ሐኪም ያስፈልገኛል
hakim yasfileginal
I need a doctor
Usage
Requesting medical help in an emergency or when feeling unwell
Grammar Note
"ያስፈልገኛል" = "ያስፈልጋል" (it is necessary) + "ኛ" (for me). Necessity is expressed as "it is necessary for me".
ሆስፒታሉ የት ነው?
hospitalu yet new?
Where is the hospital?
Usage
Finding the hospital in an emergency
Grammar Note
Addis Ababa's main hospitals include Tikur Anbessa (Black Lion). For tourists, private hospitals like Kadisco are recommended.
ሆዴ ያምኛል
hode yamignal
My stomach hurts
Usage
Describing stomach pain to a doctor or pharmacist
Grammar Note
"ያምኛል" = "ያምናል" (it hurts) + "ኛ" (me). The body part acts as subject: the stomach "hurts me".
ትኩሳት አለብኝ
tikusat aleben
I have a fever
Usage
Telling a doctor or pharmacist that you have a fever
Grammar Note
"አለብኝ" = "አለ" (there is) + "ብ" (upon) + "ኝ" (me). Amharic possession uses the structure "there is upon me".
ለዚህ መድሃኒት አለርጂ አለብኝ
lezih medhanit alerji aleben
I am allergic to this medicine
Usage
Informing a doctor of a medication allergy
Grammar Note
"አለርጂ" is borrowed from English "allergy". Amharic borrows many medical terms from English. "Medicine" is "መድሃኒት"; "ዕፅ" (plant) also means narcotic drugs in modern speech, so it is not used for medicine.
ፋርማሲ ምን ጊዜ ይከፈታል?
farmasi min gize yikefetal?
When does the pharmacy open?
Usage
Asking for the opening time of a pharmacy
Grammar Note
"ፋርማሲ" is from English "pharmacy". Ethiopian pharmacies are widely available; some medicines can be purchased without prescription.
ጤናዬ ደህና አይደለም
tenaye dehna aydelem
I am not feeling well
Usage
General expression for feeling unwell
Grammar Note
"አይደለም" is the negative copula "is not". The greeting "ደህና ነሽ?" (are you well?) is answered with "ደህና ነኝ" (I am well).
ቁስሉን በፋሻ ይሸፍኑ
quslun befasha yishefinu
Please bandage the wound
Usage
Asking for a wound to be bandaged after an injury
Grammar Note
"ቁስሉን" adds definite "-ሉ" and accusative "-ን" to "ቁስል" (wound). Amharic encodes definiteness and case through suffixes.
ለእርዳታ ደውሉ
le-irdeta dewulu
Call for help
Usage
Calling for assistance in a medical emergency
Grammar Note
Ethiopia's emergency numbers are police 991, ambulance 907, fire 939 (not 911). "ደውሉ" is the polite imperative of "ደወለ" (to call).
ኢንሹራንስ አለብኝ
insurans aleben
I have insurance
Usage
Informing a hospital that you have medical insurance
Grammar Note
"ኢንሹራንስ" is borrowed from English "insurance". Travel insurance is strongly recommended for visitors to Ethiopia.
ነፍሰ ጡር ነኝ
nefse tur negn
I am pregnant
Usage
Affects what medicines and X-rays are safe — show this before any treatment
አስም
asm
Asthma
Usage
Names the condition; show it together with your inhaler
የስኳር በሽታ
yeskuar beshita
Diabetes
Usage
Names the condition when discussing food or medication
ከፍተኛ የደም ግፊት
kefitegna yedem gifit
High blood pressure
Usage
Says high blood pressure; without kefitegna it just means blood pressure in general
የልብ ሕመም
yelib himem
Heart disease
Usage
Names the condition; pair it with the chest card when reporting pain
የሚጥል በሽታ
yemitil beshita
Epilepsy
Usage
Warns staff in advance that you may have a seizure
ስብራት
sibrat
Fracture / broken bone
Usage
Names the injury; combine it with the body-part card
ትንፋሽ አጥሮኛል
tinfash atrognal
I am short of breath
Usage
For when speaking is hard — a high-urgency symptom
ራሴን ያዞረኛል
rasen yazoregnal
I feel dizzy
Usage
In high-altitude Addis Ababa this can also be altitude sickness
ደም እየፈሰሰኝ ነው
dem iyefesesegn new
I am bleeding
Usage
Point to a body-part card to show where
ቃጠሎ
katelo
Burn
Usage
Names the injury; also understood at a pharmacy
ቁስል
kusil
Wound / cut
Usage
Any cut or open wound, when asking to have it treated
ሳል
sal
Cough
Usage
Names the symptom; can be shown directly at a pharmacy
ማሳከክ
masakek
Itching
Usage
For insect bites or a rash
የቆዳ ሽፍታ
yekoda shifta
Skin rash
Usage
Say yekoda (of the skin): shifta alone can also mean bandit
ሆድ ድርቀት
hod dirket
Constipation
Usage
For asking a pharmacist for something to take
የወር አበባ
yewer abeba
Menstruation / period
Usage
The everyday Amharic euphemism, literally monthly flower
ጆሮ
joro
Ear
Usage
For pointing out where it hurts
አንገት
anget
Neck
Usage
For pointing out where it hurts
ትከሻ
tikesha
Shoulder
Usage
For pointing out where it hurts
ጉልበት
gulbet
Knee
Usage
Gulbet also means strength, but in a body context it is the knee
ጣት
tat
Finger
Usage
A toe is yegir tat; point at the actual digit to be sure
ቆዳ
koda
Skin
Usage
Koda also means leather, but in a body context it is skin
ክንድ
kind
Arm
Usage
For pointing out where it hurts
አፍንጫ
afincha
Nose
Usage
For pointing out where it hurts
የደም አይነት
yedem aynet
Blood type
Usage
Point to this to give or be asked your blood type; show the letter (A, B, O) itself separately
ተኝቶ መታከም
tegnito metakem
Hospital admission
Usage
Point to this to ask whether you must be admitted; it literally means "to be treated lying in"
ብርድ ብርድ ማለት
bird bird malet
Chills
Usage
Point to this for the shivery feeling that comes with a fever, as distinct from cold weather ("bird")
ጉንፋን
gunfan
Common cold
Usage
Point to this to say that you have caught a cold
ሐኪም ጥሩ!
