Health & Hospital

1. Man vajag ārstu

   man VA-jag ĀR-stu

   I need a doctor

   Usage

   Used to indicate that medical attention is urgently needed

   Grammar Note

   "Vajag" is an impersonal verb meaning "to need". The pattern is dative "man" (to me) + vajag + accusative object

2. Man ir stipras galvassāpes

   man ir STIP-ras GAL-vas-sā-pes

   I have a severe headache

   Usage

   Used to describe a severe headache to a doctor or pharmacist

   Grammar Note

   "Galvassāpes" = galva (head) + sāpes (pain, plural). Latvian often uses plural for types of pain: "sāpes" is inherently plural

3. Esmu alerģisks pret riekstiem

   ES-mu A-ler-ģisks pret RIEK-stiem

   I am allergic to nuts

   Usage

   Used to inform about a nut allergy before eating (male speaker)

   Grammar Note

   A female speaker says "alerģiska". "Pret" is a preposition meaning "against/towards". It governs the accusative/dative

4. Kur ir tuvākā aptieka?

   kur ir TU-vā-kā AP-tie-ka?

   Where is the nearest pharmacy?

   Usage

   Used to find the nearest pharmacy when medicine is needed

   Grammar Note

   "Aptieka" is feminine, so the adjective "tuvākā" is also feminine. Latvian pharmacies display a green cross sign

5. Man ir drudzis

   man ir DRU-dzis

   I have a fever

   Usage

   Used to report a fever to a medical professional

   Grammar Note

   "Man ir drudzis" = dative possession construction (to me there is a fever). Latvian uses dative for health states

6. Izsauciet ātrās palīdzības mašīnu!

   IZ-sau-ciet ĀT-rās PA-lī-dzī-bas MA-šī-nu!

   Call an ambulance!

   Usage

   Used in an emergency to call for an ambulance

   Grammar Note

   "Ātrā palīdzība" literally means "fast aid" — the formal Latvian term for ambulance service. Emergency number: 112

7. Man ir cukura diabēts

   man ir CU-ku-ra DI-a-bēts

   I have diabetes

   Usage

   Used to inform a doctor or emergency responder of a diabetes diagnosis

   Grammar Note

   "Cukura" is the genitive of "cukurs" (sugar). "Cukura diabēts" is the formal Latvian term for diabetes mellitus

8. Man vajag pretsāpju zāles

   man VA-jag PRET-sāp-ju ZĀ-les

   I need painkillers

   Usage

   Used to request pain medication at a pharmacy or hospital

   Grammar Note

   "Pret-" prefix means "anti-/against". "Pretsāpju" = anti-pain. "Zāles" is the plural of "zāle" (medicine/drug)

9. Vai varu pierakstīties pie ārsta?

   vai VA-ru PIE-rak-stī-ties pie ĀR-sta?

   Can I make an appointment with a doctor?

   Usage

   Used to request a medical appointment at a clinic

   Grammar Note

   "Pie" is a preposition meaning "at/by (the place of)" governing the genitive. "Pie ārsta" = at the doctor's

10. Man ir grūtības ar elpošanu

    man ir GRŪ-tī-bas ar EL-po-ša-nu

    I am having difficulties breathing

    Usage

    Used to report breathing difficulties to a doctor or emergency responder

    Grammar Note

    "Ar elpošanu" uses preposition "ar" (with/in) + accusative. "Elpošana" (breathing) → accusative "elpošanu"

11. Grūtniecība

    GRŪT-nie-cī-ba

    Pregnancy

    Usage

    Show first — it changes what medication or X-rays are allowed; point at yourself

12. Astma

    Asthma

    Usage

    Declare as a pre-existing condition; an inhaler is "inhalators"

13. Augsts asinsspiediens

    High blood pressure

    Usage

    Clinical charts use "paaugstināts asinsspiediens" or "hipertensija"

14. Sirds slimība

    sirds SLI-mī-ba

    Heart disease

    Usage

    Declare as a pre-existing condition

15. Epilepsija

    Epilepsy

    Usage

    Lets bystanders understand a seizure

16. Veselības apdrošināšana

    VE-se-lī-bas AP-dro-ši-nā-ša-na

    Health insurance

    Usage

    Show at reception; "apdrošināšana" alone can mean any kind of insurance

17. Kaula lūzums

    KAU-la LŪ-zums

    Bone fracture

    Usage

    Say you suspect a fracture, then point at the body part

18. Reibonis

    Dizziness

    Usage

    Report as a symptom

19. Asiņošana

    A-si-ņo-ša-na

    Bleeding

    Usage

    Report that you are bleeding

20. Apdegums

    Burn

    Usage

    A burn; sunburn is "saules apdegums"

21. Brūce

    BRŪ-ce

    Wound

    Usage

    An open wound such as a cut; a bruise is "zilums"

