Health & Hospital

53 phrases · Malay with romanization, English and audio

  1. Kepala saya sakit

    Ke-pa-la sa-ya sa-kit

    My head hurts

    Usage

    Used to describe a headache to a doctor or pharmacist

    Grammar Note

    "Sakit" covers both pain and illness. Swap body parts: "Perut saya sakit" (stomach ache), "Gigi saya sakit" (toothache).

  2. Tolong bawa saya ke hospital

    To-long ba-wa sa-ya ke hos-pi-tal

    Please take me to the hospital

    Usage

    Used in emergencies to request transport to a hospital

    Grammar Note

    "Tolong" softens requests politely. Also remember: "Panggil ambulans!" (Call an ambulance!) for emergencies.

  3. Adakah ubat ini?

    A-da-kah u-bat i-ni?

    Is this medicine available?

    Usage

    Used at a pharmacy when looking for a specific medicine

    Grammar Note

    "Adakah" = "ada" (to exist) + question suffix "-kah". Show the medicine name written on paper for clarity.

  4. Saya alah kepada penisilin

    Sa-ya a-lah ke-pa-da pe-ni-si-lin

    I am allergic to penicillin

    Usage

    Informing a doctor or pharmacist about an allergy

    Grammar Note

    Pattern: "alah kepada X" (allergic to X). Swap allergen: "kacang" (nuts), "makanan laut" (seafood).

  5. Saya demam

    Sa-ya de-mam

    I have a fever

    Usage

    Reporting a fever to a doctor or others

    Grammar Note

    In Malay, subject + adjective/noun directly expresses symptoms. Add "Suhu badan saya tinggi" (My body temperature is high) for detail.

  6. Saya rasa mual

    Sa-ya ra-sa mu-al

    I feel nauseous

    Usage

    Used to describe nausea to a doctor

    Grammar Note

    "Rasa" (to feel) is a versatile verb for sensations. "Saya rasa pening" (I feel dizzy) follows the same pattern.

  7. Adakah doktor yang boleh bertutur dalam Bahasa Inggeris?

    A-da-kah dok-tor yang bo-leh ber-tu-tur da-lam Ba-ha-sa Ing-ge-ris?

    Is there a doctor who can speak English?

    Usage

    Finding an English-speaking doctor at a Malaysian hospital

    Grammar Note

    English is widely spoken in Malaysia; most hospitals have English-speaking staff. "Bahasa" (language) is from Sanskrit.

  8. Saya memerlukan bantuan kecemasan

    Sa-ya me-mer-lu-kan ban-tu-an ke-ce-mas-an

    I need emergency help

    Usage

    Calling for emergency assistance

    Grammar Note

    Malaysia's emergency number is 999 (or 112). Also remember: "Tolong! Kecemasan!" (Help! Emergency!).

  9. Saya cirit-birit

    Sa-ya ci-rit-bi-rit

    I have diarrhea

    Usage

    Describing gastrointestinal symptoms to a doctor

    Grammar Note

    "Cirit-birit" is colloquial but understood by all medical staff. In tropical Malaysia, watch out for foodborne illness and traveler's diarrhea.

  10. Boleh saya dapatkan preskripsi?

    Bo-leh sa-ya da-pat-kan pres-krip-si?

    Can I get a prescription?

    Usage

    Requesting a prescription from a doctor after a consultation

    Grammar Note

    "Boleh + verb" = can/may. In Malaysia, many medicines are OTC, but some require prescriptions at clinics (klinik).

