Health & Hospital

1. Başım ağrıyor

   Ba-şım ağ-rı-yor

   I have a headache

   Usage

   Used to describe a headache to a doctor or pharmacist

   Grammar Note

   "Baş" (head) + possessive "-ım" = "my head". "Ağrımak" means to ache. Swap body parts to describe other pains.

2. Beni hastaneye götürün lütfen

   Be-ni has-ta-ne-ye gö-tü-rün lüt-fen

   Please take me to the hospital

   Usage

   Used in emergencies or when feeling very ill

   Grammar Note

   "Götürün" is the polite imperative of "götürmek" (to take someone). Adding "lütfen" (please) softens the request.

3. Bu ilacı satıyor musunuz?

   Bu i-la-cı sa-tı-yor mu-su-nuz?

   Do you sell this medicine?

   Usage

   Used at a pharmacy when looking for a specific medicine

   Grammar Note

   Present continuous of "satmak" (to sell) + polite question "musunuz". Show a written note with the medicine name for clarity.

4. Penisiline alerjim var

   Pe-ni-si-li-ne a-ler-jim var

   I am allergic to penicillin

   Usage

   Used to inform a doctor or pharmacist about an allergy

   Grammar Note

   "X-e alerjim var" is the standard pattern for allergies. Swap the allergen: e.g. "fıstığa alerjim var" (peanut allergy).

5. Ateşim var

   A-te-şim var

   I have a fever

   Usage

   Used to report a fever to a doctor or others

   Grammar Note

   "Ateş" means both "fire" and "fever". Add temperature: "Ateşim 38 derece" (I have a 38°C fever).

6. Midem bulanıyor

   Mi-dem bu-la-nı-yor

   I feel nauseous

   Usage

   Used to describe nausea to a doctor

   Grammar Note

   Literally "my stomach is turning". More medical: "Bulantım var" (I have nausea).

7. İngilizce bilen doktor var mı?

   İn-gi-liz-ce bi-len dok-tor var mı?

   Is there a doctor who speaks English?

   Usage

   Used at Turkish hospitals to request an English-speaking doctor

   Grammar Note

   "Bilen" is a participle of "bilmek" (to know/be able). Tourist-area hospitals often have English-speaking staff.

8. Acil yardım lazım

   A-cil yar-dım la-zım

   I need emergency help

   Usage

   Used in emergencies when urgent help is needed

   Grammar Note

   Turkey's emergency number is 112. "Ambulans çağırın!" (Call an ambulance!) is also useful to know.

9. İshalim var

   İs-ha-lim var

   I have diarrhea

   Usage

   Used to describe gastrointestinal symptoms to a doctor

   Grammar Note

   "İshal" is a medical term from Arabic. Traveler's diarrhea is common; pharmacies (eczane) can also assist.

10. Reçete yazabilir misiniz?

    Re-çe-te ya-za-bi-lir mi-si-niz?

    Could you write me a prescription?

    Usage

    Politely asks a doctor for a prescription after an examination

    Grammar Note

    "-bilir misiniz" is one of the most polite request forms in Turkish. Appropriate for formal situations like medical consultations.

11. Hamile

    Pregnant

    Usage

    Tell a doctor or pharmacist — it changes what medication or X-rays are allowed. "Hamileyim" = I am pregnant

12. Astım

    Asthma

    Usage

    Point to this to report asthma as a pre-existing condition; an inhaler is "astım spreyi"

13. Şeker hastalığı

    Diabetes

    Usage

    The everyday term; medical documents use "diyabet". Show the full phrase — "şeker" alone means sugar or candy

14. Yüksek tansiyon

    High blood pressure

    Usage

    Reports hypertension as a pre-existing condition; low blood pressure is "düşük tansiyon"

15. Kalp hastalığı

    Heart disease

    Usage

    Reports a heart condition; a pacemaker is "kalp pili"

16. Epilepsi

    Epilepsy

    Usage

    The medical term; the colloquial "sara" can sound stigmatizing, so show this one

17. Sağlık sigortası

    Health insurance

    Usage

    Used at hospital reception; travel insurance is "seyahat sigortası". Don't shorten to "sigorta", which also means an electrical fuse

18. Reçete

    Prescription

    Usage

    Point to this at a clinic or pharmacy; in a cooking context the same word means "recipe", so use it in medical settings

19. Eczane

    Pharmacy

    Usage

    Point to this when asking where a pharmacy is; the on-duty night/holiday pharmacy is "nöbetçi eczane"

20. Kemik kırığı

    Bone fracture

    Usage

    Reports a fracture; "kırık" alone just means "broken", so keep "kemik" (bone) in front

21. Nefes darlığı

    Shortness of breath

    Usage

    Reports difficulty breathing — an urgent symptom, so show it early

22. Baş dönmesi

    Dizziness

    Usage

    Reports dizziness; "Başım dönüyor" = I feel dizzy

23. Kanama

    Bleeding

    Usage

    Reports bleeding; "Kanamam var" = I am bleeding

24. Yanık

    Burn (injury)

    Usage

    Reports a burn injury; in a food context the same word means "burnt", so point at the injury while showing it

