Pharmacy & Health

1. Avete qualcosa pè a pena in capu?

   Do you have something for a headache?

   Usage

   Ask for a headache remedy at the pharmacy counter; address the pharmacist with the polite voi form

   Grammar Note

   "Headache" is pena in capu (literally "pain in the head"); the same pattern gives pena in corpu (stomach ache) and pena à i denti (toothache). A rising tone and the question mark make the question. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

2. Aghju bisognu di un medicamentu pè u stomacu

   I need some stomach medicine

   Usage

   Tell the pharmacist about stomach trouble when you do not know the name of a drug

   Grammar Note

   Aghju bisognu di + noun is the set phrase for "I need". Medicamentu is masculine; the variant medicina is also used. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

3. Aghju bisognu di un medicamentu contr'à a diarria

   I need a medicine against diarrhoea

   Usage

   Use it at the pharmacy for an upset stomach; it says "a medicine against diarrhoea" in place of a single word for an anti-diarrhoeal

   Grammar Note

   Contr'à is the contracted form of contru + à. Diarrhoea is diarria, and curraghjine and scurrentella also occur. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

4. Aghju un'allergia

   I have an allergy

   Usage

   Say this before the pharmacist hands over a drug; follow it with what you are allergic to

   Grammar Note

   Allergia is feminine; the article una becomes un' before a vowel. Add the cause with à + noun (à a penicillina). Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

5. Aghju bisognu di una crema sulare

   I need sunscreen

   Usage

   Ask for sunscreen before a beach or mountain day; it is worded "a solar cream" (crema sulare)

   Grammar Note

   Sulare is the adjective "solar" and follows the feminine noun crema; this is the usual way to say sunscreen. Assembled sentence; native-speaker review recommended

6. Cumu si piglia stu medicamentu?

   How do you take this medicine?

   Usage

   Check how and how often to take a medicine when you collect it

   Grammar Note

   Si + 3sg is the impersonal "one does" (the same pattern as Si pò?). Piglià means "to take", also used for medicine. Stu is "this" (masculine). Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

7. U termometru

   Thermometer

   Usage

   The word to point at or ask for when you want to buy a thermometer

   Grammar Note

   Masculine. The spellings termomitru and termumetru also occur; termometru is used as the standard

8. Una bendatura

   A bandage

   Usage

   The word to ask for a bandage to dress an injury

   Grammar Note

   Feminine. Bandatura and fasciatura also occur. Bendatura covers both a wound dressing and a bandage

9. U disinfettante

   Disinfectant

   Usage

   The word to ask for something to disinfect a cut

   Grammar Note

   Masculine. The variant disinfittanti exists, but disinfettante is the standard; the ending stays -e rather than -u

10. I preservativi

    Condoms

    Usage

    The word for condoms at a pharmacy counter; pointing works too

    Grammar Note

    The singular is preservativu (masculine) and the plural ends in -i. The variant priservativu exists; preservativu is the standard

11. U culliriu

    Eye drops

    Usage

    The word to ask for eye drops for sore or itchy eyes

    Grammar Note

    Masculine. The dictionary word for eye drops or an eye wash (French collyre)

12. Un antipireticu

    A fever reducer

    Usage

    The word to ask for a fever-reducing medicine

    Grammar Note

    Masculine. The native compound tagliafrebba ("fever-cutter") has the same meaning, but antipireticu is the easier word at a pharmacy

13. Un lassativu, pè piacè

    A laxative, please

    Usage

    A polite way to ask for a laxative at a pharmacy

    Grammar Note

    Masculine. Add pè piacè (the northern standard; per piacè in the south) to make it polite

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