  11. Hamil

    Pregnant

    Usage

    Show before any medicine or X-ray — it changes what is safe for you

  12. Asma

    Asthma

    Usage

    State as a pre-existing condition, or show during an attack

  13. Diabetes

    Usage

    Use when explaining dietary limits or insulin; colloquially "kencing manis"

  14. Darah tinggi

    High blood pressure

    Usage

    Tell staff about this condition; the formal term is "tekanan darah tinggi"

  15. Sakit jantung

    Heart disease

    Usage

    Tell medical staff you have a heart condition

  16. Epilepsi

    Epilepsy

    Usage

    Medical term for epilepsy; the colloquial "sawan" covers convulsions in general, so use this word in a clinic

  17. Insurans

    Insurance

    Usage

    Show at reception to ask whether insurance is accepted; Malaysian spelling is "insurans" (Indonesian uses "asuransi")

  18. Patah tulang

    Broken bone

    Usage

    Say you may have a fracture while pointing at the spot

  19. Sesak nafas

    Short of breath

    Usage

    Show when you cannot speak because of breathing trouble; Malaysian spelling "nafas" (Indonesian "napas")

  20. Pening

    Dizzy

    Usage

    Dizziness or light-headedness; a headache is "sakit kepala". Do not use Indonesian "pusing" — in Malay it means "to turn/rotate"

  21. Berdarah

    Bleeding

    Usage

    Show that you are bleeding while pointing at the site

  22. Luka bakar

    Burn

    Usage

    A burn injury; a scald from hot liquid is also called "melecur"

  23. Luka

    Wound

    Usage

    The wound itself — a cut, graze, or open injury

  24. Telinga

    Ear

    Usage

    Body part to point at when your ear is the problem

  25. Leher

    Neck

    Usage

    Body part for neck pain; a sore throat uses "tekak" instead

  26. Bahu

    Shoulder

    Usage

    Body part to point at for shoulder pain

  27. Lutut

    Knee

    Usage

    Body part to point at for knee pain

  28. Jari

    Finger

    Usage

    Finger; a toe is "jari kaki"

  29. Kulit

    Skin

    Usage

    Skin of the body; the same word also means peel or leather, so point at your body while showing it

  30. Lengan

    Arm

    Usage

    The arm specifically; "tangan" covers hand and arm together

  31. Hidung

    Nose

    Usage

    Body part to point at for nose trouble

  32. Batuk

    Cough

    Usage

    Say you have a cough; also works at a pharmacy when asking for cough medicine

  33. Gatal

    Itchy

    Usage

    Itchiness — always show it while pointing at the affected spot; aimed at a person on its own it can be read as the slang sense "lecherous"

  34. Ruam

    Rash

    Usage

    Say you have a rash while showing the skin

  35. Sembelit

    Constipation

    Usage

    Hard to say out loud — show it at the pharmacy or clinic instead

  36. Haid

    Period (menstruation)

    Usage

    The normal word at a Malaysian clinic or pharmacy; the everyday euphemism is "datang bulan"

  37. Kumpulan darah

    Blood group

    Usage

    Blood group: "kumpulan" is group and "darah" is blood. You will be asked for it before a transfusion or surgery

  38. Sijil perubatan

    Medical certificate

    Usage

    A doctor's certificate, needed for insurance claims or for extending a stay

  39. Kemasukan ke hospital

    Hospital admission

    Usage

    Admission to hospital; "kemasukan" is the act of entering

  40. Seram sejuk

    Chills

    Usage

    The chill you feel when a fever is coming on; the same phrase also covers a shiver of fear

  41. Selesema

    Common cold

    Usage

    A cold with a runny nose; with fever it is "demam selesema"

  42. Panggil doktor!

    Pang-gil 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

    The object slot of "Panggil polis!" filled with "doktor" from "Saya perlukan doktor".

  43. Sakit di sini.

    Sa-kit di si-ni.

    It hurts here

    Usage

    Point at the spot while saying this to a doctor

    Grammar Note

    Combines "sakit" from «Kepala saya sakit» ("Kepala saya sakit" — my head hurts) with "Di sini" (here). Since the card is used while pointing, this is all the location word that is needed.

  44. Saya rasa tidak sihat.

    Sa-ya ra-sa ti-dak si-hat.

