At the Pharmacy
In Italy the pharmacist is your first stop for anything minor: they give real medical advice, suggest medicines, and tell you when you actually need a doctor. All of it happens in Italian, usually with other customers in earshot. These phrases cover the whole exchange, from symptom to payment.
Tap any phrase to hear it spoken.
Buongiorno, ha qualcosa per il mal di testa?
Good morning, do you have something for a headache?
Swap the ailment: mal di gola (sore throat), mal di pancia (stomach ache), mal di schiena (back pain).
Ho la febbre e mi fa male la gola.
I have a fever and my throat hurts.
Mi fa male + body part is the all-purpose "it hurts" pattern.
Ho il raffreddore.
I have a cold.
Serve la ricetta per questo?
Do I need a prescription for this?
Ho una ricetta del medico.
I have a prescription from the doctor.
Sono allergico alla penicillina.
I'm allergic to penicillin.
Say allergica if you're a woman. Swap in whatever you're allergic to.
Quante volte al giorno lo devo prendere?
How many times a day should I take it?
Prima o dopo i pasti?
Before or after meals?
C'è il generico? Costa meno?
Is there a generic version? Does it cost less?
Generics (farmaco equivalente) are common and pharmacists offer them readily if you ask.
Qual è la farmacia di turno stanotte?
Which pharmacy is on duty tonight?
Pharmacies rotate night and holiday shifts. The rota is posted on every pharmacy door.
la farmacia
pharmacy
la ricetta
prescription
il farmaco
medicine, drug
la febbre
fever
il mal di testa
headache
la compressa
tablet, pill
la farmacia di turno
on-duty pharmacy (nights and holidays)
At the pharmacy counter, feeling rough.
Buongiorno, come posso aiutarla?
Good morning, how can I help you?
Buongiorno, non mi sento bene. Ho il raffreddore e un po' di febbre.
Good morning, I'm not feeling well. I have a cold and a bit of a fever.
Da quanti giorni?
For how many days?
Da due giorni. Ha qualcosa senza ricetta?
For two days. Do you have something that doesn't need a prescription?
Sì, le do un antinfiammatorio. Una compressa ogni otto ore, dopo i pasti.
Yes, I'll give you an anti-inflammatory. One tablet every eight hours, after meals.
Perfetto. Sono allergico all'aspirina, questo va bene?
Perfect. I'm allergic to aspirin, is this one okay?
Sì, non contiene aspirina. Se la febbre continua dopo tre giorni, vada dal medico.
Yes, it doesn't contain aspirin. If the fever continues after three days, go to the doctor.
Grazie mille. Quant'è?
Thanks a lot. How much is it?
Sono otto euro e cinquanta.
That's eight euros fifty.
Italian pharmacists are trained to triage. Describe your symptoms honestly and they'll either sell you something suitable or tell you to see a doctor, and they're usually right. Bring your tessera sanitaria whenever you have a prescription: without it you pay full price, with it the SSN price applies.
Every phrase above has a form, an office, or a card behind it. These pages decode them.
Thanks, we'll take a look.
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