Hospital, Health, and Pharmacy Expressions

Expressions for Symptoms When Sick

Expressions used when you are sick fall into two groups: expressions for naming the part of the body that hurts, and expressions for describing a state in which a symptom has appeared. Attaching '아프다'(to hurt) after a body part shows where it hurts, as in '배가 아프다'(my stomach hurts), '허리가 아프다'(my back hurts), and '목이 아프다'(my throat hurts). To the question '어디가 아프세요?'(Where does it hurt?), you answer by naming the body part that hurts.

'나다' is used to mean that a symptom has appeared, and representative examples are '기침이 나다'(to have a cough), '열이 나다'(to have a fever), and '콧물이 나다'(to have a runny nose). To a question asking whether you have a fever, you answer '네, 열이 나요'(Yes, I have a fever) or '아니요, 열은 없어요'(No, I don't have a fever). When saying that a fever has not appeared, use the negative form, as in '열은 나지 않았어요'(I did not have a fever).

An expression in which a body part swells up, such as '목이 붓다'(one's throat swells), also describes a symptom. Adding an adverb such as '많이'(a lot) or '조금'(a little) lets you state the degree of the symptom more precisely.

To answer '언제부터'(since when), which asks when a symptom started, you can give a point in time, as in '어제부터'(since yesterday) or '이틀 전부터'(since two days ago), or a duration, as in '일주일쯤 됐어요'(It has been about a week). A reply beginning with '네'(yes) is used for yes-or-no questions, so it does not fit a '언제부터' question.

To state a reason, use '-아서/어서'(because). In '몸이 아파서 병원에 갔어요'(I went to the hospital because I was sick), a symptom is given as the cause. A situation in which a symptom makes an action difficult, as in '허리가 아파서 많이 걸을 수가 없다'(My back hurts, so I cannot walk much), is expressed in the same way.

Body temperature is expressed with '체온계로 재다'(to take one's temperature with a thermometer). To state the result of a measurement, use the '-아/어 보았더니'(when I tried doing ... I found) construction, as in '아침에 열을 재 보았더니 높았어요'(When I took my temperature in the morning, it was high).

Expressions for Using Hospitals and Pharmacies

A hospital is a place where symptoms are asked about and examined, and where injections are given and medicine is prescribed. '진찰을 받다'(to have a medical examination), '진료를 받다'(to receive medical treatment), '주사를 맞다'(to get an injection), and '엑스레이를 찍다'(to have an X-ray taken) are the representative expressions used at hospitals. Before treatment, doctors and nurses ask '어디가 불편하세요?'(Where do you feel uncomfortable?) and explain procedures, as in '먼저 체온부터 재 볼게요'(First, I will take your temperature).

To state the purpose of going to a hospital, use the '-러 가다'(to go in order to do) construction. It is used as in '진찰을 받으러 가다'(to go to have an examination) and '다친 곳을 확인하러 가다'(to go to check an injured area), and a trip to hear test results is expressed in the same way.

Experience of using a hospital is expressed as '병원에 갔다가 시간이 걸리다'(going to the hospital took time) and '감기 때문에 주사를 맞다'(to get an injection because of a cold). Here '-때문에'(because of) shows the cause, and going to the hospital can be the reason you were unable to do something else.

A pharmacy fills prescribed medicine or sells medicine. Expressions for giving and receiving medicine are used, as in '약을 드릴게요'(I will give you the medicine) and '감기약도 같이 주세요'(Please give me cold medicine as well). Remember the difference: a hospital is where examinations and injections take place, while a pharmacy is where you receive medicine and learn how to take it.

If symptoms do not decrease after treatment, get examined again. Describe the course of treatment as in '지난번 약을 먹었는데 기침이 줄지 않다'(I took the medicine last time, but my cough has not decreased), and then express the next step as '다시 진찰을 받다'(to get examined again).