Asking a pharmacist about medicine safely | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: At home, two adults prepare questions for a pharmacist about a medicine label, food cautions, side effects, and warning signs..

EN → JA / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Asking a pharmacist about medicine safely to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

この薬のラベルを理解できているか、自信がありません。

KOH-no KUS-ree no RAY-kai deh-TEH-roo ka, jee-SHEEN ga ah-ree-mah-SEN. I am not sure I understand this medicine label.
B

次の薬を飲む前に、薬剤師に電話してください。

Tsoo-GHEE no KUS-ree o NOH-moo MAH-eh nee, yah-koo-ZAI-shee nee DEN-wah shee-TEH koo-dah-SAI. Call the pharmacist before you take the next dose.
A

特定の食べ物を避けるべきかどうかも、聞きたいです。

Toh-koo-TAY no tah-beh-MOH-no o sah-KEH-roo beh-kee ka doh-oh-ka moh, KEE-kee-TAI dess. I also want to ask whether I should avoid certain foods.
B

特にラベルに食事について書かれているなら、それも確認したほうがいいです。

Toh-koo-nee RAH-beh-roo nee SHOH-koo-jee nee tswee-teh KAH-kah-reh-teh-ee-roo nah-rah, soh-reh moh kah-koo-NIN shee-tah hoh-GAH ee dess. That is worth checking, especially if the label mentions meals.
A

それを飲んだ後、軽い頭痛がありました。

Soh-reh o NOHN-dah ah-TOH, kah-ROO-ee ZOO-tsoo ga ah-ree-mah-SHEE-tah. I had a mild headache after taking it.
A

では、そのことも伝えたほうがいいですね。

Deh-WAH, soh-noh koh-toh moh tsoo-TAH-eh-tah hoh-GAH ee dess-NEH. So I should bring that up.
B

副作用の可能性があるか、そしてどんな危険な兆候に注意すべきかを聞いてください。

Foo-koo-SAI-yoh no kah-noh-SAY ee-GAH ah-roo ka, soh-SHEE-teh DON-nah KEE-ken nah CHOH-koh nee CHOO-ee soo-BEH-kee kah o KEE-teh koo-dah-SAI. Ask whether it could be a side effect and what warning signs to watch for.
A

特に薬については、推測で判断するのは危険だと思います。

Toh-koo-nee KUS-ree nee tswee-teh-WAH, swee-SOH-koo deh hahn-DAN soo-roo noh wah KEE-ken dah toh-MOH-ee-mah-SOO. Guessing feels risky, especially with medicine.
B

専門家なら、危険性をもっと分かりやすく説明できます。

Sen-mon-kah nah-rah, kee-ken-SAY ee o moht-toh wah-kah-ree-yah-soo-koo SETS-MAY deh-kee-MAH-soo. A professional can explain the risks more clearly.
A

電話をする前に、質問を書き出しておけます。

DEN-wah o soo-roo MAH-eh nee, shee-tsoo-MOHN o kah-kee-DAH-shee-teh oh-KEH-mah-soo. I can write down the questions before calling.
B

そうすれば、電話で話す内容を追いやすくなるはずです。

Soh-oo soo-reh-BAH, DEN-wah deh hah-NAH-soo NAH-yoh o OH-ee-yah-soo-koo nah-roo hah-ZOO dess. That should make the call easier to follow.