22. Klepus

    Cough

    Usage

    Report as a symptom

23. Nieze

    Itching

    Usage

    Show while pointing at the itchy area

24. Izsitumi

    Rash

    Usage

    Always plural in Latvian; also used for an allergic reaction

25. Aizcietējums

    AIZ-cie-tē-jums

    Constipation

    Usage

    For the pharmacy counter; diarrhoea is "caureja"

26. Mēnešreizes

    MĒ-neš-rei-zes

    Period (menstruation)

    Usage

    The everyday word; doctors write "menstruācijas"

27. Asinsgrupa

    Blood type

    Usage

    Asked before a transfusion or surgery; write the type itself (A, B, O, AB)

28. Ārsta izziņa

    Medical certificate

    Usage

    The paper a doctor issues for an insurance claim or to prove absence; "medicīniskā izziņa" is used the same way

29. Hospitalizācija

    Hospital admission

    Usage

    Being admitted to hospital; show this to ask whether you need to be admitted

30. Drebuļi

    Chills

    Usage

    The shivering that comes with cold or fever; always plural

31. Saaukstēšanās

    Common cold

    Usage

    The illness that follows getting chilled; showing this at a pharmacy gets you cold remedies

32. Izsauciet ārstu!

    IZ-sau-ciet ĀR-stu!

    Please call a doctor

    Usage

    Ask the people around you to call a doctor when you or your companion is unwell

    Grammar Note

    The same "Izsauciet + accusative" frame as the example "Izsauciet policiju!", with the person called changed to "ārsts" from the example "Man vajag ārstu"

33. Man ir sāpes šeit

    man ir SĀ-pes šeit

    It hurts here

    Usage

    Show this while pointing at the place that hurts

    Grammar Note

    The same "Man ir sāpes + place" frame as the example "Man ir sāpes krūtīs", with the adverb "šeit" (here) instead of a body part in the locative

34. Man ir nespēks

    man ir NE-spēks

    My body feels sluggish

    Usage

    Say that your body has no strength, for instance with a fever or after an illness

35. Es vairākas reizes vēmu

    es VAI-rā-kas REI-zes VĒ-mu

    I have vomited several times

    Usage

    Tell a doctor how often you have vomited; it matters for diagnosing food poisoning or infection

    Grammar Note

    The same "Es + first-person verb" frame as the example "Es runāju mazliet"; the simple past "vēmu" does not mark gender, so it is the same whoever is speaking

36. Vai man jāatpūšas?

    vai man JĀ-at-pū-šas?

    Do I need to rest?

    Usage

    Check with the doctor after an examination whether you have to stay at rest

    Grammar Note

    The same debitive "Vai man jā- + verb" frame as the example "Vai man jāatgriež automašīna ar pilnu tvertni?", with the verb replaced by "atpūsties" (to stop activity in order to recover one's strength)

37. Caureja

    CAU-re-ja

    Diarrhea

    Usage

    A symptom name for the doctor or pharmacist. Feminine noun; at the pharmacy it appears in the accusative "caureju"

38. Kaka

    KA-ka

    Poop

    Usage

    An everyday colloquial word, used with children and in casual talk. The clinical word is "izkārnījumi"

    Grammar Note

    A feminine noun (4th declension). The verb from the same stem, "kakāt", means "to poop"

39. Urīns

    U-rīns

    Urine

    Usage

    A neutral word for a medical exam. The colloquial verb to pee is čurāt.

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun (1st declension), normally used in the singular

40. Man ir caureja

    man ir CAU-re-ja

    I have diarrhea

    Usage

    Tell a doctor or pharmacist about diarrhea

    Grammar Note

    The same possessive frame "Man ir + nominative" as the example "Man ir drudzis", with the symptom name "caureja" left in the nominative

41. Man ir aizcietējums

    man ir AIZ-cie-tē-jums

    I'm constipated

    Usage

    Tell a doctor or pharmacist about constipation

    Grammar Note

    Man ir + nominative / aizcietējums = possessive construction with nominative; aizcietējums is masculine.

42. Man vajag čurāt

    man VA-jag ču-RĀT

    I need to pee

    Usage

    Everyday colloquial way to tell a companion or a child you need to pee. "čurāt" is colloquial, not vulgar

    Grammar Note

    The same frame as the example "Man vajag ārstu", "Man vajag + object", with the infinitive "čurāt" in place of a noun

43. Man vajag kakāt

    man VA-jag ka-KĀT

    I need to poop

    Usage

    Everyday colloquial way to tell a companion or a child you need to poop. "kakāt" is colloquial, not vulgar

    Grammar Note

    "Man vajag + infinitive", with the verb "kakāt", which shares its stem with the noun "kaka" (poop)

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