Lessons · Level 2
2-8. Hospitals and pharmacies — explaining when you're sick
Bệnh viện & nhà thuốc
🎯 Goal Describe your symptoms, buy medicine at a pharmacy and understand how to take it · about 35 min
There's a pharmacy in every neighborhood
Ho Chi Minh City has lots of pharmacies (nhà thuốc). Chains like Long Châu, Pharmacity and An Khang are clean and give proper receipts. For a mild cold or upset stomach, people often just describe their symptoms at a pharmacy and buy medicine.
There are two main kinds of hospital:
- International hospitals and clinics — English spoken, short waits, expensive. Used to handling international insurance
- Local hospitals (public and private) — cheap, long waits, mostly Vietnamese
The basic pattern for symptoms is 'Tôi bị + symptom' (I have…).
Symptoms
| Vietnamese | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| sốt | fever | sohk |
| ho | cough | haw |
| đau đầu | headache | dao duh-oo |
| đau bụng | stomachache | dao boong |
| đau họng | sore throat | dao hawng |
| sổ mũi | runny nose | soh mooy |
| tiêu chảy | diarrhea | tee-oo chai |
| ói | to vomit North: nôn | oy |
| dị ứng | allergy | yee ewng |
| bị cảm | to have a cold | bee kam |
Hospital and pharmacy words
| Vietnamese | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| thuốc | medicine | too-uhk |
| toa thuốc | prescription North: đơn thuốc | twa too-uhk |
| bác sĩ | doctor | bak see |
| dược sĩ | pharmacist | yew-uhk see |
| phòng khám | clinic | fawng kham |
| đặt lịch hẹn | to book an appointment | dak lit heng |
| bảo hiểm | insurance | bao hee-uhm |
Describing symptoms · buying medicine
| Vietnamese | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Tôi bị sốt từ hôm qua. | I've had a fever since yesterday. | toy bee sohk tew hohm wa. |
| Tôi bị tiêu chảy. | I have diarrhea. | toy bee tee-oo chai. |
| Tôi bị dị ứng với tôm. | I'm allergic to shrimp. | toy bee yee ewng yuhy tohm. |
| Có thuốc trị tiêu chảy không? | Do you have medicine for diarrhea? | kaw too-uhk chee tee-oo chai khohng? |
| Ngày uống mấy lần? | How many times a day? | ngai oo-uhng muhy luhng? |
| Uống trước hay sau khi ăn? | Before or after meals? | oo-uhng chew-uhk hai sao khee ang? |
| Ngày uống ba lần, sau khi ăn. | Three times a day, after meals. | ngai oo-uhng ba luhng, sao khee ang. |
| Thuốc này có cần toa không? | Does this medicine need a prescription? | too-uhk nai kaw kuhng twa khohng? |
| Tôi muốn đặt lịch khám. | I'd like to make an appointment. | toy moo-uhng dak lit kham. |
| Ở đây có bác sĩ nói tiếng Anh không? | Is there an English-speaking doctor here? | uh duhy kaw bak see noy tee-uhng an khohng? |
| Bảo hiểm của tôi dùng được không? | Can I use my insurance? | bao hee-uhm koo-uh toy yoong dew-uhk khohng? |
Real conversation — buying diarrhea medicine at a pharmacy
Minsu ate seafood from a street stall last night, and in the morning he goes to the local pharmacy. Medicine names and prices are examples.
| Pharmacist | Dạ, anh cần mua gì? | Yes, what do you need? |
| Minsu | Chị ơi, em bị tiêu chảy từ tối hôm qua. | I've had diarrhea since last night. |
| Pharmacist | Anh có bị sốt không? | Do you have a fever? |
| Minsu | Dạ không, chỉ đau bụng thôi. | No, just a stomachache. |
| Pharmacist | Hôm qua anh ăn gì? | What did you eat yesterday? |
| Minsu | Dạ, em ăn hải sản ngoài đường. | I ate seafood from a street stall. |
| Pharmacist | Vậy anh uống thuốc này nha. Ngày uống hai lần, sau khi ăn. | Then take this. Twice a day, after meals. |
| Minsu | Dạ. Em uống mấy ngày? | Okay. For how many days? |
| Pharmacist | Uống ba ngày. Nhớ uống nhiều nước với oresol nha. | For three days. Drink lots of water and oral rehydration salts. |
| Minsu | Bao nhiêu tiền chị? | How much is it? |
| Pharmacist | Năm mươi lăm ngàn. Nếu ba ngày không đỡ thì anh đi bệnh viện nha. | 55,000 dong. If it's not better in three days, go to a hospital. |
| Minsu | Dạ, cảm ơn chị. | Okay, thank you. |
What to bring to the hospital
- Bring your passport (or a copy) and insurance details. International clinics ask for your passport at registration.
- With international insurance you usually pay first and claim later. Be sure to get the receipt (hóa đơn), medical certificate and prescription (toa thuốc).
- If you take regular medication, showing a photo of the box is the most accurate way.
- Many chain pharmacies (Long Châu, Pharmacity, etc.) stay open late.
Things to watch out for when you're sick
- Vietnamese pharmacies sometimes readily recommend antibiotics. Antibiotics are officially prescription-only medicines. Check with a doctor whether you really need them.
- In the rainy season, a sudden high fever may be dengue (sốt xuất huyết). If you suspect dengue, don't take aspirin or ibuprofen — go to a hospital right away.
- If someone has trouble breathing, is losing consciousness or bleeding won't stop, call 115 immediately.
- Severe diarrhea can cause dangerous dehydration. Drink plenty of water and oresol (rehydration salts).