Health & Hospital

1. Mo ṣàìsàn

   Mo ṣà-ì-sàn

   I am sick / I am ill

   Usage

   The most direct way to say you are sick

   Grammar Note

   "Ṣàìsàn" is the Yoruba verb "to be sick". "Àìsàn" is the noun form (illness). "Mo ní àìsàn" (I have an illness) is an alternative expression

2. Mo fẹ́ lọ sí ilé ìwòsàn

   Mo fẹ́ lọ sí i-lé ì-wò-sàn

   I want to go to the hospital

   Usage

   Used when you need to visit a hospital

   Grammar Note

   "Ilé ìwòsàn" = "ilé" (house) + "ìwòsàn" (recovery/health). Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) is one of Nigeria's major medical facilities

3. Orí mi ń jẹ mí

   O-rí mi ń jẹ mí

   My head is hurting me

   Usage

   Used to express a headache

   Grammar Note

   Yoruba pain expressions use the structure "[body part] is eating/hurting me". Body parts: "ikùn" (stomach), "ìdí" (back/waist), "ọwọ́" (hand), "ẹsẹ" (foot)

4. Mo nílò oògùn

   Mo ní-lò oo-gùn

   I need medicine

   Usage

   Used when you need medicine

   Grammar Note

   "Oògùn" means medicine in Yoruba, but depending on context it can also mean spiritual/magical preparations. Modern medicine is sometimes specified as "oògùn ilé ìwòsàn" (hospital medicine)

5. Mo ní ìbà

   Mo ní ì-bà

   I have a fever

   Usage

   Used to report a fever — particularly important in malaria-endemic Nigeria

   Grammar Note

   "Ìbà" means fever and specifically malaria fever. Nigeria has one of the world's highest malaria burdens. Take prophylactics and use insect repellent before traveling

6. Ikùn mi ń jẹ mí

   I-kùn mi ń jẹ mí

   My stomach is hurting

   Usage

   Used to express stomach pain

   Grammar Note

   Common causes in Nigeria include food poisoning and traveler's diarrhea. Always drink bottled water. Oral rehydration salts are available at most pharmacies

7. Mo ní allergy sí X

   Mo ní al-ler-gy sí X

   I have an allergy to X

   Usage

   Used to inform about a food or medication allergy

   Grammar Note

   English is Nigeria's official language, so "allergy" is used directly.

8. Pè ọkọ̀ ìgbàlà fún mi

   Pè ọ-kọ̀ ì-gbà-là fún mi

   Call an ambulance for me

   Usage

   Used in an emergency to request an ambulance

   Grammar Note

   "Ọkọ̀ ìgbàlà" = "ọkọ̀" (vehicle) + "ìgbàlà" (rescue/salvation). Nigeria's national emergency number is 112. "Ẹ jọ̀wọ́ ràn mí lọ́wọ́!" (Please help me!) also conveys urgency

9. Dọ́kítà wà níbí bí?

   Dọ́-kí-tà wà ní-bí bí?

   Is there a doctor here?

   Usage

   Used to ask whether a doctor is available

   Grammar Note

   "Dọ́kítà" is borrowed from English "doctor". "Onísègùn" is the traditional Yoruba herbalist/healer. "Dọ́kítà ilé ìwòsàn" specifically means a hospital doctor

10. Mo ti dára síi

    Mo ti dá-rà sí-i

    I am feeling better now

    Usage

    Used to indicate you are feeling better after receiving care

    Grammar Note

    "Ti" marks perfect/completed aspect. "Dára síi" = "dára" (good) + "síi" (comparative suffix) = "better/improved". This expresses gradual recovery

11. Mo lóyún

    I am pregnant

    Usage

    Affects what medicine or X-rays are safe — show this before any treatment

12. Àtọ̀gbẹ

    Diabetes

    Usage

    Tell staff about your condition; also useful for explaining diet limits

13. Ẹ̀jẹ̀ ríru

    High blood pressure

    Usage

    Tell staff about your condition; the English term is understood in hospitals

14. Àrùn ọkàn

    Heart disease

    Usage

    Tell staff about your condition; ọkàn = heart

15. Wárápá

    Epilepsy

    Usage

    Tell staff or a bystander that you have seizures

16. Egungun mi ṣẹ́

    My bone is broken

    Usage

    Say you may have a fracture while pointing at the spot

17. Mi ò lè mí dáadáa

    I cannot breathe well

    Usage

    When you are short of breath and cannot speak — just show the screen

18. Orí mi ń yí mi

    I feel dizzy

    Usage

    For dizziness or light-headedness

19. Ẹ̀jẹ̀ ń jáde

    I am bleeding

    Usage

    Show this while pointing at where you are bleeding

20. Iná jó mi

    I got burned

    Usage

    For a burn from fire or hot liquid

21. Ọgbẹ́

    Wound / sore

    Usage

    Point at a cut or graze

22. Ikọ́

    Cough

    Usage

    For telling someone you have a cough

23. Ó ń yún mi

    It itches

    Usage

    For itching; point at the itchy spot

24. Mi ò lè yàgbẹ́

    I am constipated

    Usage

    Tell a pharmacist or doctor you are constipated (literally "I cannot pass stool")

25. Nǹkan oṣù

    Period / menstruation

    Usage

    The everyday term (literally "the monthly thing"); also for asking where to buy supplies

26. Ẹ pè dọ́kítà!

    Please call a doctor

    Usage

    Ask a bystander to call a doctor for a sudden illness or injury

27. Ṣé mo gbọ́dọ̀ sinmi?

    Do I need to rest?

    Usage

    Check with the doctor after an examination whether you need to rest

28. Ìgbẹ́ gbuuru

    Diarrhea

    Usage

    Report diarrhea; literally "watery stool"

29. Àìrígbẹ̀ẹ́yà

    Constipation

    Usage

    The name of the condition. Built from "not finding" (àì-rí) + stool (ìgbẹ́) + "to egest" (yà). In conversation "Mi ò lè yàgbẹ́" (I cannot pass stool) is easier to get across

30. Ìgbẹ́

    Poop

    Usage

    The ordinary word for stool, usable at the clinic and in daily life. The same spelling also exists as a different word meaning "bush, forest"

31. Ìtọ̀

    Pee

    Usage

    The ordinary word for urine, usable at the clinic and in daily life. The verb is tọ̀ (to urinate)

32. Mo ń yàgbẹ́ gbuuru

    I have diarrhea

    Usage

    Tell a doctor or pharmacist that you have diarrhea

    Grammar Note

    Mo (I) + ń (progressive) + yàgbẹ́ (to defecate), with gbuuru (diarrhea) added. "yàgbẹ́ gbuuru" is the expression for having diarrhea

33. Mo fẹ́ tọ̀

    I need to pee

    Usage

    Tell a companion or a child that you need to pee

    Grammar Note

    Mo (I) + fẹ́ (want to), followed directly by the verb tọ̀ (to urinate) - the same pattern as "Mo fẹ́ lọ sí ilé ìwòsàn". tọ̀ has a low tone; high-tone tọ́ is a different verb (to touch lightly, to taste)

34. Mo fẹ́ yàgbẹ́

    I need to poop

    Usage

    Tell a companion or a child that you need to poop

    Grammar Note

    Mo (I) + fẹ́ (want to), followed by the verb yàgbẹ́ (to defecate). yàgbẹ́ is a compound of ìgbẹ́ (stool) + yà (to egest), the same verb used in "Mi ò lè yàgbẹ́" (I am constipated)

Browse all TravelPhrases languages