Health & Hospital

49 phrases · Tamil with romanization, English and audio

  1. என் தலை வலிக்கிறது

    Eṉ talai valikkiṟatu

    I have a headache

    Usage

    Used to describe a headache to a doctor or pharmacist

    Grammar Note

    In Tamil, body pain is expressed as "body part + valikkiradu" (hurts). Substitute "vayiru" (stomach) or "mudugu" (back) as needed.

  2. என்னை மருத்துவமனைக்கு அழைத்துச் செல்லுங்கள்

    Eṉṉai maruttuvamaṉaikku aḻaittuc celluṅkaḷ

    Please take me to the hospital

    Usage

    Used in emergencies or when unwell to request help getting to a hospital

    Grammar Note

    In emergencies, also say "ambulance azaiyungal" (call an ambulance). Tamil hospitals in Chennai are well-equipped.

  3. இந்த மருந்து கிடைக்குமா?

    Inta maruntu kiṭaikkumā?

    Do you have this medicine?

    Usage

    Used at a pharmacy while showing the medicine name to ask for availability

    Grammar Note

    "Kidaikkum" means "available/obtainable." Adding "-aa" forms a question. Show the medicine name in writing for clarity.

  4. எனக்கு அலர்ஜி இருக்கிறது

    Eṉakku alarji irukkiṟatu

    I have an allergy

    Usage

    Used to inform a doctor or restaurant staff about a food or medicine allergy

    Grammar Note

    Tamil dative construction "enakku X irukkiradu" expresses possession/condition. Add specific allergen like "kodumari alarji" (wheat allergy).

  5. எனக்கு காய்ச்சல் இருக்கிறது

    Eṉakku kāyccal irukkiṟatu

    I have a fever

    Usage

    Used to inform a doctor or others about having a fever

    Grammar Note

    Adding temperature helps: "38 degree kaayccal irukkiradu" (I have a 38°C fever). Tamil often uses Arabic numerals in everyday speech.

  6. வயிற்று வலி இருக்கிறது

    Vayiṟṟu vali irukkiṟatu

    I have a stomachache

    Usage

    Used to tell a doctor about stomach pain. Also applicable for food poisoning or diarrhea

    Grammar Note

    "Vali" is a general pain word: "talai vali" (headache), "pal vali" (toothache). In Chennai, street food can sometimes cause stomach upset.

  7. இங்கு அருகில் மருந்தகம் இருக்கிறதா?

    Iṅku arukil maruntakam irukkiṟatā?

    Is there a pharmacy nearby?

    Usage

    Used when unwell to find the nearest pharmacy

    Grammar Note

    Adding "-aa" to "irukkiradu" (there is) makes a question.

  8. ஆங்கிலம் பேசும் மருத்துவர் இருக்கிறார்களா?

    Āṅkilam pēcum maruttuvar irukkiṟārkaḷā?

    Is there a doctor who speaks English?

    Usage

    Used by foreign visitors at hospitals in Tamil Nadu or Sri Lanka to ask for an English-speaking doctor

    Grammar Note

    Tamil uses "irukkiraar" (honorific) for people vs. "irukkiradu" for objects. Large hospitals in Chennai commonly have English-speaking staff.

  9. எனக்கு சர்க்கரை நோய் இருக்கிறது

    Eṉakku carkkarai nōy irukkiṟatu

    I have diabetes

    Usage

    Used to inform a doctor about a chronic condition. Relevant for hospital admission or dietary restrictions

    Grammar Note

    "Carkarai noi" literally means "sugar disease" (diabetes). Same structure: "iratta aluttam" (high blood pressure), "idaya noi" (heart disease).

  10. மருந்துச் சீட்டு கொடுங்கள்

    Maruntuc cīṭṭu koṭuṅkaḷ

    Please give me a prescription

    Usage

    Used after a medical examination to request a prescription from the doctor

    Grammar Note

    "Kodungal" is the polite imperative of "kodu" (give). Tamil polite imperatives are formed as "verb root + -ungal."

