Pharmacy & Health

1. I need pain relievers.

   I'm looking for painkillers. / Do you have anything for pain?

   Usage

   Use at any pharmacy counter to ask for analgesics; works for headaches, muscle pain, and more

   Grammar Note

   "I need + noun" states a need directly. In a pharmacy context, "Do you have pain relievers?" (question form) is equally common

2. Do you have cold medicine?

   Do you sell cold remedies? / Is there anything for a cold?

   Usage

   Ask a pharmacist or shop assistant to locate cold and flu medication

   Grammar Note

   "Do you have + noun?" checks availability. You can add "for + symptom" to be specific: "cold medicine for a sore throat", "medicine for a fever"

3. I have a prescription from my doctor.

   My doctor gave me a prescription. / Here is my prescription.

   Usage

   Present this phrase alongside your prescription when handing it to the pharmacist

   Grammar Note

   "from + person" indicates the source or issuer. The phrase follows the structure "I have + noun + from + person"

4. I have a stomachache.

   My stomach hurts. / I have an upset stomach.

   Usage

   Describe the symptom to a pharmacist so they can recommend an appropriate remedy

   Grammar Note

   "I have a + ache compound" is the standard pattern for bodily pain. Common compounds: headache, toothache, stomachache, backache, earache

5. Do you have allergy medicine?

   Do you sell antihistamines? / Is there anything for allergies?

   Usage

   Ask for antihistamines or other allergy relief medication at the pharmacy counter

   Grammar Note

   "allergy medicine" is a noun compound equivalent to "medicine for allergies". English frequently joins nouns this way: hay fever tablet, travel sickness pill

6. I'm looking for Band-Aids.

   Do you have adhesive bandages? / Where are the plasters?

   Usage

   Ask a shop assistant to point you to the first-aid aisle; "plasters" is the British English term

   Grammar Note

   "I'm looking for + noun" is a natural way to search for a product in a store. It is softer than "I need" and invites the assistant to help

7. Is this available without a prescription?

   Can I buy this over the counter? / Can I get this without a prescription?

   Usage

   Confirm with a pharmacist whether a medicine requires a prescription or is sold over the counter

   Grammar Note

   "Is this available + condition?" is a useful structure. "Without a prescription" equals "over the counter". You can substitute other conditions: "in a larger size", "in liquid form"

8. What's the dosage for this?

   What's the correct dose? / What are the dosing instructions?

   Usage

   Ask the pharmacist about correct dosing instructions after receiving or purchasing medication

   Grammar Note

   "What's the + noun + for this?" requests specific information about a given item. Other examples: "What's the price for this?", "What's the expiry date for this?"

9. I have a fever.

   I'm running a fever. / My temperature is high.

   Usage

   Tell a pharmacist or medical staff you have a fever so they can recommend appropriate treatment

   Grammar Note

   Both "I have a fever" and "I'm running a fever" are natural. "Running a fever" is slightly more colloquial and common in American English

10. Can you recommend something for a headache?

    What do you recommend for a headache? / What's good for a headache?

    Usage

    Invite the pharmacist to suggest the best product; swap in any symptom to adapt the phrase

    Grammar Note

    "Can you recommend something for + symptom?" is a versatile pharmacy phrase. Swap the symptom: "for a cold", "for a sore throat", "for insomnia", "for motion sickness"

11. Pharmacy

    Usage

    The shop that sells medicine; the UK also says "chemist" and the US "drugstore", but "pharmacy" is understood everywhere

12. Prescription

    Usage

    The paper from a doctor; medicine sold without one is "over-the-counter"

13. Thermometer

    Usage

    Point to it when buying one at a pharmacy

14. Bandage

    Usage

    The roll type; a small adhesive one is a "plaster" in the UK and a "Band-Aid" in the US

15. Antiseptic

    Usage

    For cleaning a wound; for surfaces or hands ask for "disinfectant" or "hand sanitiser"

16. Face mask

    Usage

    The kind worn over mouth and nose; "mask" alone can mean a costume mask or a beauty face pack

17. Sanitary pads

    Usage

    The UK also says "sanitary towels"; tampons are a separate item

18. Condoms

    Usage

    Point to it at a pharmacy or convenience store

19. Eye drops

    Usage

    For dry or red eyes; always plural in English

20. Pain relief patch

    Usage

    A medicated patch for a sore shoulder or back; less common in the West, so some pharmacies will not stock it

21. Fever medicine

    Usage

    The usual drug is "paracetamol" in the UK and most of the world and "acetaminophen" in the US — the same medicine

22. Anti-diarrhea medicine, please.

    Anti-diarrhea medicine, please

    Usage

    Use at a pharmacy counter. A well-known brand is Imodium (loperamide). With blood in the stool or a high fever, describe the symptoms to the pharmacist first

    Grammar Note

    A request made by naming the item and ending with "please" (shorter than "I need pain relievers."). "Something for diarrhea, please." works too

23. A laxative, please.

    A laxative, please

    Usage

    Use at a pharmacy counter. "Laxative" is the standard word; in Britain "something for constipation" is also common

    Grammar Note

    The same "item + please" frame as "Anti-diarrhea medicine, please.". "Laxative" is countable, so it takes "a" ("medicine" does not)

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