UNIT 7
Hospitals, Clinics & Pharmacies
Hospitals, Clinics & Pharmacies
Lesson 5: Getting Medicine at a Pharmacy
しょほうせんがあります — At the Pharmacy
⏱️ About 25 minutes ／ 📊 Level: Beginner (N5) ／ 🗣️ Speaking + Reading
Before You Start
In Japan, after seeing a doctor you will typically receive a 処方箋 (prescription slip) and then go to a nearby pharmacy (薬局) to collect your medicine. This is different from many countries where medicine is dispensed in the clinic itself. In this lesson you will learn how to hand over your prescription, ask about your medicine, and understand the pharmacist’s instructions.
What you will learn:
- Hand over a prescription — 処方箋があります
- Ask what the medicine is for — これは何の薬ですか
- Ask when to take it — いつ飲みますか
- Ask how many times a day — 1日何回ですか
- Understand the instruction “after meals” — 食後に飲んでください
- Ask about side effects — 副作用はありますか
1. Key Phrases ／ きほんのフレーズ
処方箋があります。
Shohoosen ga arimasu.
I have a prescription.
これは何の薬ですか。
Kore wa nan no kusuri desu ka.
What is this medicine for?
いつ飲みますか。
Itsu nomimasu ka.
When should I take it?
1日何回ですか。
Ichinichi nankai desu ka.
How many times a day?
食後に飲んでください。
Shokugo ni nonde kudasai.
Please take it after meals.
副作用はありますか。
Fukusayoo wa arimasu ka.
Are there side effects?
痛み止めです。
Itamidome desu.
It is pain medicine.
2. Phrase Notes ／ ポイント
① 処方箋があります — at the pharmacy counter
Simply walk up to the counter, say 処方箋があります and hand over the slip. The pharmacist will take it and tell you to wait. This is usually a few minutes. You’ll then be called by name when your medicine is ready.
② When to take medicine — 食前・食後・食間
Japanese medicine instructions use specific timing words. These will appear both on the bag and in the pharmacist’s instructions.
食前 (shokuzen)before meals
食後 (shokugo)after meals
食間 (shokukan)between meals (2+ hours after eating)
寝る前 (neru mae)before bed
③ 1日何回ですか — asking the frequency
1日 = one day. 何回 = how many times. The answer will be: 1日3回です (“3 times a day”). This tells you the frequency on its own — the timing is given separately.
⚠️ Common Mistake
飲みます (nomimasu) literally means “drink” — but in Japanese it is the standard word for taking medicine in any form: tablets, capsules, and liquid. Don’t say 食べます (tabemasu = eat) for medicine, even if it looks solid.
飲みます (nomimasu) literally means “drink” — but in Japanese it is the standard word for taking medicine in any form: tablets, capsules, and liquid. Don’t say 食べます (tabemasu = eat) for medicine, even if it looks solid.
3. Pharmacy Words ／ やっきょくのことば
💊 Medicine Types ／ くすりのしゅるい
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 薬 | kusuri | medicine |
| 痛み止め | itamidome | pain medicine / painkiller |
| 咳止め | sekidome | cough medicine |
| 解熱剤 | kanetsu zai | fever reducer |
| 抗生物質 | kooseebutsu shitsu | antibiotic |
🕒 Timing Words ／ タイミング
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 食前 | shokuzen | before meals |
| 食後 | shokugo | after meals |
| 食間 | shokukan | between meals |
| 寝る前 | neru mae | before bed |
4. Conversation Practice ／ かいわ
💬 Conversation 1 — Handing Over the Prescription
💬 Conversation 2 — When and How to Take Medicine
💬 Conversation 3 — What Is This Medicine For?
💬 Conversation 4 — Cough Medicine
5. Vocabulary ／ たんご
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 処方箋 | shohoosen | prescription |
| 薬局 | yakkyoku | pharmacy |
| 薬 | kusuri | medicine |
| 飲みます | nomimasu | take (medicine) / drink |
| 食後 | shokugo | after meals |
| 食前 | shokuzen | before meals |
| 1日 | ichinichi | one day / per day |
| 何回 | nankai | how many times |
| 副作用 | fukusayoo | side effects |
6. Check Your Understanding ／ クイズ
Think about each question first. Answers and explanations are shown below.
Q1. How do you say “I have a prescription” in Japanese?
A. 処方箋をください。 B. 処方箋があります。 C. 処方箋はどこですか。 D. 処方箋はありません。
Answer: B
処方箋があります = “I have a prescription.” Say this while handing the slip to the pharmacist.
処方箋があります = “I have a prescription.” Say this while handing the slip to the pharmacist.
Q2. What does 「これは何の薬ですか。」 mean?
