Health & Hospital

1. Nasakitan ko sa ulo

   Na-sa-ki-tan ko sa u-lo

   I have a headache

   Usage

   Describe a headache to a doctor or pharmacist

   Grammar Note

   "Nasakitan" = "na-" (passive) + "sakit" (pain) + "-an" (locative focus). Patient-focus constructions are common in Cebuano.

2. Kinahanglan nako ang doktor

   Ki-na-hang-lan na-ko ang dok-tor

   I need a doctor

   Usage

   Ask hotel staff or bystanders to get a doctor

   Grammar Note

   "Ang" is the nominative marker. "Kinahanglan nako ang X" = "I need X" — a versatile pattern for expressing necessity.

3. Adunay serbisyo sa emergency diri?

   A-du-nay ser-bis-yo sa e-mer-gen-cy di-ri?

   Is there emergency service here?

   Usage

   Locate emergency services in an urgent situation

   Grammar Note

   "Adunay" = "aduna" (there is) + linker "'y". Philippines emergency number is 911. Cebu City has several major hospitals.

4. Alerdyi ko sa pinisilin

   A-ler-dyi ko sa pi-ni-si-lin

   I am allergic to penicillin

   Usage

   Tell a doctor about a penicillin allergy

   Grammar Note

   "Sa" is a versatile preposition (to/at/from). "Alerdyi ko sa X" (I'm allergic to X) is critical to remember before any medical treatment.

5. Asa ang pinakaduol nga botika?

   A-sa ang pi-na-ka-du-ol nga bo-ti-ka?

   Where is the nearest pharmacy?

   Usage

   Find the nearest pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   "Pinaka-" forms superlatives (equivalent to "most"). The Cebuano word for "near" is "duol" (not Tagalog "lapit"). "Botika" comes from Spanish "botica". Mercury Drug and Watson's are popular pharmacy chains in the Philippines.

6. Masakit ang akong tiyan

   Ma-sa-kit ang a-kong ti-yan

   My stomach hurts

   Usage

   Describe stomach pain to a doctor or companion

   Grammar Note

   "Masakit" = "ma-" (stative) + "sakit" (pain). "Ang akong [body part]" = "my [body part]" — a useful pattern for medical descriptions.

7. Kinahanglan ba nako og reseta?

   Ki-na-hang-lan ba na-ko og re-se-ta?

   Do I need a prescription?

   Usage

   Ask the pharmacist if a prescription is required

   Grammar Note

   "Ba" is Cebuano's question particle, placed in the second position of the sentence (right after the first word). "Reseta" is from Spanish. Many Philippine pharmacies sell OTC medicines without prescription.

8. Dunay klinika duol diri?

   Du-nay kli-ni-ka du-ol di-ri?

   Is there a clinic near here?

   Usage

   Look for a nearby clinic or medical facility

   Grammar Note

   "Dunay" is a colloquial shortening of "adunay". The word for a clinic is "klinika". Clinics are common near malls and tourist areas in Cebu City, and barangay health centers are also accessible.

9. Nagsuka ko og pirmi

   Nag-su-ka ko og pir-mi

   I have been vomiting repeatedly

   Usage

   Report repeated vomiting to a doctor

   Grammar Note

   "Nag-" is the active voice prefix for actor-focus verbs. "Pirmi" comes from Spanish "firme" and means "always/repeatedly".

10. Adunay koy health insurance

    A-du-nay koy health in-su-rance

    I have health/travel insurance

    Usage

    Inform a hospital that you have health or travel insurance

    Grammar Note

    "Koy" = "ko" + linker "'y" for possession, so "Adunay koy X" = "I have X". Show your insurance card or documents for smoother processing at hospitals.

11. Mabdos ko

    I am pregnant

    Usage

    Show this first — it changes what medicine or X-rays are allowed

12. Hubak

    Asthma

    Usage

    Tell a doctor or pharmacist about this condition

13. Diabetes

    Usage

    The English word is what is used in Cebuano too

14. High blood

    High blood pressure

    Usage

    In Cebu "high blood" is the everyday term; the full Cebuano form is taas nga presyon sa dugo

15. Sakit sa kasingkasing

    Heart disease

    Usage

    Tell a doctor about a heart condition; kasingkasing is the heart

16. Epilepsy

    Usage

    Tell staff about this condition; a seizure itself is called kombulsyon

17. Health insurance

    Usage

    Say at reception that you have insurance; avoid seguro, which means "maybe" in Cebuano

