Pharmacy & Health

1. Ada ubat sakit kepala?

   Ada u-bat sa-kit ke-pa-la?

   Do you have headache medicine?

   Usage

   Ask for headache medicine at a pharmacy in Malaysia or Brunei

   Grammar Note

   "Ada...?" = "Is there? / Do you have?" Malay and Indonesian are very closely related

2. Saya perlukan ubat sakit perut

   Saya per-lu-kan u-bat sa-kit pe-rut

   I need stomach medicine

   Usage

   Use when you need stomach medicine

   Grammar Note

   "Perlukan" = "perlu" (need) + "-kan" (transitivizer suffix). Same root as Indonesian

3. Saya perlukan ubat cirit-birit

   Saya per-lu-kan u-bat ci-rit-bi-rit

   I need anti-diarrhea medicine

   Usage

   Ask for anti-diarrhea medicine

   Grammar Note

   "Cirit-birit" is the colloquial Malay term for diarrhea, featuring a reduplicated form

4. Saya demam

   Saya de-mam

   I have a fever

   Usage

   Tell the pharmacist you have a fever

   Grammar Note

   "Demam" is shared between Malay and Indonesian for fever

5. Saya ada alahan

   Saya a-da a-la-han

   I have an allergy

   Usage

   Inform the pharmacist about your allergy

   Grammar Note

   "Alahan" is the native Malay word for allergy. The loanword "alergi" is also used

6. Saya perlukan plaster luka

   Saya per-lu-kan plas-ter lu-ka

   I need bandages/plasters

   Usage

   Ask for bandages or plasters at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   "Plaster" is borrowed from English, same usage as Indonesian

7. Saya perlukan ubat penghalau nyamuk

   Saya per-lu-kan u-bat peng-ha-lau nya-muk

   I need insect repellent

   Usage

   Ask for insect repellent at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   "Penghalau" is the nominalized form of "halau" (to drive away)

8. Saya perlukan krim pelindung matahari

   Saya per-lu-kan krim pe-lin-dung ma-ta-ha-ri

   I need sunscreen

   Usage

   Ask for sunscreen at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   "Matahari" = "mata" (eye) + "hari" (day) = sun. A poetic compound meaning "eye of the day"

9. Bagaimana cara mengambil ubat ini?

   Ba-gai-ma-na ca-ra meng-am-bil u-bat i-ni?

   How do I take this medicine?

   Usage

   Ask the pharmacist how to take the medicine

   Grammar Note

   "Mengambil ubat" = take medicine. Very similar to Indonesian "mengambil obat"

10. Perlukah saya preskripsi doktor?

    Per-lu-kah sa-ya pres-krip-si dok-tor?

    Do I need a prescription?

    Usage

    Check if a prescription is needed

    Grammar Note

    A prescription is "preskripsi" — the same word as "Preskripsi" and "Boleh saya dapatkan preskripsi?". "Resit" means only a slip of paper confirming payment or receipt of goods, i.e. a receipt, and cannot mean a prescription (borrowed from English "receipt"). Many medicines are available over the counter in Malaysia

11. Preskripsi

    Prescription

    Usage

    The prescription itself — show it to ask whether one is required

12. Farmasi

    Pharmacy

    Usage

    Show it to ask where a pharmacy is; Malaysia uses "farmasi" — Indonesian "apotek" is not the local word

13. Termometer

    Thermometer

    Usage

    Show when you want to buy a thermometer

14. Pembalut luka

    Bandage

    Usage

    Wound dressing — say "luka" too, because "pembalut" alone can also mean a sanitary pad

15. Antiseptik

    Antiseptic

    Usage

    Ask for antiseptic to clean a wound

16. Pelitup muka

    Face mask

    Usage

    Hygiene mask — the word used on Malaysian signage and in pharmacies (Indonesian says "masker")

17. Tuala wanita

    Sanitary pads

    Usage

    Sanitary pads — the shelf label in Malaysia; Indonesian uses "pembalut" for this

18. Kondom

    Condom

    Usage

    Point at it instead of asking out loud

19. Ubat titis mata

    Eye drops

    Usage

    Ask for eye drops ("titis" = drop)

20. Koyok

    Medicated patch

    Usage

    Pain-relief patch for shoulders or back; this colloquial name is understood in Malaysian pharmacies, the formal term is "plaster ubat"

21. Ubat demam

    Fever medicine

    Usage

    Ask for something to bring a fever down; the formal term is "ubat penurun demam"

22. Saya perlukan ubat sembelit

    Sa-ya per-lu-kan u-bat sem-be-lit

    A laxative, please

    Usage

    Used at a pharmacy when constipated. "Ubat julap" (purgative) is also understood

    Grammar Note

    "Saya perlukan ubat cirit-birit" with cirit-birit swapped for sembelit. "Ubat + symptom" makes "medicine for ...". Julap means "ubat untuk mencuci perut" (medicine to cleanse the bowels), a purgative.

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