Love-Spanish.com: MEDICINES

Tuesday, 26 June 2012

What Are You Going To Buy At The Chemist's?

Introduction

This post deals with shopping in general, and with things you may want to buy in the chemist's in particular.

SCENARIO

Imagine you are talking to a relative, a friend or colleague. You are making a shopping list. At some point, the other person says: "what are you going to buy in the chemists?"

In Spanish, the other person could choose to be less formal and say:

¿Qué vas a comprar en la farmacia?

Alternatively, he/ she could choose to be more formal and say:

¿Qué va a comprar (usted) en la farmacia?

OUR TIP

Answering is quite straightforward. Naming something you can buy in a chemist's should be sufficient. You may also want to indicate the quantity/ amount of what you intend buying.

Here are some examples of things you could buy in the chemists:

Algo para la gripe (something for the flu);
Algo para un resfriado (something for a cold);
Un alagésico en capsulas (painkilling capsules);
Un antibiótico (antibiotics);
Un jarabe para la tos (a cough syrup/ bottle);
Unas pastillas para la tos (cough lozenges);
Aspirinas (aspirins);
Paracetamol en cápsulas (paracetamol capsules);
Unas pastillas de paracetamol (some paracetamol tablets);
Una crema desinfectante (an antiseptic cream);
Una crema hidratante (a moisturising cream);
Unas “tiritas”* (some plasters);
Un antihistamínico contra picaduras de insectos (an antihistamine/ anti-allergy for insect bites);

Notes

*Also known as “Apósitos adhesivos”

Now you should practice answering the question:

¿Qué vas a comprar en la farmacia?

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Sunday, 25 March 2012

Shopping At The Chemist

Introduction

This post deals with shopping in general, and more specifically with shopping for medicines.

SCENARIO

Imagine you walk into a chemists. After exchanging customary greetings, the shop assistant decides to say to you something like: "can I help you/ how can I help you?"

In Spanish, the other person could choose to be less formal and say:

¿Qué deseas?

Alternatively, he/ she could choose to be more formal and say:

¿Que desea (usted)?

OUR TIP

The question in Spanish is an invitation for you to say what you want/ what you are after. Answering that question should be quite straightforward and depends mainly on what you are looking for.