Pharmacy & Health

1. ちぶるやんぬ くすいや あいびーみ？

   Chi-bu-ru-yan-nu ku-sui-ya a-i-bii-mi?

   Do you have headache medicine?

   Usage

   Ask for headache medicine at a pharmacy in Okinawa

   Grammar Note

   "Headache" is the single word chiburuyan (CiburujaN): chiburu "head" plus yan "ailment". Medicine is kusui, and aibiimi is the polite question form of "there is"

2. いーぬ くすいぬ ふさいびーん

   Ii-nu ku-sui-nu fu-sa-i-bii-n

   I need stomach medicine

   Usage

   Use when you need stomach medicine

   Grammar Note

   "Stomach" is ii (?ii). "To want" is fusan (husjaN); Okinawan adjectives become polite by swapping the -san ending for -saibiin, as in yutasan to yutasaibiin

3. くだしぬ くすいぬ ふさいびーん

   Ku-da-shi-nu ku-sui-nu fu-sa-i-bii-n

   I need anti-diarrhea medicine

   Usage

   Ask for anti-diarrhea medicine

   Grammar Note

   "Diarrhoea" is kudashi (kudasi; the verb is kudashun). There is no single word for an anti-diarrhoeal, so you ask for "diarrhoea medicine"

4. にちぬ んじとーいびーん

   Ni-chi-nu n-ji-too-i-bii-n

   I have a fever

   Usage

   Tell the pharmacist you have a fever

   Grammar Note

   "Fever" is nichi (niCi) and "to come out" is njiyun (?Nzi=juN), whose progressive is njitoon. Beware of uwaa, which means "pig", and hwiisan, which means "cold" — neither has anything to do with a fever

5. アレルギーぬ あいびーん

   A-re-ru-gii-nu a-i-bii-n

   I have an allergy

   Usage

   Inform the pharmacist about your allergy

   Grammar Note

   Arerugii is the same loanword as in Japanese. "There is" is an (?aN) in Okinawan, and its polite form is aibiin

6. ばんそーこーぬ ふさいびーん

   Ban-soo-koo-nu fu-sa-i-bii-n

   I need bandages/plasters

   Usage

   Ask for bandages or plasters at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   Bansookoo is a modern word; the Japanese word is used unchanged, and Japanese works fine in Okinawan pharmacies

7. むしよけスプレーぬ ふさいびーん

   Mu-shi-yo-ke-su-pu-ree-nu fu-sa-i-bii-n

   I need insect repellent

   Usage

   Ask for insect repellent at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   "Insect" is mushi (musi), the same as in Japanese. Yoke supuree stays Japanese; Japanese works fine in Okinawan pharmacies

8. ひやけどめぬ ふさいびーん

   Hi-ya-ke-do-me-nu fu-sa-i-bii-n

   I need sunscreen

   Usage

   Ask for sunscreen at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   Sunscreen uses the Japanese word as is. The sun itself is tiida in Okinawan

9. くぬ くすいや ちゃーし ぬまびーが？

   Ku-nu ku-sui-ya chaa-shi nu-ma-bii-ga?

   How do I take this medicine?

   Usage

   Ask the pharmacist how to take the medicine

   Grammar Note

   Chaa means "how" and chaashi (caasi) is "in what way". "To drink, to take" is nunun (nu=nuN); its polite form is numabiin, which becomes numabiiga in a question containing a question word

10. ふぇーぜーがちや いりゆー やいびーみ？

    Fee-zee-ga-chi-ya i-ri-yuu ya-i-bii-mi?

    Do I need a prescription?

    Usage

    Check if a prescription is needed

    Grammar Note

    "Necessary" is iriyuu (?irijuu). "Prescription" is hweeZeegaci (fee-zee-gachi)

11. くだしぐすいぬ ふさいびーん

    Ku-da-shi-gu-sui-nu fu-sa-i-bii-n

    A laxative, please

    Usage

    To ask for a laxative at a pharmacy when constipated. It differs from the "diarrhea medicine", so show the card so the two are not confused

    Grammar Note

    "Laxative" is kudasigusui. There is no separate word for a constipation medicine; the laxative serves that role. The construction is "~nu fusaibiin".

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