Health & Hospital

1. Ndilaciswa.

   I am sick.

   Usage

   A first sentence for saying you are unwell

   Grammar Note

   The root ciswa means "to be sick" or "to be in pain". It is ulaciswa ("he is sick") with ndi- ("I") in place of u-. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

2. Mutwe wangu ulaciswa.

   I have a headache.

   Usage

   Say you have a headache, for instance before asking for medicine

   Grammar Note

   Mutwe (head) starts with mu-, so "my" is wangu and the verb starts with u-. Literally "my head hurts". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

3. Ida lyangu lilaciswa.

   I have a stomach ache.

   Usage

   Say you have a stomach ache

   Grammar Note

   Ida (stomach) takes li- agreement, so "my" is lyangu and the verb starts with li-. The same pattern as Mutwe wangu ulaciswa (headache). Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

4. Mubili wangu ulapya.

   I have a fever (my body is hot).

   Usage

   Say you have a fever

   Grammar Note

   The root pya means "to be hot". There is also mubili wakali kupya ("the body was hot", that is, a fever). Literally "my body is hot". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

5. Ndiyandika musilisi.

   I need a doctor.

   Usage

   Say that you need to see a doctor

   Grammar Note

   The root yandika means "to need", as in bayandika musilisi ("they need a doctor"). Yanda alone means "to want". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

6. Musilisi

   Doctor

   Usage

   The word for a doctor or healer

   Grammar Note

   A person noun starting with mu-. The plural is basilisi

7. Cibbadela

   Hospital / clinic

   Usage

   The word for a hospital or clinic

   Grammar Note

   The bb is a double consonant. The spelling cibbaddela also occurs. "At the hospital" is ku cibbadela

8. Ndiyanda kuunka ku cibbadela.

   I want to go to the hospital.

   Usage

   Ask to be taken to a hospital, including when asking a driver

   Grammar Note

   The pattern "Ndiyanda + ku + verb + ku + place" means "I want to go to ...". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

9. Mulwazi

   Sick person / patient

   Usage

   The word for a sick person

   Grammar Note

   A person noun starting with mu-. The plural is balwazi. Ndakali mulwazi means "I was sick"

10. Bulwazi

    Sickness / illness

    Usage

    The word for an illness, including one with fever

    Grammar Note

    A noun starting with bu-. It is also used for a fever

11. Kucisa

    Pain

    Usage

    The word for pain; "to feel pain" is kumvwa kucisa

    Grammar Note

    The verb cisa ("to hurt") made into a noun with ku-. It shares a root with ciswa ("to be sick")

12. Ntuntumaanzi

    Malaria

    Usage

    The word for malaria; prevention matters in mosquito season

    Grammar Note

    Another way to say it is kuciswa mpeyo. Source: dictionary only; native review recommended

13. Kkolokolo

    Cough

    Usage

    The word for a cough, for describing symptoms

    Grammar Note

    The kk is a double consonant, not to be written as a single k. The verb is kola, "to cough". Source: dictionary only; native review recommended

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