Intermediate · Korean Travel
Pharmacy and hospital vocabulary in Korean: symptoms, time, medicines and allergies
Describe a symptom without diagnosing it, disclose medicines and allergies, and confirm a pharmacist or clinician’s instructions.
Give facts a health professional can check
At a pharmacy or clinic, a long translation of “I feel terrible” may leave out the details that change the conversation. A short description can identify the body area, observable symptom, start time, current medicines and known allergies.
This intermediate travel lesson teaches Korean language for sharing those facts and asking what to do next. It does not identify an illness, select a drug or replace a pharmacist, doctor or emergency operator.
For a serious or rapidly worsening problem, seek professional help. Official visitor guidance identifies 119 for fire, rescue and ambulance emergencies in Korea. Do not delay an emergency call while trying to finish a Korean sentence.
Choose the service before memorising the sentence
| Place | Korean | Useful purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy | 약국 | Ask a pharmacist about non-prescription products, directions and whether medical care is needed. |
| Clinic | 의원 / 병원 | Receive an assessment, testing or a prescription when appropriate. |
| Emergency response | 119 | Request fire, rescue or ambulance help in an immediate emergency. |
병원 is a broad everyday word for a medical facility; signs may name a specific department or clinic. A pharmacy cannot replace an assessment when the problem needs one, and this lesson cannot decide where your symptoms belong.
If you are unsure whether a product requires a prescription or whether your situation needs a clinic, ask: 이 약은 처방전이 필요해요? (“Does this medicine require a prescription?”) and 병원에 가야 할까요? (“Should I go to a clinic or hospital?”).
Build a four-part symptom description
| Detail | Korean model | Working meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Body area | 배가 아파요. | My stomach/abdomen hurts. |
| Symptom | 기침이 나요. | I have a cough. |
| Start | 이틀 전부터 아팠어요. | It has hurt since two days ago. |
| Change | 오늘 더 심해졌어요. | It became worse today. |
| Temperature information | 체온이 삼십팔 도였어요. | My measured temperature was 38 degrees. |
Say what you observe or measured. 열이 있는 것 같아요 means “I think I may have a fever”; 체온이 삼십팔 도였어요 gives a measurement from a particular time. Neither sentence names the cause.
전부터 sets a starting point that continues into the relevant period. 이틀 동안 describes a two-day duration. Choose the expression that matches what you know instead of forcing an exact time from memory.
Recognise the questions that request more detail
| Possible question | Information requested | Example answer |
|---|---|---|
| 어디가 불편하세요? | Body area or main problem | 목이 아파요. |
| 언제부터 그랬어요? | Start time | 어젯밤부터요. |
| 다른 증상도 있어요? | Other symptoms | 기침도 나요. |
| 복용 중인 약이 있어요? | Current medicines | 네, 이 약을 먹고 있어요. |
| 약물 알레르기가 있어요? | Medicine allergies | 페니실린 알레르기가 있어요. |
The exact wording will differ. Listen for 어디, 언제부터, 다른 증상, 복용 중인 약 and 알레르기.
Show the medicine package or a clear record when a name is hard to pronounce. Do not guess the Korean brand name, active ingredient, dose or allergy. The VISITKOREA pharmacy guide recommends communicating the body area and allergies and suggests using a translation app or medicine photo when needed.
Separate current medicines, reactions and allergies
| Korean | Working meaning | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 지금 이 약을 복용하고 있어요. | I am currently taking this medicine. | Current medicine |
| 오늘 아침에 한 알 먹었어요. | I took one tablet this morning. | Most recent dose |
| 약을 먹고 발진이 났어요. | I developed a rash after taking the medicine. | Observed sequence |
| 약물 알레르기가 있어요. | I have a medicine allergy. | Known allergy |
| 알레르기인지 확실하지 않아요. | I am not sure whether it is an allergy. | Uncertainty |
-고 있어요 marks an ongoing situation here. 먹었어요 reports one past dose. Give the product, strength, amount and time from the label or record when possible.
“A reaction happened after a medicine” and “a medicine caused the reaction” are not automatically the same claim. Report the timing and symptoms, then let a qualified professional assess them.
Confirm the instructions before you leave
| Korean question | Meaning | Information to repeat back |
|---|---|---|
| 한 번에 몇 알 먹어요? | How many tablets do I take at one time? | Amount per dose |
| 하루에 몇 번 먹어요? | How many times a day do I take it? | Frequency |
| 식전이에요, 식후예요? | Is it before or after meals? | Meal timing |
| 며칠 동안 먹어요? | For how many days do I take it? | Duration |
| 졸릴 수 있어요? | Can it make me drowsy? | Possible effect to discuss |
| 이 약과 같이 먹어도 돼요? | Can I take it with this medicine? | Combination to check |
These are questions for the pharmacist or clinician who can see the actual products and your information. Do not infer a dose from the grammar example. Read the label, follow the professional instruction and ask again when the spoken answer and written directions seem different.
