Pharmacy & Health

1. Mufite umuti w'ububabare bw'umutwe?

   Mu-fi-te u-mu-ti w'u-bu-ba-ba-re bw'u-mu-twe?

   Do you have headache medicine?

   Usage

   Ask for headache medicine at a pharmacy in Rwanda

   Grammar Note

   "Umuti" is the Kinyarwanda word for medicine, derived from the Bantu root "-ti" (tree/plant)

2. Ndashaka umuti w'igifu

   Nda-sha-ka u-mu-ti w'i-gi-fu

   I need stomach medicine

   Usage

   Use when you need stomach medicine

   Grammar Note

   "Ndashaka" = "I want/need". "Nd-" is the first-person subject prefix

3. Ndashaka umuti w'impiswi

   Nda-sha-ka u-mu-ti w'im-pi-swi

   I need anti-diarrhea medicine

   Usage

   Ask for anti-diarrhea medicine

   Grammar Note

   "Impiswi" is the Kinyarwanda word for diarrhea

4. Mfite umuriro

   Mfi-te u-mu-ri-ro

   I have a fever

   Usage

   Tell the pharmacist you have a fever

   Grammar Note

   "Umuriro" means "fire/heat/fever". "Mfite" = "I have"

5. Mfite aleriji

   Mfi-te a-le-ri-ji

   I have an allergy

   Usage

   Inform the pharmacist about your allergy

   Grammar Note

   "Aleriji" is borrowed from English "allergy". Rwanda has both English and French as official languages

6. Ndashaka panye yo gupfuka ibikomere

   Nda-sha-ka pa-nye yo gu-pfu-ka i-bi-ko-me-re

   I need bandages/plasters

   Usage

   Ask for bandages or plasters at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   "Panye" is borrowed from French "pansement" (bandage/dressing)

7. Ndashaka umuti wirukana udukoko

   Nda-sha-ka u-mu-ti wi-ru-ka-na u-du-ko-ko

   I need insect repellent

   Usage

   Ask for insect repellent at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   An insect is "agakoko", plural "udukoko". "kwirukana" is "to chase away", so "umuti wirukana udukoko" is "medicine that chases insects away". Note: "inzoka" means "snake" and "kurindira" means "to wait for" — the verb for protecting is "kurinda"

8. Ndashaka kremu yo kurinda izuba

   Nda-sha-ka kre-mu yo ku-rin-da i-zu-ba

   I need sunscreen

   Usage

   Ask for sunscreen at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   "Kremu" is borrowed from French/English "crème/cream". "Izuba" means "sun"

9. Uyu muti ndawunywa nte?

   U-yu mu-ti nda-wu-nywa nte?

   How do I take this medicine?

   Usage

   Ask the pharmacist how to take the medicine

   Grammar Note

   "Ndawunywa" = "nda-" (I) + "wu-" (it = umuti) + "nywa" (drink / take). "Nte" is the question adverb "how". Taking medicine uses "kunywa" (to drink)

10. Ndakeneye urupapuro rw'umuganga?

    Nda-ke-ne-ye u-ru-pa-pu-ro rw'u-mu-ga-nga?

    Do I need a prescription?

    Usage

    Check if a prescription is needed

    Grammar Note

    "Ndakeneye" = "nda-" (I) + "keneye" (need): "I need". "Urupapuro rw'umuganga" literally means "the doctor's paper", i.e. a prescription

11. Farumasi

    Pharmacy

    Usage

    Ask where the pharmacy is

12. Umuti w'ububabare

    Painkiller

    Usage

    Ask for a painkiller

13. Umuti w'amaso

    Eye drops

    Usage

    Ask for eye drops

14. Agakingirizo

    Condom

    Usage

    Ask for condoms

15. Ndashaka umuti w'impatwe

    Nda-sha-ka u-mu-ti w'im-pa-twe

    A laxative, please

    Usage

    To ask for medicine for constipation at a pharmacy

    Grammar Note

    The same pattern as "Ndashaka umuti w'impiswi" with "impiswi" replaced by "impatwe" (constipation). "umuti w'~" means "medicine for ~".

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