Punjabi Phrases for the Doctor and the Hospital ਡਾਕਟਰ ਕੋਲ

Describing symptoms, understanding what you're asked, and following instructions. Written for the moment you are translating for a parent or grandparent as much as for yourself.

What to know before you use these

Learn the questions as well as the answers — Most diaspora learners end up interpreting for a parent, which means translating both ways. "Kithe dard hunda hai?" matters as much as "mainu bukhaar hai".
The verb agrees with the body part — "Mera sir dukhda hai" but "meri lutt dukhdi hai" — the ending follows the gender of the part that hurts, not yours.
"Dard" and "takleef" are not the same — "Dard" is pain you can point at. "Takleef" is trouble or discomfort more broadly, and is the gentler word to use about someone else.

All 20 phrases

Cover:

I have a fever

ਮੈਨੂੰ ਬੁਖ਼ਾਰ ਹੈ

Mainu bukhaar hai

They say

ਇਹ ਦਵਾਈ ਦਿਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਦੋ ਵਾਰ ਲਓ

Eh davaai din vich do vaar lao — Take this medicine twice a day

My head hurts

ਮੇਰਾ ਸਿਰ ਦੁਖਦਾ ਹੈ

Mera sir dukhda hai

My stomach hurts

ਮੇਰਾ ਢਿੱਡ ਦੁਖਦਾ ਹੈ

Mera dhidd dukhda hai

💡 ਢਿੱਡ is the everyday word for stomach; ਪੇਟ also works

I have a cough

ਮੈਨੂੰ ਖੰਘ ਹੈ

Mainu khangh hai

They say

ਫ਼ਿਕਰ ਵਾਲੀ ਕੋਈ ਗੱਲ ਨਹੀਂ

Fikar vaali koi gall nahin — Nothing to worry about

I have a cold

ਮੈਨੂੰ ਜ਼ੁਕਾਮ ਹੋ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ

Mainu zukaam ho gia hai

They say

ਛੇਤੀ ਠੀਕ ਹੋ ਜਾਓ

Chheti theek ho jao — Get well soon

Where does it hurt?

ਕਿੱਥੇ ਦਰਦ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ?

Kithe dard hunda hai?

💡 what the doctor will ask you

They say

ਇੱਥੇ ਦਰਦ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ

Ithe dard hunda hai — It hurts here

It hurts here

ਇੱਥੇ ਦਰਦ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ

Ithe dard hunda hai

Since when have you been unwell?

ਕਦੋਂ ਤੋਂ ਤਬੀਅਤ ਖ਼ਰਾਬ ਹੈ?

Kadon ton tabiyat kharaab hai?

💡 ਤਬੀਅਤ = general state of health

They say

ਮੈਨੂੰ ਬੁਖ਼ਾਰ ਹੈ

Mainu bukhaar hai — I have a fever

I feel dizzy

ਮੈਨੂੰ ਚੱਕਰ ਆਉਂਦੇ ਨੇ

Mainu chakkar aunde ne

💡 spoken ਨੇ for ਹਨ — how people actually talk

I can't sleep

ਮੈਨੂੰ ਨੀਂਦ ਨਹੀਂ ਆਉਂਦੀ

Mainu neend nahin aundi

Do you take any medicine?

ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕੋਈ ਦਵਾਈ ਲੈਂਦੇ ਹੋ?

Tusi koi davaai lainde ho?

They say

ਮੈਨੂੰ ਸ਼ੂਗਰ ਹੈ

Mainu shoogar hai — I have diabetes

Take this medicine twice a day

ਇਹ ਦਵਾਈ ਦਿਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਦੋ ਵਾਰ ਲਓ

Eh davaai din vich do vaar lao

I'm allergic to this

ਮੈਨੂੰ ਇਸ ਤੋਂ ਐਲਰਜੀ ਹੈ

Mainu is ton allergy hai

My blood pressure is high

ਮੇਰਾ ਬਲੱਡ ਪ੍ਰੈਸ਼ਰ ਵਧਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ ਹੈ

Mera blood pressure vadhia hoia hai

I have diabetes

ਮੈਨੂੰ ਸ਼ੂਗਰ ਹੈ

Mainu shoogar hai

💡 diabetes is universally called 'sugar' in Punjabi

I feel weak

ਮੈਨੂੰ ਕਮਜ਼ੋਰੀ ਲੱਗਦੀ ਹੈ

Mainu kamzori laggdi hai

I need a doctor's appointment

ਮੈਨੂੰ ਡਾਕਟਰ ਤੋਂ ਟਾਈਮ ਲੈਣਾ ਹੈ

Mainu doctor ton time laina hai

💡 appointments are just 'time' in spoken Punjabi

How are you feeling now?

ਹੁਣ ਤਬੀਅਤ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਹੈ?

Hun tabiyat kiven hai?

💡 the standard follow-up when someone has been ill

They say

ਮੈਨੂੰ ਕਮਜ਼ੋਰੀ ਲੱਗਦੀ ਹੈ

Mainu kamzori laggdi hai — I feel weak

Nothing to worry about

ਫ਼ਿਕਰ ਵਾਲੀ ਕੋਈ ਗੱਲ ਨਹੀਂ

Fikar vaali koi gall nahin

Get well soon

ਛੇਤੀ ਠੀਕ ਹੋ ਜਾਓ

Chheti theek ho jao

Other situations

Smaller topics — meeting someone new, the weather, shopping, work, family — live in the full phrasebook, alongside every phrase on this page. See the phrasebook index for the whole set, or the dialogues for these phrases inside whole conversations.