    I feel sick

    Usage

    Tells a doctor that you feel unwell when you cannot name the problem

    Grammar Note

    The "Saya rasa + state word" frame of «Saya rasa mual» ("Saya rasa mual" — I feel nauseous) with "tidak sihat" from "Saya tidak sihat". Rasa means to feel.

  45. Badan saya lemah.

    Ba-dan sa-ya le-mah.

    My body feels sluggish

    Usage

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

    Grammar Note

    The same "body part + saya + state word" frame as "Kepala saya sakit". "Badan" is the word of "Belakang badan". "lemah" means "tidak bertenaga; tidak kuat" (without energy, not strong); for example, "Badannya ~ kerana tidak cukup tidur" — his body is weak from insufficient sleep.

  46. Saya muntah beberapa kali.

    Sa-ya mun-tah be-be-ra-pa ka-li.

    I have vomited several times

    Usage

    Tells a doctor how many times you have thrown up

    Grammar Note

    The same "Saya + symptom word" frame as «Saya cirit-birit» ("Saya cirit-birit" — I have diarrhoea). Malay verbs do not inflect; tense comes from context. "Beberapa" is from «Ada tawaran mencicip beberapa wain?» and "kali" from "Ini kali pertama saya ke sini". "Saya rasa mual" is nausea, which is not the same as having actually vomited.

  47. Adakah saya perlu berehat?

    A-da-kah sa-ya per-lu be-re-hat?

    Do I need to rest?

    Usage

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

    Grammar Note

    The question marker "Adakah" of "Adakah ubat ini?" with "perlu" from "Adakah perlu membuat temujanji?" and "berehat" from «Saya penat — jom berehat sebentar.» ("jom berehat sebentar").

  48. Cirit-birit

    Diarrhea

    Usage

    Names the symptom in one word; an ordinary term understood at pharmacies and clinics alike

    Grammar Note

    cirit-birit means "sakit terberak-berak" (an illness of repeated bowel movements). It is a reduplicated form. Example: "Saya cirit-birit".

  49. Buang air besar

    Poop

    Usage

    The polite, safe way to say "poop" (literally "discard the big water"); fine with children and at a clinic. The blunter "berak" is coarse, so avoid it

    Grammar Note

    "buang air besar" is the refined form (bh = bahasa halus) of "berak". "Buang air" is a euphemism for relieving oneself.

  50. Kencing

    Pee

    Usage

    The everyday word for "pee", used both as a noun (urine) and a verb (to urinate). At a clinic, "air kencing" means urine. The more formal phrase is "buang air kecil"

    Grammar Note

    kencing is both a noun (short for "air kencing", urine) and a verb (berkencing = buang air kecil). "Kencing manis" is the colloquial name for diabetes, so do not confuse it with kencing alone.

  51. Saya sembelit

    Sa-ya sem-be-lit

    I'm constipated

    Usage

    Tells a doctor or pharmacist that you are constipated

    Grammar Note

    The same "Saya + symptom word" frame as "Saya cirit-birit". "Sembelit" is the word of «Sembelit». It means "sukar buang air besar" (difficulty passing stool).

  52. Saya nak kencing

    Sa-ya nak ken-cing

    I need to pee

    Usage

    The ordinary way to tell a companion or a child that you need to pee. For a more polite version, say "Saya nak buang air kecil"

    Grammar Note

    "Saya nak ..." is the same frame as "Saya nak tempah bilik". "Kencing" is the word of «Kencing». "nak" is the short form of "hendak" (to want to).

  53. Saya nak buang air besar

    Sa-ya nak bu-ang a-ir be-sar

    I need to poop

    Usage

    The ordinary way to tell a companion or a child that you need to poop, using the safe form instead of the coarse "berak"

    Grammar Note

    The same "Saya nak + verb" frame as "Saya nak kencing". "Buang air besar" is the phrase of «Buang air besar», which is the refined form (bh) of berak.

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