Pharmacy & Health

1. Czy mają Państwo lek na ból głowy?

   chih MAH-yown PAHN-stvoh lek nah bool GWOH-vih?

   Do you have headache medicine?

   Usage

   Ask for headache medicine at a Polish pharmacy (apteka)

   Grammar Note

   "Na + accusative" = "for (medicine)". "Państwo" is the polite "you" (plural/formal)

2. Potrzebuję leku na żołądek

   pot-sheh-BOO-yeh LEH-koo nah zhoh-WON-dek

   I need stomach medicine

   Usage

   Use when you need stomach medicine

   Grammar Note

   "Potrzebować + genitive" = to need. Polish has rich case inflections

3. Potrzebuję leku na biegunkę

   pot-sheh-BOO-yeh LEH-koo nah byeh-GOON-keh

   I need anti-diarrhea medicine

   Usage

   Ask for anti-diarrhea medicine

   Grammar Note

   "Biegunka" = diarrhea. "Na biegunkę" uses the accusative case after "na"

4. Mam gorączkę

   mahm goh-RONCH-keh

   I have a fever

   Usage

   Tell the pharmacist you have a fever

   Grammar Note

   "Mam gorączkę" = "I have a fever". "Gorączkę" is the accusative of "gorączka"

5. Mam alergię

   mahm ah-LER-gyeh

   I have an allergy

   Usage

   Inform the pharmacist about your allergy

   Grammar Note

   "Mam alergię na + accusative" = "I am allergic to...". No gendered form, so it works for any speaker

6. Potrzebuję plastrów

   pot-sheh-BOO-yeh PLAHS-troof

   I need bandages/plasters

   Usage

   Ask for bandages or plasters at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   "Plastrów" is the genitive plural of "plaster". "Band-Aid" is also understood

7. Potrzebuję środka na owady

   pot-sheh-BOO-yeh SHROD-kah nah oh-VAH-dih

   I need insect repellent

   Usage

   Ask for insect repellent at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   "Środek" (agent/remedy) + "na owady" (for insects) = insect repellent

8. Potrzebuję kremu z filtrem UV

   pot-sheh-BOO-yeh KREH-moo s FEEL-trem UV

   I need sunscreen

   Usage

   Ask for sunscreen at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   "Krem przeciwsłoneczny" (anti-sun cream) is also common for sunscreen

9. Jak przyjmować ten lek?

   yahk pshiy-MOH-vach ten lek?

   How do I take this medicine?

   Usage

   Ask the pharmacist how to take the medicine

   Grammar Note

   "Przyjmować lek" = take medicine, the standard Polish expression

10. Czy potrzebuję recepty?

    chih pot-sheh-BOO-yeh reh-TSEP-tih?

    Do I need a prescription?

    Usage

    Check if a prescription is needed

    Grammar Note

    "Na receptę" (on prescription) vs "bez recepty" (without prescription/OTC) are key Polish pharmacy terms

11. Recepta

    Prescription

    Usage

    Point to this when a prescription is in question; prescription-only is "na receptę" and over-the-counter is "bez recepty"

    Grammar Note

    Poland uses e-prescriptions: you show a four-digit code ("kod e-recepty") at the counter

12. Apteka

    Pharmacy

    Usage

    Point to this when looking for a pharmacy; a 24-hour one is an "apteka całodobowa"

    Grammar Note

    A "drogeria" sells toiletries and cosmetics but no medicine — for drugs you need an "apteka"

13. Termometr

    Thermometer

    Usage

    Point to this to buy a thermometer at a pharmacy

14. Bandaż

    Bandage

    Usage

    The roll-on kind of bandage; an adhesive plaster is "plaster" and gauze is "gaza"

15. Środek dezynfekujący

    Disinfectant

    Usage

    Point to this to buy disinfectant for a wound; hydrogen peroxide is "woda utleniona"

16. Maseczka ochronna

    Face mask

    Usage

    The hygienic face mask; "maseczka" on its own can also mean a cosmetic face pack, so add "ochronna"

17. Podpaski

    Sanitary pads

    Usage

    Point to this at a pharmacy or drugstore; tampons are "tampony"

    Grammar Note

    Bought as a packet, so the plural "podpaski" is the usual form; the singular is "podpaska"

18. Prezerwatywa

    Condom

    Usage

    Point to this at a pharmacy, drugstore, or convenience store; the plural is "prezerwatywy"

19. Krople do oczu

    Eye drops

    Usage

    Point to this to buy eye drops; nasal drops are "krople do nosa"

    Grammar Note

    "Krople" (drops) is used in the plural as a fixed term; "do oczu" means "for the eyes"

20. Plaster przeciwbólowy

    Pain-relief patch

    Usage

    The stick-on pain patch; the Japanese-style medicated compress is uncommon in Poland, where a rub-on "żel przeciwbólowy" (pain gel) is the usual product

21. Lek przeciwgorączkowy

    Fever reducer

    Usage

    Point to this to ask for something to bring a fever down; a painkiller is "lek przeciwbólowy"

22. Poproszę lek przeczyszczający

    poh-PROH-sheh lek psheh-chish-chah-YOH-tsih

    A laxative, please

    Usage

    Used to ask a pharmacy for a laxative. "lek przeczyszczający" is the laxative; the one-word symptom is "zaparcie"

    Grammar Note

    "Poproszę + accusative" is the set formula for ordering or asking. "lek przeczyszczający" has the plural "leki przeczyszczające"; the adjective agrees with the masculine noun (accusative = nominative)

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