  11. கர்ப்பிணி

    karppiṇi

    Pregnant

    Usage

    Show before any exam — it changes what medicine, X-ray, or anaesthetic is safe

  12. ஆஸ்துமா

    āstumā

    Asthma

    Usage

    Tells a doctor or pharmacist you have asthma; this loanword is the everyday Tamil term

  13. சர்க்கரை நோய்

    carkkarai nōy

    Diabetes

    Usage

    Point to declare diabetes; more widely understood in daily speech than the clinical term neerizhivu

  14. உயர் ரத்த அழுத்தம்

    uyar ratta aḻuttam

    High blood pressure

    Usage

    Shown to a doctor as an existing condition; in speech people often just say "BP"

  15. இதய நோய்

    itaya nōy

    Heart disease

    Usage

    Declares a heart condition to a doctor or paramedic

  16. வலிப்பு நோய்

    valippu nōy

    Epilepsy

    Usage

    Declares a seizure disorder; showing it before an episode changes how bystanders respond

  17. மருத்துவக் காப்பீடு

    maruttuvak kāppīṭu

    Medical insurance

    Usage

    Shown at a hospital reception; kaappeedu alone means insurance in general, so "maruthuva" (medical) pins it down

  18. எலும்பு முறிவு

    elumpu muṟivu

    Fracture

    Usage

    Says you may have a broken bone — the word that gets you an X-ray

  19. மூச்சுத் திணறல்

    mūccut tiṇaṟal

    Shortness of breath

    Usage

    Point when you are too breathless to talk — a symptom that gets triaged fast

  20. தலைச்சுற்றல்

    talaiccuṟṟal

    Dizziness

    Usage

    Describes light-headedness; used when reporting heat exhaustion or dehydration

  21. ரத்தம் வருகிறது

    rattam varukiṟatu

    Bleeding

    Usage

    Show while pointing at the wound; ratham alone just means "blood", so the verb is kept

  22. தீக்காயம்

    tīkkāyam

    Burn

    Usage

    Shown when asking for treatment of a burn

  23. காயம்

    kāyam

    Wound

    Usage

    Any cut or graze; use it while showing the injury

  24. காது

    kātu

    Ear

    Usage

    Body-part card for saying where it hurts; point at your own ear

  25. கழுத்து

    kaḻuttu

    Neck

    Usage

    The outside of the neck; the throat inside is a different word (thondai)

  26. தோள்பட்டை

    tōḷpaṭṭai

    Shoulder

    Usage

    Shoulder pain, also useful at a massage shop

  27. முழங்கால்

    muḻaṅkāl

    Knee

    Usage

    Body-part card for knee pain

  28. கை விரல்

    kai viral

    Finger

    Usage

    Viral alone covers toes as well, so "kai" (hand) is kept to pin it to fingers

  29. தோல்

    tōl

    Skin

    Usage

    For skin complaints; the same word also means leather, but pointing at your body removes the ambiguity

  30. மூக்கு

    mūkku

    Nose

    Usage

    Body-part card for a blocked nose or a nosebleed

  31. இருமல்

    irumal

    Cough

    Usage

    Reports a cough; also used at a pharmacy to ask for cough medicine

  32. அரிப்பு

    arippu

    Itching

    Usage

    Reports itching, typically from insect bites or an allergic reaction

  33. தோல் தடிப்பு

    tōl taṭippu

    Rash

    Usage

    Skin rash; thadippu alone can also mean "thickness", so "thol" (skin) pins the meaning

  34. மலச்சிக்கல்

    malaccikkal

    Constipation

    Usage

    The standard word for constipation at a pharmacy or a clinic

  35. மாதவிடாய்

    mātaviṭāy

    Period (menstruation)

    Usage

    The standard, non-crude Tamil term used with doctors and pharmacists; the loanword "periods" is also common in speech

  36. இரத்த வகை

    iratta vakai

    Blood type

    Usage

    Asked before any transfusion or surgery; the literary form is kuruti vakai. Write your own group in Latin letters (O, A, B, AB) to be safe

  37. மருத்துவச் சான்றிதழ்

    maruttuvac cāṉṟitaḻ

    Medical certificate

    Usage

    The paper an insurer or an airline will ask for; show it to the doctor at the end of the consultation to request one

