店员
Hello, what medicine do you need?
Beginner · 6-8 min
Buy Medicine at a Pharmacy去药店买药
After this scene, you can ask for cold medicine at a pharmacy, describe simple cold symptoms, understand basic dosage language, ask whether to take it before or after meals, and ask the price.
Learning
Core dialogue
你
I have a bit of a cold, and I'd like to buy cold medicine.
店员
Do you have a fever?
你
No, but I have a runny nose, and my throat also hurts a little.
店员
This one is okay. Three times a day, one tablet each time.
你
Should I take it before meals or after meals?
店员
Take it after meals.
你
Okay, how much is it?
店员
Twenty-five yuan.
你
Okay, thank you.
Key phrases
Pick a phrase and see what it means here, and how to reuse it.
Phrase Card
Phrase 1 of 6
gǎn感mào冒yào药
cold medicine
From the dialogue
你:我有点感冒，想买感冒药。
I have a bit of a cold, and I'd like to buy cold medicine.
Use it here
Use “感冒药” when asking for cold medicine at a pharmacy.
Say it another way
- wǒ我xiǎng想mǎi买gǎn感mào冒yào药。
I'd like to buy cold medicine.
- yǒu有gǎn感mào冒yào药ma吗？
Do you have cold medicine?
- zhè这ge个shì是gǎn感mào冒yào药ma吗？
Is this cold medicine?
Patterns
Pick a pattern and see how it helps you say new things in the same scene.
Pattern Card
Pattern 1 of 3
我有点 + Symptom
Use this pattern to say you have a mild symptom.
我有点症状
症状 = cold, cough, headache, etc.
From dialogue
- wǒ我yǒu有diǎn点gǎn感mào冒。
I have a bit of a cold.
Try also
- wǒ我yǒu有diǎn点ké咳sou嗽。
I have a bit of a cough.
- wǒ我yǒu有diǎn点tóu头téng疼。
I have a bit of a headache.
Common mistakes
Small fixes that make your Chinese sound natural.
1. Say 有点感冒 naturally
Not natural
我是感冒。
Natural
我有点感冒。
Why
For a mild condition, “我有点...” sounds natural. You can also say “我感冒了”.
2. Use 流鼻涕
Not natural
我流鼻子。
Natural
我流鼻涕。
Why
The natural phrase for a runny nose is 流鼻涕.
3. Use 片 for tablets
Not natural
一次一个药。
Natural
一次一片。
Why
For tablets, 片 is the common measure word.