🟢 At the Pharmacy: Buying Medicine – Beginner Level (TOPIK 1–2)
💊 At the Pharmacy: Buying Medicine in Korean (TOPIK 1–2)
.jpg "Buying Medicine in Korean - Beginner Guide")
Imagine: your child feels unwell in Korea and you rush to a pharmacy (약국)—but you don’t know what to say.
This guide gives you simple Korean words and phrases to explain symptoms, ask questions, and buy medicine confidently.
🎯 Learning Goals
- Ask politely for medicine in Korean.
- Describe symptoms like fever, stomachache, or headache.
- Understand basic instructions pharmacists give you.
📑 Table of Contents
Click to expand
📖 Reading Passage
한국어 (Korean)
저는 어제부터 머리가 아프고 열이 있어요.
약국에 가서 약을 사고 싶어요.
의사에게 가지 않아도 되는 간단한 감기약이나 두통약을 사고 싶습니다.
English
Since yesterday, I have had a headache and a fever.
I want to go to the pharmacy and buy medicine.
I’m looking for simple cold or headache medicine that does not require seeing a doctor.
📝 Essential Vocabulary
| Korean | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 약국 | yak-guk | pharmacy |
| 약 | yak | medicine |
| 두통 | dutong | headache |
| 배탈 | baetal | stomachache |
| 감기약 | gamgiyak | cold medicine |
| 열 | yeol | fever |
| 알약 | al-yak | pill, tablet |
💡 Key Sentence Patterns
Asking for medicine
- 감기약 있어요? (Gamgiyak isseoyo?) — Do you have cold medicine?
- 두통약 주세요. (Dutong-yak juseyo.) — Please give me headache medicine.
Explaining symptoms
- 머리가 아파요. (Meoriga apayo.) — I have a headache.
- 배가 아파요. (Baega apayo.) — My stomach hurts.
Asking usage/dosage
- 하루에 몇 번 먹어요? (Harue myeot beon meogeoyo?) — How many times a day should I take it?
🗣 Practice Dialogue
A (Customer): 안녕하세요. 감기약 있어요?
Annyeonghaseyo. Gamgiyak isseoyo?
Hello. Do you have cold medicine?
B (Pharmacist): 네, 있어요. 증상이 어때요?
Ne, isseoyo. Jeungsangi eottaeyo?
Yes, we do. What are your symptoms?
A: 머리가 아프고 열이 있어요.
Meoriga apeugo yeori isseoyo.
I have a headache and a fever.
B: 이 약을 하루에 세 번 드세요.
I yageul harue se beon deuseyo.
Take this medicine three times a day.
🧩 Teacher’s Tips
Tip 1: You don’t need a prescription for common medicine like cold pills or painkillers in Korea.
Tip 2: Simply say one short sentence with your symptom, like “머리가 아파요” (I have a headache).
Tip 3: Always confirm dosage by asking: “하루에 몇 번 먹어요?”
🎯 Pop Quiz
1. How do you say “I have a fever” in Korean?
Answer
열이 있어요. (Yeori isseoyo.)
2. Translate: “Please give me headache medicine.”
Answer
두통약 주세요. (Dutong-yak juseyo.)
3. What question should you ask for dosage?
Answer
하루에 몇 번 먹어요? (Harue myeot beon meogeoyo?)
🌏 Did You Know?
In Korea, pharmacies are marked with a green “약” sign. Most pharmacies close at night, but big cities have some 24-hour ones. Basic medicine is over-the-counter, but antibiotics and stronger medicine require a doctor’s prescription.
✨ Final Thoughts
Learning these phrases makes pharmacy visits less stressful and helps ensure you get the right treatment. Even beginner Korean can protect your health abroad.
👉 Next article preview: “Korean Expressions for Visiting the Doctor — Beginner’s Guide.”
🚀 Take Action
- Write 3 phrases you would use if you were sick (e.g., “머리가 아파요”).
- Practice aloud asking for medicine: “두통약 주세요.”
- Visit Olive Young or a pharmacy during your trip and try saying one phrase in Korean.
👤 About the Author
I teach on italki and help learners use Korean confidently—in real life. 👋 Practice role-plays with me to prepare for real pharmacy situations.
