Health & Hospital

1. Biza ugqirha

   biza u-gqirha

   Call a doctor

   Usage

   Emergency phrase to call for medical help

   Grammar Note

   biza is the imperative of the verb "to call"

2. Ndinobuhlungu esiswini

   ndi-no-buhlungu e-siswini

   I have a stomachache

   Usage

   Expressing a stomachache

   Grammar Note

   The possession construction ndi + na- ("I have"). na- fuses with the following vowel: with "ubuhlungu" (class 14) na + u gives "no-", hence "ndino-"

3. Ikliniki ekufuphi ikuphi?

   i-kliniki e-kufuphi i-ku-phi?

   Where is the nearest clinic?

   Usage

   Looking for the nearest clinic

   Grammar Note

   -phi is the interrogative stem "which / where" and takes a subject concord (ikuphi = i-ku-phi, "where is it")

4. Ndinomkhuhlane

   ndi-no-mkhuhlane

   I have a fever

   Usage

   Saying you have a fever

   Grammar Note

   ndino is the first-person possession prefix "I have"

5. Ndingalithatha eli yeza?

   ndi-nga-li-thatha e-li ye-za?

   Can I take this medicine?

   Usage

   Asking if a medicine can be taken

   Grammar Note

   ndi-nga-li combines the first-person potential with the object concord. "Iyeza" is class 5 (plural "amayeza"), so the object concord is "li-" and the demonstrative is "eli"

6. Ndine-aleji yeli yeza

   ndi-ne-aleji ye-li ye-za

   I am allergic to this medicine

   Usage

   Informing a doctor about a medicine allergy

   Grammar Note

   "Ndine" is ndi + na + i-aleji (na + i gives ne-). "I-aleji" is class 9, so its possessive is "ya-", which contracts with the class 5 demonstrative "eli" to "yeli"

7. Ndikhulelwe

   ndi-khulel-we

   I am pregnant

   Usage

   Informing a doctor or pharmacist about pregnancy

   Grammar Note

   -we is a passive/stative suffix indicating a state "is (being) ~"

8. Ndifuna i-insulin

   ndi-funa i-insulin

   I need insulin

   Usage

   A diabetic patient requesting insulin

   Grammar Note

   ndifuna means "I want/need" and takes a noun object

9. Ukhona na ugqirha othetha isiNgesi?

   u-khona na u-gqirha o-thetha isi-Ngesi?

   Is there a doctor who speaks English?

   Usage

   Looking for an English-speaking doctor

   Grammar Note

   o- is the relative clause prefix meaning "who/that"

10. Gcwalisa le preskriptshani

    gcwalisa le preskriptshani

    Please fill this prescription

    Usage

    Presenting a prescription at a pharmacy

    Grammar Note

    gcwalisa is the imperative of "to fill/complete"

11. Umbefu

    Asthma

    Usage

    Tell staff you have asthma

12. Isifo seswekile

    Diabetes

    Usage

    Tell staff you are diabetic

13. Isifo sentliziyo

    Heart disease

    Usage

    Tell staff you have a heart condition

14. Isifo sokuwa

    Epilepsy

    Usage

    Tell staff you have epilepsy

15. Uxinzelelo lwegazi oluphezulu

    High blood pressure

    Usage

    Tell staff you have high blood pressure

16. Ithambo lophukile

    I have a broken bone

    Usage

    Say you think a bone is broken

17. Andikwazi ukuphefumla

    I can't breathe

    Usage

    Say you are struggling to breathe

18. Isizunguzane

    Dizziness

    Usage

    Report dizziness

19. Ndiyopha

    I am bleeding

    Usage

    Say that you are bleeding

20. Isilonda

    Wound

    Usage

    Show a wound or sore

21. Ndiyakhohlela

    I have a cough

    Usage

    Report that you have a cough

22. Urhudo

    Diarrhoea

    Usage

    Report diarrhoea

23. Ndisexesheni

    I am on my period

    Usage

    Tell a doctor or pharmacist you are menstruating

24. I-inshorensi yezempilo

    Health insurance

    Usage

    Show at reception that you have health insurance

25. Ukulaliswa esibhedlele

    Hospital admission

    Usage

    Check whether you need to be admitted; literally "being laid up in hospital"

26. Umkhuhlane

    Common cold

    Usage

    Say you have caught a cold

27. Ndibuhlungu apha.

    It hurts here

    Usage

    Point at the spot while telling medical staff where it hurts

28. Umzimba wam ubuthathaka.

    My body feels sluggish

    Usage

    Tell medical staff about the whole-body heaviness that comes with a fever; "umzimba" is class 3, so the subject concord is "u-"

29. Kufuneka ndiphumle?

    Do I need to rest?

    Usage

    Check with the doctor after an examination whether you need to rest

30. Ilindle

    Stool

    Usage

    Describe stool to a doctor or pharmacist. "Ilindle" is the neutral word for stool, not a casual nursery word. "Indle" means open country and is a different word

31. Ukuchama

    Pee

    Usage

    Urinating. The infinitive of the verb -chama (to urinate); there is no separate noun for "pee". The urine itself is umchamo

32. Ndinorhudo

    I have diarrhea

    Usage

    Tell a doctor or pharmacist that you have diarrhea

    Grammar Note

    The possession construction ndi + na- ("I have"). "Urhudo" (diarrhea) begins with u, so na + u fuses to "no-", giving "ndinorhudo" (the same pattern as "Ndinomkhuhlane")

33. Ndifuna ukuchama

    I need to pee

    Usage

    Tell a companion or a child that you need to pee

    Grammar Note

    ndi- (I) + -fun- (want) + -a, followed by the infinitive uku-chama (to urinate). "Want to do X" is expressed as "want" plus an infinitive

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