italiano · A2 · vocabulary · 4 minutes
Health and the pharmacy
Describe a symptom, its duration, and the treatment you need.
Understand the choice
Health communication separates the painful area, duration, additional symptoms, and requested medicine. Use ho mal di…, ho…da…, and qualcosa contro….
Core rule: Da + time with present describes a state continuing to now; contro introduces the symptom treated.
Notice it in context
Da ieri ho mal di gola e un po’ di febbre.
Since yesterday I have had a sore throat and a slight fever.
Da ieri establishes ongoing duration; ho stays present; mal di gola and febbre are symptoms.
In farmacia compro delle compresse contro la tosse.
At the pharmacy I buy tablets for the cough.
Farmacia, compresse, and tosse connect place, treatment, and target.
Per questa medicina serve la ricetta.
A prescription is required for this medicine.
Medicina is the item; ricetta is subject of serve.
What to remember
- Ricetta means both prescription and recipe.
- Raffreddore is a cold; freddo is cold temperature.
Common trap: Do not use sono febbre. Say ho la febbre or ho un po’ di febbre.