Pharmacy & Health

1. Ingaba uneyeza leentlungu zentloko?

   Do you have headache medicine?

   Usage

   Ask for headache medicine at a pharmacy in South Africa

   Grammar Note

   Xhosa is Bantu, closely related to Zulu. It's known for its click consonants (c, q, x)

2. Ndifuna iyeza lesisu

   I need stomach medicine

   Usage

   Use when you need stomach medicine

   Grammar Note

   "Ndifuna" is 1st person singular of "funa" (want). Xhosa has a Bantu noun class system

3. Ndifuna iyeza lorhudo

   I need anti-diarrhea medicine

   Usage

   Ask for anti-diarrhea medicine

   Grammar Note

   "Urhudo" (diarrhoea) is joined to "iyeza" (medicine) by the class 5 possessive "la-": la + urhudo becomes "lorhudo"

4. Ndinomkhuhlane

   I have a fever

   Usage

   Tell the pharmacist you have a fever

   Grammar Note

   "Ndinomkhuhlane" is a contraction of "ndi" (I) + "na" (have) + "umkhuhlane" (fever)

5. Ndine-aleji

   I have an allergy

   Usage

   Inform the pharmacist about your allergy

   Grammar Note

   "I-aleji" is the Xhosa adaptation of English "allergy". The isiXhosa allergen poster from FACTS (South Africa) writes allergens as "izinto ezibangela i-aleji"

6. Ndifuna iplasta

   I need a plaster

   Usage

   Ask for a plaster at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   "Iplasta" means an adhesive bandage, such as one worn on the knee.

7. Ndifuna into yokugxotha izinambuzane

   I need insect repellent

   Usage

   Ask for insect repellent at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   "Into yokugxotha izinambuzane" (a thing that drives insects away) is insect repellent. The plural is "izinto zokugxotha izinambuzane"

8. Ndifuna isikhuseli selanga

   I need sunscreen

   Usage

   Ask for sunscreen at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   "Isikhuseli selanga" means "protector of the sun" = sunscreen. "Ilanga" means "sun"

9. Lithathwa njani eli yeza?

   How do I take this medicine?

   Usage

   Ask the pharmacist how to take the medicine

   Grammar Note

   "Njani" is the Xhosa adverb "how". "Lithathwa" is the passive of "thatha" (to take); "iyeza" is class 5, so the subject concord is "li-" and the demonstrative is "eli"

10. Ingaba kufuneka ipresikripshoni?

    Do I need a prescription?

    Usage

    Check if a prescription is needed

    Grammar Note

    "Ipresikripshoni" is the Xhosa adaptation of English "prescription". "Kufuneka" means "is needed"

11. Ikhemesti

    Pharmacy

    Usage

    Ask where the pharmacy is

12. Iyeza leentlungu

    Painkiller

    Usage

    Ask for a painkiller

13. Amayeza amehlo

    Eye drops

    Usage

    Ask for eye drops

14. Ikhondom

    Condom

    Usage

    Ask for condoms

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