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Japanese · Everyday topics · A1 to A2

Body and health: saying what hurts

頭atama · head目me · eye口kuchi · mouthお腹onaka · stomach手te · hand足ashi · leg, foot喉nodo · throat
足 ashi covers both leg and foot; 手 te covers hand and sometimes arm (腕 ude is the arm itself).

Short answer: to say something hurts, name the body part + が痛いです: 頭が痛いです, “I have a headache” (literally “my head is painful”). Symptoms use short set phrases: 熱があります (I have a fever), 咳が出ます (I have a cough). At a clinic you will be asked どうしましたか, “what’s the matter?”. In an emergency, dial 119 for an ambulance or fire, 110 for the police.

Body parts

Short native words, almost all written with one kanji.

〜が痛いです: it hurts

痛い is an い-adjective, “painful”. The body part takes が, and you leave out “my”.

頭あたまatamaheadがga(subject)痛いですいたいですitai desuis painful
Atama ga itai desu.“I have a headache.”Why: No “my”: whose head is obvious.
昨日きのうkinōsince yesterdayからkarafromお腹おなかonakastomachがga(subject)痛いですいたいですitai desuis painful
Kinō kara onaka ga itai desu.“My stomach has hurt since yesterday.”Why: から: “starting from”.
痛いいたいitaiouch
Itai!“Ouch!”Why: On its own, 痛い! is the Japanese “ouch”.

Symptoms

Each symptom is a fixed phrase. Learn them whole.

At the doctor

A short visit to a clinic (病院 or クリニック).

Doctor
どうしましたかdō shimashita kawhat happened?
Dō shimashita ka. · “What seems to be the problem?”The doctor’s first question.
Patient
喉のどnodothroatがga(subject)痛くていたくてitakuteis sore and熱ねつnetsufeverもmoalsoありますarimasuthere is
Nodo ga itakute, netsu mo arimasu. · “My throat is sore and I have a fever too.”くて links two symptoms.
Doctor
風邪かぜkazea coldですdesuisねne(I see)
Kaze desu ne. · “It’s a cold.”ね softens the diagnosis.
Doctor
お大事におだいじにodaiji nitake care
Odaiji ni. · “Get well soon.”Said to anyone who is ill.

Medicine and instructions

Words on medicine packets and from the pharmacist.

Staying healthy

Talking about exercise, sleep and diet.

毎日まいにちmainichievery day三十分さんじゅっぷんsanjuppun30 minutes歩くあるくarukuwalkようにyō niso as toしていますshite imasumake an effort
Mainichi sanjuppun aruku yō ni shite imasu.“I try to walk 30 minutes a day.”Why: ようにしている: make a habit of.
夜よるyorunightよくyokuwell眠れませんねむれませんnemuremasencan’t sleep
Yoru yoku nemuremasen.“I can’t sleep well at night.”Why: 眠る → 眠れる: can sleep.
お酒おさけosakealcoholをo(object)控えていますひかえていますhikaete imasuam cutting down
Osake o hikaete imasu.“I’m cutting down on alcohol.”Why: 控える: hold back on.

More body words

Words beyond the basics, useful at the doctor.

Check yourself

Say each one in Japanese, then open the answer to check and hear it.

  1. I have a headache.
    Show answer
    Atama ga itai desu.
  2. I have a fever.
    Show answer
    Netsu ga arimasu.
  3. I’ve caught a cold.
    Show answer
    Kaze o hikimashita.
  4. Please call an ambulance.
    Show answer
    Kyūkyūsha o yonde kudasai.
  5. Get well soon.
    Show answer
    Odaiji ni.
  6. three times a day, after meals
    Show answer
    ichinichi sankai, shokugo

Pharmacy and emergencies

Pharmacies (薬局, ドラッグストア) sell most everyday medicines. Emergency numbers are free from any phone.

Ambulance, fire: 119
Police: 110
Pharmacy
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Related guides

Next guideEmotionsHow you feel, not just where it hurts.Next guideい-adjectives痛い and its forms.Next guideThe て formてください for urgent requests.Next guideある and いる熱があります: symptoms with ある.