Word by Word

この この means “this” and points to the medicine label being referred to in この薬のラベル. It comes before a noun to identify something near the speaker or already under discussion.
薬 薬 means “medicine” in この薬のラベル and refers to the medicine whose label is being discussed. It can be used before の to link the medicine to another noun, as in この薬のラベル.
の の links この薬 and ラベル in この薬のラベル, giving the meaning “the label of this medicine.” It commonly connects a noun or noun phrase with the noun that follows.
ラベル ラベル means “label” in この薬のラベル and refers to the written information on the medicine. It is followed by を when the label is the thing being understood.
を を marks ラベル as the object in ラベルを理解できているか, the thing whose contents are understood. It normally follows the object before the action or ability expression.
理解 理解 means “understanding” in 理解できているか and identifies the act of understanding the label. With できる, it forms 理解できる, meaning “be able to understand.”
でき でき is the connecting part of 理解できているか, related to the citation form できる, and expresses ability here. The pattern 理解できているか asks whether the speaker has managed to understand the label.
て て connects でき and いる in 理解できているか, allowing the ability expression to describe an ongoing state. The pattern 〜ている can describe a state that currently holds.
いる いる in 理解できているか helps express the continuing state of having understood or being able to understand. It follows the て-form in the pattern 〜ている.
か か turns 理解できている into the embedded question 理解できているか, meaning “whether I understand it.” This form commonly appears before a following expression such as 自信がありません.
自信 自信 means “confidence” in 自信がありません and refers to the speaker’s confidence about understanding the label. It commonly appears with がある or がない to describe whether someone has confidence.
が が marks 自信 as the thing that exists or does not exist in 自信がありません. In this sentence, it identifies the state being denied by ありません.
あり あり in 自信がありません is the connecting form related to ある and expresses existence or possession. Together with ません, 自信がありません means that the speaker does not have confidence.
ませ ませ is the polite connecting part of ありません, placed after あり and before ん. With ん, it helps make the polite negative form used to say that confidence is absent.
ん ん completes the negative form ありません in 自信がありません. Here it contributes the meaning “not” to the polite expression of lacking confidence.
次 次 means “next” in 次の薬 and identifies the medicine to be taken at the following time. It comes before の to modify the noun that follows.
飲む 飲む means “take” in 飲む前に and refers to taking medicine, not simply drinking a beverage. It appears before 前に to express an action that happens before taking the next dose.
前 前 means “before” in 飲む前に and places the pharmacist call earlier than taking the medicine. The pattern verb plus 前に is used for “before doing something.”
に に in 前に marks the time or point before which the call should happen. In 飲む前に, it completes the time expression “before taking it.”
薬剤師 薬剤師 means “pharmacist” and identifies the professional whom the listener should contact. It is followed by に in 薬剤師に電話してください to mark the person receiving the call.
電話 電話 means “phone call” in 薬剤師に電話してください and names the communication action. It combines with する to form the expression 電話する, “make a phone call.”
し し is the connecting form of する in 電話してください. It links 電話 to ください so the sentence politely asks someone to make the call.
ください ください makes 電話してください a polite request to call the pharmacist. It follows a て-form or a connected action form when asking someone to do something.
特定 特定 means “specific” or “particular” in 特定の食べ物 and limits the food to certain identified items. It comes before の to modify the following noun.
食べ物 食べ物 means “food” in 特定の食べ物 and refers to foods that might need to be avoided. It can be modified by 特定の to mean “certain food.”
避ける 避ける means “avoid” in 避けるべきかどうか and describes not eating certain foods. It is followed by べき to express what the speaker should do.
べき べき in 避けるべきかどうか expresses that avoiding the food is a recommended or expected action. The pattern verb plus べき is used to discuss what someone ought to do.
どうか どうか in べきかどうか means “whether,” making the question “whether I should avoid them.” It follows the question marker か after the content being considered.
も も means “also” in 聞きたいです and adds the food question to the other questions the speaker wants to ask. It can mark an additional topic or action with the meaning “too.”
聞き 聞き is the connecting part of 聞きたいです, related to 聞く, and means “ask” here. It combines with たい to express the speaker’s desire to ask the pharmacist.
たい たい in 聞きたいです expresses the desire to ask about avoiding certain foods. It follows the connecting form of an action verb to mean “want to do that action.”
です です gives 聞きたいです a polite sentence ending. Here it presents the speaker’s wish to ask in a polite, non-commanding way.
特に 特に means “especially” in 特にラベルに食事について書かれているなら and highlights the condition involving meal information. It is used to give extra emphasis to a particular case.
食事 食事 means “meal” in 食事について and refers to meal-related information on the label. It is followed by について to show the topic being mentioned.
について について means “about” or “concerning” in 食事について書かれている, so the writing concerns meals. The に marks the topic and ついて adds the meaning of being related to that topic; together they form the construction について.
書かれ 書かれ is the passive connecting form related to 書く in 書かれている, showing that meal information is written on the label. It combines with ている to describe the information as being present in written form.
なら なら introduces the condition in 書かれているなら: “if it is written there” or “if that is the case.” It is useful when responding to a stated or understood condition.
それ それ means “that” or “it” in それも確認したほうがいい and refers back to the meal-related information or question. It lets the speaker avoid repeating the previously mentioned matter.
確認 確認 means “check” or “confirm” in 確認したほうがいい and refers to verifying the information with the pharmacist. It combines with する, here appearing in the completed form 確認した.
た た in 確認したほうがいい marks the completed-looking form used before ほうがいい. The recommendation itself comes from the whole pattern 確認したほうがいい, meaning it would be better to check.
ほう ほう in 確認したほうがいい refers to the preferable course of action. With a completed action form plus ほうがいい, it presents that action as advisable.
いい いい in 確認したほうがいい means “good” in the sense of advisable. The whole expression recommends checking the information.
飲ん 飲ん is the connecting form of 飲む in 飲んだ後 and refers to taking the medicine. It combines with だ to place the headache after that completed action.
