Language/Romanian/Vocabulary/Health-and-Medical-Terms
As a Romanian language teacher, I find that one area that beginners struggle with is the vocabulary related to health and medicine. In this lesson, we'll explore the essential Romanian words and phrases used for discussing health and medical topics. Whether you are a traveler, expat or non-native speaker, it's important to know these terms to stay healthy and communicate effectively with healthcare professionals.
General Health Terms
Here are some basic Romanian health terms that are useful in different situations:
| Romanian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| durere de cap | /duˈre.re de kap/ | headache |
| răceală | /rə.ˈt͡ʃe̯alə/ | cold |
| gripă | /ɡripə/ | flu |
| durere de dinți | /duˈre.re de dint͡s/ | toothache |
| durere de stomac | /duˈre.re de sto.mak/ | stomachache |
| alergie | /aˈler.ɡje/ | allergy |
| febră | /fe.brə/ | fever |
- If you're not feeling well, you can say "Nu mă simt bine" (noo muh shint bee-neh) which means "I don't feel well".
- If you need to see a doctor, you can say "Am nevoie să văd un doctor" (ahm neh-voyeh suh vuhd oon dohk-tor) which means "I need to see a doctor".
Medical Professionals
There are various types of medical professionals in Romania, each with their own specialty. Some common ones are:
| Romanian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| medic | /me'dik/ | doctor |
| dentar | /den'tar/ | dentist |
| asistentă medicală | /asi'stent͡sa me.di'kala/ | nurse |
| farmacist | /farmi'st͡ʃist/ | pharmacist |
- To ask for a recommendation, you can say "Poți să-mi recomanzi un medic/dentar bun?" (poats suh-mee re-ko-man-dzee oon me-dick/den-tar boon) which means "Can you recommend a good doctor/dentist?"
- It's important to know that in public hospitals, most doctors and nurses do not speak English. Therefore, it's advisable to bring a translator or someone who can speak Romanian with you.
Symptoms and Complaints
When you visit a doctor or want to describe your symptoms, it's useful to know some of the common phrases and questions used in Romanian:
- Abdominal pain - durere abdominală (duˈre.re ab.do.mi.na.lə)
- Do you have any allergies? - Aveți vreo alergie? (a.veʦi vre.o a.ler.gje)
- I have a rash - Am o erupție cutanată (am o erup't͡si.e ku.ta.na.tə)
- I have been vomiting - Am vomat (am vo.mat)
- Sore throat - durere în gât (duˈre.re ɨn gɨt)
- How long have you had these symptoms? - De cât timp aveți aceste simptome? (de kɨt timp a.veʦi a.ˈt͡ʃes.te sim.p.to.me)
Medical Procedures and Treatments
If you need to have a medical procedure or treatment, these are some of the common terms you might encounter:
- Blood test - test de sânge (test de sɨn.d͡ʒe)
- Injection - injecție (in.d͡ʒek.t͡sie)
- Prescription - rețetă (re.t͡se.tə)
- X-ray - radiografie (ra.di.o.ɡra.fje)
- Surgery - operație (o.pe.ra.ʦje)
- To ask for a prescription, you can say "Mi-ați putea da o rețetă pentru acest medicament, vă rog?" (mee-aʦi pu.tea da o re.t͡se.tə pen.troo a.cest me.di.ka.ment, vah rohg) which means "Could you please give me a prescription for this medication?"
Emergencies
In case of an emergency, it's important to know how to call for help. In Romania, the emergency number is 112. Here are some useful phrases to know:
- Emergency - urgență (ur.ʤen.tə)
- Ambulance - ambulanță (am.bu.lan.tsə)
- Fire department - pompieri (pom.pjeri)
- Police - poliție (po.li.tsje)
- If you need to call for an ambulance, you can say "Am nevoie de o ambulanță urgent" (ahm neh-vo.ye de o am.bu.lan.tsə ur.ʤent) which means "I need an ambulance urgently".
Conclusion
That's it for this lesson on Romanian health and medical vocabulary. We hope that you found it useful and that you're now better prepared to handle health-related situations in Romania. Remember to always prioritize your well-being and seek medical attention when necessary. Good luck!
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