Health & Hospital

31 phrases · Swiss German with romanization, English and audio

  1. Ich ha Chopfweh

    I have a headache

    Usage

    The basic sentence for telling a doctor, pharmacist or companion about a headache; the ending -weh means ache

    Grammar Note

    composed: Chopfweh is Chopf (head) + weh (ache); Buuchweh and Halsweh are built the same way

  2. Ich ha Buuchweh

    I have a stomachache

    Usage

    Used to describe a stomachache to a doctor or pharmacist

    Grammar Note

    composed: Buuchweh is Buuch (belly) + weh (ache)

  3. Ich ha Halsweh

    I have a sore throat

    Usage

    The basic sentence for a sore throat

    Grammar Note

    composed: Halsweh is Hals (neck, throat) + weh (ache)

  4. Ich ha Fieber

    I have a fever

    Usage

    Tells a doctor or people nearby that you have a fever

    Grammar Note

    composed: Fieber has the same form as in Standard German and is used without an article

  5. Ich ha Hueschte

    I have a cough

    Usage

    Tells a pharmacist or doctor that you have a cough

    Grammar Note

    composed: Hueschte is the noun for cough, used without an article; its spelling varies between writers

  6. Ich ha Schnupfe

    I have a runny nose

    Usage

    Used at a pharmacy for a head cold; can be combined with the word for cough

    Grammar Note

    composed: Schnupfe is the noun for a head cold, used without an article

  7. Ich ha en Sunnebrand

    I have a sunburn

    Usage

    Used after too much sun at the beach or in the mountains

    Grammar Note

    composed: Sunnebrand is Sunne (sun) + Brand (burn); masculine, so the indefinite article is en

  8. Ich bi chrank

    I am sick

    Usage

    The basic sentence for saying you are ill; also useful when telling a hotel or workplace

    Grammar Note

    chrank is the Standard German word krank, with the initial k turned into ch

  9. Ich bi schwanger

    I am pregnant

    Usage

    Tells a doctor, pharmacist or airline staff that you are pregnant

    Grammar Note

    composed: uses the adjective schwanger, which has the same form as in Standard German

  10. Mir isch übel

    I feel nauseous

    Usage

    Used with a doctor or companion when you feel nauseous

    Grammar Note

    composed: literally 'to me it is unwell', a dative construction built like Standard German Mir ist übel

  11. Es tuet mir da weh

    It hurts here

    Usage

    Said while pointing at the sore spot to a doctor or pharmacist

    Grammar Note

    composed: tuet ... weh means 'hurts', with the person in the dative mir

  12. Rüefed Sie bitte en Dokter!

    Please call a doctor

    Usage

    A polite request asking someone nearby to call a doctor

    Grammar Note

    composed: the polite imperative is the plural verb ending -ed followed by Sie

  13. Ich bruuche en Dokter

    I need a doctor

    Usage

    The basic sentence when you are unwell and want to see a doctor

    Grammar Note

    composed: the verb bruuche (need) takes its object directly

  14. Ich bruuche en Dokter, wo Änglisch redt

    I need a doctor who speaks English

    Usage

    Used by visitors looking for a doctor who can treat them in English

    Grammar Note

    composed: the relative clause is introduced by the particle wo (where Standard German has der), with the verb redt at the end

  15. Ich bruuche en Zahnarzt

    I need a dentist

    Usage

    Used when a toothache means you need to find a dentist

    Grammar Note

    composed: Zahnarzt has the same form as in Standard German

  16. Wo isch d nächscht Apotheke?

    Where is the nearest pharmacy?

    Usage

    Asks for the nearest pharmacy when you need medicine; signs read Apotheke

    Grammar Note

    composed: Apotheke is feminine; nächscht is the superlative form; the article for feminine nouns is d

  17. Händ Sie öppis gäge Schmerze?

    Do you have something for pain?

    Usage

    A polite request for something against pain at a pharmacy or hotel desk

    Grammar Note

    composed: the polite Sie takes the plural verb händ, and the question is formed by inversion

  18. Chönd Sie mir es Rezäpt schriibe?

    Could you write me a prescription?

    Usage

    A polite request to a doctor for a prescription

    Grammar Note

    composed: the polite Sie takes the plural chönd; Rezäpt is neuter

  19. d Nase

    Nose

    Usage

    A body part noun for telling a doctor where the problem is

    Grammar Note

    Feminine noun, so the article is d

  20. s Ohr

    Ear

    Usage

    A body part noun for telling a doctor about an ear problem

    Grammar Note

    Neuter noun, so the article is s; the plural is Ohre

  21. de Arm

    Arm

    Usage

    A body part noun for when you have hurt your arm

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun, so the article is de

  22. de Finger

    Finger

    Usage

    A body part noun for telling someone about a hurt finger

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun, so the article is de

  23. d Haut

    Skin

    Usage

    A body part noun for describing itching or a rash

    Grammar Note

    Feminine noun, so the article is d

  24. d Wunde

    Wound

    Usage

    A noun for showing a doctor an injury

    Grammar Note

    Feminine noun, so the article is d

  25. s Bluet

    Blood

    Usage

    A noun for telling someone about bleeding

    Grammar Note

    Neuter noun, so the article is s

  26. de Durchfall

    Diarrhea

    Usage

    A symptom noun for telling a doctor or pharmacist

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun, so the article is de. Dialect texts use the same form as Standard German, Durchfall (for example "Ich ha Durchfall")

  27. s Gaggi

    Poop

    Usage

    The child-friendly word for poop. The als.wikipedia article "Kot" lists it as "echli netter au Gaggi" (somewhat nicer: Gaggi)

    Grammar Note

    composed: words ending in -i are neuter, so the article s was used, but the gender is unconfirmed. Not for adult medical settings

  28. s Pipi

    Pee

    Usage

    The child-friendly word for pee; it also appears in Pipi-Pause (toilet break)

    Grammar Note

    composed: in Standard German Pipi is a neuter child-language word. Dialect texts use the same form (for example "pipi dri gmacht"), but the dialect gender is unconfirmed

  29. Ich ha Durchfall

    I have diarrhea

    Usage

    Tells a doctor or pharmacist that you have diarrhea

    Grammar Note

    composed: "Ich ha + symptom" states a symptom, like "Ich ha Fieber". Durchfall is used without an article

  30. Ich muess Pipi mache

    I need to pee

    Usage

    Tells a companion or child that you need to pee

    Grammar Note

    composed: "muess + infinitive" expresses necessity. "Pipi mache" matches the usage in dialect texts such as "pipi dri gmacht"

  31. Ich muess Gaggi mache

    I need to poop

    Usage

    Tells a companion or child that you need to poop

    Grammar Note

    composed: "muess + infinitive" expresses necessity. "Gaggi mache" is based on the corpus line "machi … Gaggi" (do Gaggi); examples in dialect texts are few

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