Health & the Body in Russian
Nobody plans to need this lesson — which is exactly why you learn it in advance. One pattern (у меня болит…) plus twenty words covers the pharmacy, the clinic and the sympathetic neighbour.
The Body
| Russian | English |
|---|---|
| голова | head |
| горло | throat |
| живот | stomach |
| спина | back |
| рука / нога | arm-hand / leg-foot (one word each!) |
| зуб | tooth |
Russian
голова
English
head
Russian
горло
English
throat
Russian
живот
English
stomach
Russian
спина
English
back
Russian
рука / нога
English
arm-hand / leg-foot (one word each!)
Russian
зуб
English
tooth
What Hurts
The having pattern plus one verb — the whole complaint:
| Russian | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| У меня болит голова. | My head hurts. | one thing → болит |
| У меня болят зубы. | My teeth hurt. | plural → болят |
| У неё болит горло. | Her throat hurts. | works for anyone: у + genitive |
Russian
У меня болит голова.
English
My head hurts.
Note
one thing → болит
Russian
У меня болят зубы.
English
My teeth hurt.
Note
plural → болят
Russian
У неё болит горло.
English
Her throat hurts.
Note
works for anyone: у + genitive
How You Feel
| Russian | English |
|---|---|
| Мне плохо. | I feel bad. |
| Мне лучше. | I feel better. |
| У меня температура. | I have a fever. |
| Вам надо к врачу. | You need to see a doctor. (к + dative) |
Russian
Мне плохо.
English
I feel bad.
Russian
Мне лучше.
English
I feel better.
Russian
У меня температура.
English
I have a fever.
Russian
Вам надо к врачу.
English
You need to see a doctor. (к + dative)
At the аптека
| Russian | English |
|---|---|
| аптека | pharmacy |
| лекарство | medicine |
| таблетка | pill |
| рецепт | prescription (and recipe!) |
Russian
аптека
English
pharmacy
Russian
лекарство
English
medicine
Russian
таблетка
English
pill
Russian
рецепт
English
prescription (and recipe!)
Doctors speak in вы-imperatives — recognize the -йте:
Врач
Что у вас болит?
What hurts?
Вы
У меня болит горло и голова.
My throat and head hurt.
Врач
Принимайте таблетки три раза в день. Пейте чай с мёдом. И отдыхайте!
Take the pills three times a day. Drink tea with honey. And rest!
Common Mistakes
- болит for plurals. Teeth hurt in the plural: болят зубы.
- «Я плохо». Feelings are dative: мне плохо.
- рука ≠ only hand. Рука is arm-and-hand, нога is leg-and-foot. Russian doesn't split them.
What You Can Do Now
You can describe symptoms, get the right medicine at a pharmacy, follow a doctor's instructions — and report the happy ending: мне лучше!