A useful confirmation is 제가 이해한 게 맞는지 확인할게요—“I will check whether I understood correctly.” Then repeat the amount, frequency and timing in your own words.
Ask for practical clinic information
| Korean | Meaning | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 진료를 받고 싶어요. | I would like to receive medical care. | State the task |
| 예약이 필요해요? | Do I need an appointment? | Access |
| 영어로 진료가 가능해요? | Is a consultation in English available? | Language |
| 오늘 진료를 받을 수 있어요? | Can I be seen today? | Availability |
| 보험 서류를 받을 수 있어요? | Can I receive insurance documents? | Documents |
| 통역이 필요해요. | I need an interpreter. | Communication need |
가능해요? asks whether something is possible; it does not guarantee that the service is currently available. Confirm language, hours, appointment rules and costs with the facility.
Keep identity, insurance, medicine and allergy information accessible. Share only what the care process requires, and ask what a form means before signing when you do not understand it.
Give the symptom, start time and medicine record
| Speaker | Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmacist | 어디가 불편하세요? | What is bothering you? |
| Traveler | 목이 아프고 기침이 나요. | My throat hurts and I have a cough. |
| Pharmacist | 언제부터 그랬어요? | Since when has it been like that? |
| Traveler | 어젯밤부터요. 오늘 더 심해졌어요. | Since last night. It became worse today. |
| Pharmacist | 복용 중인 약이나 약물 알레르기가 있어요? | Are you taking any medicines, or do you have any medicine allergies? |
| Traveler | 이 약을 매일 먹고 있어요. 약물 알레르기는 없다고 알고 있어요. | I take this medicine every day. As far as I know, I do not have a medicine allergy. |
| Traveler | 병원에 가야 할까요? | Should I go to a clinic or hospital? |
The traveler does not ask for a particular product or diagnose the cough. They give two symptoms, a start time, a change and a current medicine, then ask a professional whether medical assessment is needed.
없다고 알고 있어요 means “as far as I know, I do not have one.” Use 없어요 when you can state the fact directly, and explain uncertainty when your records are incomplete.
Report the facts and verify the instruction
- Say “My throat hurts and I have a cough.”
- Say that the problem began last night.
- The professional asks 복용 중인 약이 있어요? What should you provide?
- Report that you took one tablet this morning.
- Ask whether the medicine requires a prescription.
- Ask how many tablets to take at one time without choosing a dose yourself.
- Why should you distinguish “a rash appeared after the medicine” from a confirmed allergy?
- In the dialogue, list the facts the traveler gives before asking whether to see a doctor.
Check the answers and explanations
- 목이 아프고 기침이 나요. The two observable symptoms are joined with -고.
- 어젯밤부터요. In a fuller sentence: 어젯밤부터 그랬어요.
- Provide the current medicine name, strength and schedule from a reliable label or record, and show the package when pronunciation is difficult.
- 오늘 아침에 한 알 먹었어요. This reports amount and time; it is not a dosing recommendation.
- 이 약은 처방전이 필요해요? The professional can answer for the actual product.
- 한 번에 몇 알 먹어요? Confirm the answer against the actual label and instructions.
- The timing is an observation; whether it was an allergy needs professional assessment. State the symptoms and uncertainty accurately.
- A sore throat, cough, onset last night, worsening today, one medicine taken every day and no known medicine allergy.
Before travel, keep a clear medicine and allergy list that you can show. In practice, replace every invented detail in this lesson with your real documented information.
A small listening check
Pronunciation help: Track symptom, time and change
Listen for 어젯밤부터/목이/기침/더 심해졌어요 versus 오늘 아침부터/배가/나아졌어요.
Listen and choose
Play the sound, then select the Korean you heard. The answer buttons unlock after playback. This is one short practice item, not a pronunciation assessment.
Listen before choosing.
Official visitor health and language references
- VISITKOREA: Pharmacy Guide in Korea — Official visitor guidance on communicating body area and allergies, using translation or a medicine photo, and seeking a clinic for prescription or complex needs.
- VISITKOREA: disaster safety services — Current official visitor guidance identifies 119 for fire and ambulance emergencies and 112 for police.
- Korean–English Learners’ Dictionary — Check 약국, 증상, 복용하다, 처방전, 알레르기, 진료 and 통역 with learner examples and recordings.
- Korea From a Local: buying medicine in Korea — Related travel planning for finding pharmacies and preparing product information; verify current local service details.
- Korea From a Local: visiting a doctor in Korea — Related preparation for appointments, documents and payment questions.
Reviewed September 4, 2026. Found a mistake? Send a correction.