だ だ in 飲んだ後 completes the past form 飲んだ, showing that taking the medicine happened before the headache. It is followed by 後 to express “after taking it.”
後 後 means “after” in 飲んだ後 and places the headache later than taking the medicine. The pattern verb plus 後 is used to describe what happens after an action.
軽い 軽い means “mild” in 軽い頭痛 and describes the headache as not severe. It comes directly before 頭痛 to modify the symptom.
頭痛 頭痛 means “headache” in 軽い頭痛 and names the symptom the speaker experienced. It can be modified by an adjective such as 軽い.
まし まし in ありました is the polite connecting part of the past expression related to ある. Together with あり and た, it forms ありました, politely stating that the headache existed.
では では means “then” or “in that case” in では、そのことも伝えたほうがいいですね. It marks a conclusion drawn from the preceding information.
その その means “that” or “the aforementioned” in そのこと and points back to the headache just mentioned. It comes before a noun to identify something already known from the conversation.
こと こと means “matter” or “thing” in そのこと and turns the earlier headache information into the matter to be conveyed. The phrase そのこと refers to that specific previously mentioned issue.
伝え 伝え is the connecting part of 伝えたほうがいい, related to 伝える, and means “convey” or “tell” here. The full pattern recommends telling the pharmacist about the headache.
ね ね in 伝えたほうがいいですね seeks agreement or confirmation about the recommendation. It makes the statement sound like a conclusion shared with the listener.
副作用 副作用 means “side effect” in 副作用の可能性 and refers to an unwanted effect that may be related to the medicine. It is linked with の to specify the possibility being asked about.
可能性 可能性 means “possibility” in 副作用の可能性があるか and expresses uncertainty about whether the headache is a side effect. It commonly appears with がある when saying that a possibility exists.
ある ある in 可能性があるか means “exist” or “be possible,” asking whether there is a possibility of a side effect. It is followed by か to form the embedded question.
そして そして means “and” in そしてどんな危険な兆候 and connects the side-effect question with the question about warning signs. It introduces the next related item to ask about.
どんな どんな means “what kind of” in どんな危険な兆候 and asks for the type of warning signs. It comes before the noun phrase that describes the requested kind.
危険 危険 means “danger” or “dangerous” in 危険な兆候 and describes signs that may indicate danger. With な, it modifies the noun 兆候.
な な links the noun-like description 危険 to 兆候 in 危険な兆候. This form is used when such a description comes directly before a noun.
兆候 兆候 means “warning sign” in 危険な兆候 and refers to a sign that the listener should monitor. It is modified by 危険な to specify that the signs may be dangerous.
注意 注意 means “pay attention” or “caution” in 注意すべき and identifies the action of watching for warning signs. It combines with する, here followed by べき to express what one ought to do.
すべき すべき in 注意すべき expresses that paying attention to the warning signs is something one ought to do. The pattern noun plus すべき is used here to state a recommended action.
聞い 聞い is the connecting form of 聞く in 聞いてください and means “ask” here. With てください, it forms a polite request to ask the pharmacist.
は は marks the topic in 特に薬については and highlights medicine as the area where guessing is risky. It can also create a contrast with other possible topics.
推測 推測 means “guessing” in 推測で判断する and refers to deciding without confirmed information. It is followed by で to show the manner or means of making the judgment.
で で in 推測で判断する means “by means of” or “through” guessing. It shows that the judgment is being made based on 推測.
判断 判断 means “judgment” or “decide” in 判断する and refers to deciding what the medicine information means. It combines with する to form the action “make a judgment.”
する する in 判断する means “make” or “do” a judgment, so 判断する means “decide” or “make a judgment.” It is followed by のは to turn the action into the topic of the statement.
と と marks 危険だ as the quoted thought in 危険だと思います. It identifies the content that the speaker thinks or feels.
思い 思い is the connecting part of 思います, related to 思う, and means “think” or “feel” here. With ます, it politely states the speaker’s opinion that guessing is risky.
ます ます gives 思います its polite ending. It presents the speaker’s personal assessment in a polite form.
専門家 専門家 means “professional” or “expert” in 専門家なら and refers to someone qualified to explain medicine-related risks. With なら, it introduces the professional as the person considered in this situation.
危険性 危険性 means “risk” or “dangerous nature” in 危険性を説明できます and refers to the risks that need to be explained. It is marked by を because it is the thing being explained.
もっと もっと means “more” in もっと分かりやすく and increases the degree of clarity. It modifies the following adverbial expression.
分かりやすく 分かりやすく means “clearly” or “in an easy-to-understand way” in 分かりやすく説明できます. It is the adverbial form used to describe how the professional can explain the risks.
説明 説明 means “explanation” or “explain” in 説明できます and names the act of making the risks understandable. With できる, it expresses the ability to explain.
質問 質問 means “question” in 質問を書き出しておけます and refers to the points the speaker plans to ask about. It is marked by を because the questions are what will be written out.
書き出し 書き出し is the connecting part of 書き出しておけます, related to 書き出す, and means “write out.” It combines with ておく to express preparing the questions in advance.
おけ おけ in 書き出しておけます expresses leaving the questions written down beforehand. The pattern 〜ておく describes doing something in advance for a later purpose, and here the polite potential form says that this can be done.
そうすれば そうすれば means “if that is done” or “if so” and connects the preparation of the questions with its expected result. The parts そう, すれ, and ば work together: そう refers to the preceding action, すれ is the conditional form of する, and ば marks the condition.
話す 話す means “speak” or “talk” in 話す内容 and describes the act of speaking during the call. It comes before 内容 to specify the content that will be spoken.
内容 内容 means “content” in 話す内容 and refers to what will be discussed during the phone call. It is modified by 話す to mean “the content to talk about.”
追いやすく 追いやすく means “easy to follow” in 追いやすくなる and describes the call’s content as easier for the listener to follow. It is the adverbial form of the expression meaning “easy to follow,” used before なる.
なる なる means “become” in 追いやすくなる and shows a change into an easier-to-follow state. It commonly follows an adjective or adverbial form to express becoming that way.
はず はず in なるはずです expresses an expectation that the call will become easier to follow. With です, it politely states what the speaker believes should happen.

