Asking for something at the pharmacy

1. 1
   pharmacy/ˈfɑːrməsi/

   noun

   The shop that sells medicine.
2. 2
   medicine/ˈmedəsən/

   noun

   Something you take to get better.
3. 3
   tablet/ˈtæblət/

   noun

   A small hard piece of medicine you swallow.
4. 4
   prescription/prəˈskrɪpʃən/

   noun

   A doctor's written order for medicine.
5. 5
   counter/ˈkaʊntər/

   noun

   The surface you are served across.
6. 6
   dose/doʊs/

   noun

   How much medicine to take at once.
7. 7
   cream/kriːm/

   noun

   A soft substance you rub on the skin.
8. 8
   cough/kɑːf/iAlso said kɔːf.

   noun

   A sudden noisy push of air from the chest.
9. 9
   strong/strɔːŋ/

   adjective

   Having a powerful effect.
10. 10
    advice/ædˈvaɪs/iAlso said ədˈvaɪs.

    noun

    An opinion about what you should do.

The sentences

1. Is there a pharmacy open near here?

2. I need medicine for a bad throat.

3. Is one tablet enough for the pain?

4. Do I need a prescription for this?

5. Can I buy it over the counter?

6. What is the usual dose for an adult?

7. Is there a cream that would help?

8. Something for a cough at night please.

9. Do you have anything strong for pain?

10. Could I ask your advice about this?

Pronunciation

• pharmacy/ˈfɑːrməsi/

  The PH is an F: FAR-ma-cy.

• medicine/ˈmedəsən/

  Often two syllables in speech: MED-sin.

• prescription/prəˈskrɪpʃən/

  Stress the second syllable and the TI is SH: pre-SCRIP-shun.

• dose/doʊs/

  One syllable ending in an S sound, not a Z.

• advice/ædˈvaɪs/

  The noun ends in an S sound. The verb advise ends in a Z.

Questions

What do I say if I don't know whether I need a prescription?

You can ask 'Do I need a prescription for this?' or whether you can buy it 'over the counter', meaning without one.

What does dose mean?

Dose is how much medicine to take at once, as in 'What is the usual dose for an adult?'

How do I ask for something for a cough?

You say 'Something for a cough at night please' to ask for something that helps at night.