  38. மருத்துவமனை அனுமதி

    maruttuvamaṉai aṉumati

    Hospital admission

    Usage

    Being taken in to stay for treatment. Aṉumati normally means permission, but in a hospital context it is the word for admitting a patient

  39. ஜலதோஷம்

    jalatōṣam

    A cold

    Usage

    The ordinary cold with a runny nose and sneezing; the pure-Tamil word is taṭumaṉ

  40. மருத்துவரை அழையுங்கள்

    Maruttuvarai aḻaiyuṅkaḷ

    Please call a doctor

    Usage

    Ask a bystander to fetch a doctor when someone is suddenly ill or injured

    Grammar Note

    The pattern is "call X (accusative)", as in "காவலர்களை அழையுங்கள்!" (call the police). மருத்துவர் (doctor) is also put in the accusative.

  41. எனக்கு பல முறை வாந்தி வந்தது

    Eṉakku pala muṟai vānti vantatu

    I have vomited several times

    Usage

    Tells a doctor how often you have vomited

    Grammar Note

    The dative construction is like "எனக்கு காய்ச்சல் இருக்கிறது" (I have a fever), with வாந்தி (vomiting) as the symptom. The verb is the past of வா, also found in "வந்துவிட்டது". "பல முறை" means several times.

  42. எனக்கு ஓய்வு தேவையா?

    Eṉakku ōyvu tēvaiyā?

    Do I need to rest?

    Usage

    Ask the doctor after an examination whether you may carry on as usual

    Grammar Note

    "எனக்கு … தேவை" means "I need …"; ஓய்வு means rest. Add the question particle -ஆ to make a question, as in "கிடைக்குமா?".

  43. வயிற்றுப்போக்கு

    vayiṟṟuppōkku

    Diarrhea

    Usage

    The standard word for diarrhea at a pharmacy or a clinic. In conversation it is also called "பேதி" (pēti)

  44. ஆய்

    āy

    Poop

    Usage

    The informal word for poop in talk with children and family. With a doctor, use the standard word "மலம்" (malam)

  45. சிறுநீர்

    ciṟunīr

    Urine

    Usage

    The standard (formal) word for urine, understood as is at a clinic or pharmacy. In conversation, going to pee is put euphemistically as "ஒன்றுக்கு" (oṉṟukku)

  46. எனக்கு வயிற்றுப்போக்கு இருக்கிறது

    Eṉakku vayiṟṟuppōkku irukkiṟatu

    I have diarrhea

    Usage

    Used to tell a doctor or pharmacist that you have diarrhea

    Grammar Note

    "எனக்கு … இருக்கிறது" is the pattern for "I have …", as in "எனக்கு காய்ச்சல் இருக்கிறது" (I have a fever). வயிற்றுப்போக்கு means diarrhea; பேதி is also used in speech.

  47. எனக்கு மலச்சிக்கல் இருக்கிறது

    Eṉakku malaccikkal irukkiṟatu

    I'm constipated

    Usage

    Used to tell a doctor or pharmacist that you are constipated

    Grammar Note

    மலச்சிக்கல் (constipation) is used in the "எனக்கு … இருக்கிறது" (I have …) pattern.

  48. எனக்கு ஒன்றுக்குப் போக வேண்டும்

    Eṉakku oṉṟukkup pōka vēṇṭum

    I need to pee

    Usage

    Used to tell a companion or a child that you need to pee

    Grammar Note

    ஒன்று (the numeral one) is a colloquial euphemism for urination, used in the dative ஒன்றுக்கு. "எனக்கு … போக வேண்டும்" means "I have to go to …". The formal word is சிறுநீர்.

  49. எனக்கு இரண்டுக்குப் போக வேண்டும்

    Eṉakku iraṇṭukkup pōka vēṇṭum

    I need to poop

    Usage

    Used to tell a companion or a child that you need to poop

    Grammar Note

    இரண்டு (the numeral two) is a colloquial euphemism for excrement, used in the dative இரண்டுக்கு. "எனக்கு … போக வேண்டும்" means "I have to go to …". The formal wording is மலம் கழிக்க வேண்டும்.

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