numbers), 식사 후에 (“after meals”). About yourself you say 약을 먹어요: Korean “eats” medicine, where English “takes” it; the pharmacist will tell you politely: 드세요.
One spelling, different words: 눈 is “eye” and “snow” (눈이 와요: it's snowing; 눈이 커요: big eyes), 배 is “stomach”, “pear”, and “boat”. The words around it give the meaning.
Common mistakes:
• NOT “머리를 아파요” → 머리가 아파요: the body part is the subject.
• NOT “저는 목이 아프세요” → 저는 목이 아파요: never -(으)시- about yourself.
• NOT “하루에 삼 번” → 하루에 세 번: “times” takes native Korean numbers.