A. How much is this medicine? B. When should I take this? C. What is this medicine for? D. How many times a day?
Answer: C
これは何の薬ですか = “What is this medicine for?” A very useful question if you want to understand what each medicine does.
これは何の薬ですか = “What is this medicine for?” A very useful question if you want to understand what each medicine does.
Q3. What does 「食後に飲んでください。」 mean?
A. Please take it before meals. B. Please take it between meals. C. Please take it after meals. D. Please take it before bed.
Answer: C
食後 = after meals. 食前 = before meals. 食間 = between meals. Most Japanese medicine is taken 食後.
食後 = after meals. 食前 = before meals. 食間 = between meals. Most Japanese medicine is taken 食後.
Q4. How do you ask “How many times a day?”
A. 1日何回ですか。 B. いつ飲みますか。 C. 何の薬ですか。 D. 副作用はありますか。
Answer: A
1日何回ですか = “How many times a day?” Common answers: 1日1回 (once), 1日2回 (twice), 1日3回 (three times).
1日何回ですか = “How many times a day?” Common answers: 1日1回 (once), 1日2回 (twice), 1日3回 (three times).
Q5. What does 「痛み止めです。」 mean?
A. It is an antibiotic. B. It is cough medicine. C. It is a fever reducer. D. It is pain medicine.
Answer: D
痛み止め = painkiller / pain medicine. 止め means “stopper” — literally “pain-stopper.”
痛み止め = painkiller / pain medicine. 止め means “stopper” — literally “pain-stopper.”
Q6. How do you ask about side effects?
A. 副作用はありますか。 B. 副作用はどこですか。 C. 副作用をください。 D. 副作用はいくらですか。
Answer: A
副作用はありますか = “Are there side effects?” The pharmacist will then explain any possible reactions to be aware of.
副作用はありますか = “Are there side effects?” The pharmacist will then explain any possible reactions to be aware of.
7. Match the Meaning ／ れんしゅう
処方箋があります。 → ______
これは何の薬ですか。 → ______
いつ飲みますか。 → ______
1日何回ですか。 → ______
食後に飲んでください。 → ______
副作用はありますか。 → ______
痛み止めです。 → ______
Choices: A. Please take it after meals. B. When should I take it? C. Are there side effects? D. I have a prescription. E. It is pain medicine. F. How many times a day? G. What is this medicine for?
Answers: 処方箋があります = D ／ これは何の薬ですか = G ／ いつ飲みますか = B ／ 1日何回ですか = F ／ 食後に飲んでください = A ／ 副作用はありますか = C ／ 痛み止めです = E
🚀 Mini Mission
Today’s mission: Practice the pharmacy conversation in Japanese.
Role-play with your teacher — take turns as patient and pharmacist:
処方箋があります。／ これは何の薬ですか。／ いつ飲みますか。／ 1日何回ですか。／ 副作用はありますか。
📘 Review ／ まとめ
In this lesson you learned how to collect medicine and understand the pharmacist’s instructions.
処方箋があります。(I have a prescription.)
これは何の薬ですか。(What is it for?)
食後に飲んでください。(After meals.)
1日3回です。(3 times a day.)
これは何の薬ですか。(What is it for?)
食後に飲んでください。(After meals.)
1日3回です。(3 times a day.)
💡 Key timing words to remember: 食後 (after meals), 食前 (before meals), 寝る前 (before bed). These appear on every medicine bag in Japan — knowing them saves you from guessing.
FAQ
Q. Do I have to go to a separate pharmacy, or can I get medicine at the clinic?
In Japan, the vast majority of clinics use the 院外薬局 (external pharmacy) system — you take your prescription to a nearby pharmacy. Many pharmacies are clustered close to clinics. When you leave the clinic, reception will typically tell you which pharmacy to go to, or you’ll see signs nearby.
Q. Can I buy medicine without a prescription at a Japanese pharmacy?
Yes — Japanese pharmacies (ドラッグストア or 薬局) sell many over-the-counter medicines. For common ailments like headache, cold, or stomach pain, you can simply go to a drugstore and ask a pharmacist (薬剤師) for help: 頭が痛いです。何かありますか (“My head hurts. Is there something available?”).
Q. How do I read the medicine bag instructions?
Japanese medicine bags have a printed label showing: your name, the medicine name, timing (食後・食前 etc.), and daily frequency. The most critical part is the timing word and the number of times. If you can read those two things, you can take your medicine correctly even without understanding everything else.
💊 Practice with a real teacher
Want to Practice with a Teacher?
Understanding your medicine is essential. Try a free trial lesson with a professional teacher and practice the full pharmacy conversation until it feels natural.
Online or in-person — both available on request.