hakim tiru!
Please call a doctor
Usage
Ask someone present to call a doctor when you cannot do it yourself
Grammar Note
The frame "[whom to call] + ጥሩ!" (the same pattern as "ፖሊስ ጥሩ!" call the police and "አምቡላንስ ጥሩ!" call an ambulance), with the called party being "ሐኪም" (doctor).
እዚህ ያምኛል
izih yamignal
It hurts here
Usage
Point at the spot that hurts as you show this; it works without knowing the name of the body part
Grammar Note
Uses the same verb as "ሆዴ ያምኛል" (my stomach hurts), with the location given as "እዚህ" (here). "ያምኛል" carries the first person object infix -ኝ-.
ሰውነቴ ደክሞኛል
sewinete dekmognal
My body feels sluggish
Usage
Describe heaviness and lack of strength, as distinct from fever or pain
Grammar Note
The verb "ደክሞኛል" (I am tired) is preceded by "ሰውነቴ" (my body), the noun "ሰውነት" (body) with the first person possessive, as the subject.
ዕረፍት ያስፈልገኛል?
ireft yasfileginal?
Do I need to rest?
Usage
Ask the doctor after an examination whether you should stay still or may move about
Grammar Note
Uses "ያስፈልገኛል" as in "ሐኪም ያስፈልገኛል" (I need a doctor), with what is needed being "ዕረፍት" (rest), turned into a question by the question mark.
ተቅማጥ
teqmat
Diarrhea
Usage
For naming the symptom to a doctor or pharmacist
ሰገራ
segera
Poop
Usage
For talking about stool at a consultation.
ሽንት
shint
Pee
Usage
For talking about urine at a consultation or with a child.
ተቅማጥ አለብኝ
teqmat aleben
I have diarrhea
Usage
Telling a doctor or pharmacist that you have diarrhea
Grammar Note
"አለብኝ" (I have) followed by the symptom "ተቅማጥ" (diarrhea).
ሆድ ድርቀት አለብኝ
hod dirket aleben
I'm constipated
Usage
Telling a doctor or pharmacist that you are constipated
Grammar Note
"ሆድ ድርቀት" (constipation) followed by "አለብኝ" (I have).
መሽናት እፈልጋለሁ
meshenat ifeligalehu
I need to pee
Usage
Say you need to pee, for example to a companion or while out with a child
Grammar Note
The infinitive "መሽናት" (to urinate) followed by "እፈልጋለሁ" (I want).
መጸዳዳት እፈልጋለሁ
metsedadat ifeligalehu
I need to poop
Usage
Say you need to poop, for example to a companion or while out with a child. "መጸዳዳት" is a polite verb for relieving oneself and can also cover urinating, so add "ሰገራ" (stool) when you need to be explicit
Grammar Note
The infinitive "መጸዳዳት" (to relieve oneself) followed by "እፈልጋለሁ" (I want). "ለመጸዳዳት" is the form meaning "in order to relieve oneself".
More Amharic phrases
- Basic Words
- Basic Nouns
- Basic Verbs
- Adjectives
- Question Words
- Greetings
- Food & Drinks
- Transportation
- Shopping
- Numbers
- Hotel
- Emergency
- Sightseeing
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- Useful Phrases
- Airport & Customs
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- Money & Exchange
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- Religion & Temples
- Café & Drinks
- Schedule & Booking
- Culture & Etiquette
- Traveling with Kids
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- Business & Work
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- Music & Entertainment
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- Time & Dates
- Hiking & Trekking
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- Skiing & Winter Sports
- Hot Springs & Baths
- Yoga & Wellness
- Casino & Gambling
- Beauty & Grooming
- Remote Work
- Fashion & Clothing
- Convenience Store
- Martial Arts
- Signs
- Body Parts
- Animals
- Vehicles
- Electronics
- Feelings
- Slang
- Local Dishes
- Local Drinks
- Indulgences