18. Nabali ang bukog

    Broken bone

    Usage

    Say you may have a broken bone; point at the spot as you show it

19. Naglisod ko og ginhawa

    I have trouble breathing

    Usage

    Say you are struggling to breathe without having to speak

20. Nalipong ko

    I feel dizzy

    Usage

    For dizziness or light-headedness

21. Nagdugo

    It is bleeding

    Usage

    Point at the bleeding spot as you show this

22. Napaso

    Burn (injury)

    Usage

    Point at the burn as you show this

23. Samad

    Wound / cut

    Usage

    For a cut or a graze

24. Ubo

    Cough

    Usage

    Tell a pharmacy you have a cough

25. Katol

    Itchy

    Usage

    For itching from insect bites or a rash

26. Rashes sa panit

    Skin rash

    Usage

    Point at the affected skin; in Cebu the English word "rashes" is used as-is

27. Dili ko makalibang

    I am constipated

    Usage

    Says you cannot move your bowels; tibi is avoided because it can mean tuberculosis

28. Naa koy regla

    I am on my period

    Usage

    Regla is the ordinary Cebuano word for menstruation

29. Panugnaw

    Chill

    Usage

    The noun for a chill or the feeling of cold; the root "tugnaw" means cold

30. Sip-on

    Common cold

    Usage

    The common cold; the same word also means a runny nose or nasal mucus

31. Tawagi ang doktor!

    Ta-wa-gi ang dok-tor!

    Please call a doctor

    Usage

    Asks someone on the spot to call a doctor, for instance when a person has collapsed

    Grammar Note

    "Tawagi" is tawag (to call) with the imperative suffix -i; the person to be called follows as "ang + noun" (same pattern as "Tawagi ang pulis!").

32. Masakit diri.

    Ma-sa-kit di-ri.

    It hurts here

    Usage

    Point at the spot while saying this to a doctor

    Grammar Note

    Cebuano puts the predicate first: "Masakit" (painful) followed by the place word "diri" (here) already means "It hurts here."

33. Luya ang akong lawas.

    Lu-ya ang a-kong la-was.

    My body feels sluggish

    Usage

    Tells a doctor that you feel weak and without energy, as with a fever or exhaustion

    Grammar Note

    The "state word + ang akong + body part" frame (predicate first). "Luya" describes being weak or without strength, and "ang akong lawas" means "my body".

34. Kinahanglan ba ko og pahulay?

    Ki-na-hang-lan ba ko og pa-hu-lay?

    Do I need to rest?

    Usage

    Checks with the doctor after an examination whether you need to rest

    Grammar Note

    "Kinahanglan ko og + noun" (I need ...) becomes a question when the particle "ba" is placed in second position, right after the first word. "Og pahulay" means "rest" (as the needed thing).

35. Kalibanga

    Diarrhea

    Usage

    Names diarrhea; show it to a doctor or pharmacist to describe the symptom. "Pagtae" can also express diarrhea

36. Konstipasyon

    Constipation

    Usage

    Names constipation; show it to a doctor or pharmacist. A word of English/Spanish origin that is readily understood in medical settings. The native term is "pagtubol" (tubol = hard stool)

37. Tae

    Poop

    Usage

    The ordinary word for feces, usable at a clinic or with children. Shouting "Tae!" at a person is an insult, so use it only as the name of the thing

38. Ihi

    Pee

    Usage

    The ordinary word for urine, usable at a clinic or with children. The verb is "mangihi" (to pee)

39. Adunay koy kalibanga

    I have diarrhea

    Usage

    Tell a doctor or pharmacist that you have diarrhea

    Grammar Note

    "Adunay koy + noun" means "I have ...". "Adunay" (there is) takes ko (I) in the contracted form "koy". The basic frame for stating a symptom or something you have.

40. Gusto kong mangihi

    I need to pee

    Usage

    The ordinary way to tell a companion or a child that you need to pee; neither overly polite nor crude

    Grammar Note

    "Gusto kong + verb" means "I want to ...". Gusto (want) takes ko (I), and the linker -ng joins it to the verb. Mangihi (to pee) is the verb formed from the noun ihi (pee).

41. Gusto kong molibang

    I need to poop

    Usage

    The ordinary way to tell a companion or a child that you need to poop; neither overly polite nor crude

    Grammar Note

    The "Gusto kong + verb" frame ("I want to ..."). Libang is a verb meaning "to defecate"; mo- gives the intentional/future form. It avoids the noun tae, so there is no risk of sounding abusive

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