25. Yara

    Wound

    Usage

    Covers cuts and grazes generally; a plaster/band-aid is "yara bandı"

26. Kulak

    Ear

    Usage

    Point to this when reporting ear pain or trouble

27. Boyun

    Neck

    Usage

    For pain in the neck itself; a sore throat uses the separate word "boğaz"

28. Omuz

    Shoulder

    Usage

    Point to this when reporting shoulder pain or stiffness

29. Diz

    Knee

    Usage

    Point to this when reporting knee pain or injury

30. Parmak

    Finger / toe

    Usage

    Turkish "parmak" covers both fingers and toes — say "el parmağı" (finger) or "ayak parmağı" (toe) to specify; pointing at your own removes any doubt

31. Cilt

    Skin

    Usage

    For skin conditions; a dermatology clinic is "cildiye". Animal hide or leather is "deri"

32. Kol

    Arm

    Usage

    For arm pain or injury; the hand itself is the separate word "el"

33. Burun

    Nose

    Usage

    Point to this for nose trouble; a runny nose is "burun akıntısı", a nosebleed "burun kanaması"

34. Öksürük

    Cough

    Usage

    Reports a cough; cough syrup is "öksürük şurubu"

35. Kaşıntı

    Itching

    Usage

    Reports itching; "Kaşıntım var" = I have an itch

36. Deri döküntüsü

    Skin rash

    Usage

    Reports a rash; "döküntü" alone can also mean debris, so keep "deri" (skin) in front

37. Kabızlık

    Constipation

    Usage

    Reports constipation; also used when asking a pharmacy for a laxative ("müshil")

38. Regl

    Menstruation, period

    Usage

    The standard modern term in both everyday and medical Turkish (from French "règles"); "Regl oldum" = my period started. The older word "adet" also means "custom" and "piece/unit", so avoid it

39. Kan grubu

    Blood type

    Usage

    Shown when giving your blood group before transport or a transfusion

40. Sağlık raporu

    Medical certificate

    Usage

    Ask for the doctor's certificate needed for an insurance claim or a ticket change; rapor alone is understood

41. Hastaneye yatış

    Hospital admission

    Usage

    Use it to check whether you are being admitted; outpatient care is ayakta tedavi

42. Üşüme

    Chills

    Usage

    Reports the cold feeling that comes with a fever; the shaking itself is titreme

43. Soğuk algınlığı

    Common cold

    Usage

    Shown at a pharmacy when asking for cold medicine; influenza is the separate word grip

44. Doktor çağırın!

    Please call a doctor

    Usage

    Asking the people around you to call a doctor when someone has suddenly fallen ill

    Grammar Note

    The "X çağırın!" ("please call X") frame, the same one as "Polis çağırın!" and "Ambulans çağırın!", with "doktor" filled in — the same word as in "İngilizce bilen doktor var mı?". The "-ın" ending is the polite plural imperative.

45. Dinlenmem gerekiyor mu?

    Do I need to rest?

    Usage

    Asking the doctor after an examination whether you should stay at rest or may carry on

    Grammar Note

    The "-mem/-mam gerekiyor mu?" frame of "Bu formu doldurmam gerekiyor mu?" ("Do I need to fill in this form?"), with the verb "dinlenmek", the same verb as in "biraz dinlenelim". The verbal-noun suffix harmonises with the stem, giving "-mem" after "dinlen-" where "doldur-" takes "-mam"; the question particle harmonises with the "o" of "gerekiyor", giving "mu".

46. İshal

    Diarrhea

    Usage

    The word for diarrhea to tell a doctor or pharmacist; it is spelled "ishal". A medical term from Arabic

47. Kaka

    Poop

    Usage

    The everyday word a parent uses with a child, or when describing a child's stool to a doctor. It is a synonym of "dışkı"; in formal adult settings use "dışkı" (stool)

48. Çiş

    Pee

    Usage

    The everyday word a parent uses with a child, or when describing a child's urine to a doctor. It means "idrar" in child language; in formal adult settings use "idrar" (urine)

49. Kabızım

    Ka-bı-zım

    I'm constipated

    Usage

    Used to tell a doctor or pharmacist that you are constipated

    Grammar Note

    "Kabız" is the state of being constipated (fewer bowel movements, or hard and painful ones). The ending -ım means "I am"; this turns the noun "Kabızlık" into the statement "I am constipated".

50. Çişim geldi

    Çi-şim gel-di

    I need to pee

    Usage

    The plain, everyday way to tell a companion or child you need to pee; also the standard phrase a child says to a parent

    Grammar Note

    Literally "my pee has come". Turkish expresses the urge as "my … has come", as in "çişim geldi" and "kakam geldi". "Çiş" is the child-language word for urine; it is fine with a companion, but with a doctor use "idrar".

51. Kakam geldi

    Ka-kam gel-di

    I need to poop

    Usage

    The plain, everyday way to tell a companion or child you need to poop; also the standard phrase a child says to a parent

    Grammar Note

    Literally "my poop has come". The same pattern as "Çişim geldi", with the possessive -m on "kaka" (a synonym of "dışkı"). In formal adult settings or with a doctor, use "dışkı".

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