Grammar Points

～たほうがいい

薬の内容を確認したほうがいい。

KUS-ree noh NAH-yoh o kah-koo-NIN shee-tah hoh-GAH ee.

You should check the medicine's contents.

This pattern gives advice. The verb before ほうがいい is in the past form: 確認した.

～べき

注意すべき危険な兆候を伝えた。

CHOO-ee soo-BEH-kee KEE-ken nah CHOH-koh o tsoo-TAH-eh-tah.

I mentioned the dangerous signs that one should watch out for.

べき expresses what someone ought to do. It follows the verb stem: 注意する → 注意すべき.

Japanese Vocabulary

ラベル noun
RAH-beh-roo label
飲む verb
NOH-moo take or drink medicine
次 det
Tsoo-GHEE next
自信 noun
jee-SHEEN confidence
食べ物 noun
tah-beh-MOH-no food
電話する verb
DEN-wah soo-roo call or telephone 電話をする
特定の adj
toh-koo-TAY no certain or specific
避ける verb
sah-KEH-roo avoid
聞く verb
KEE-koo ask or listen 聞きたい
薬 noun
KUS-ree medicine
薬剤師 noun
yah-koo-ZAI-shee pharmacist
理解する verb
RAY-kai soo-roo understand 理解できている

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

call or telephone

Show Answer電話をする

understand

Show Answer理解できている

ask or listen

Show Answer聞きたい

confidence

Show Answer自信