At the German Pharmacy — Apotheke Vocabulary
After this lesson you can describe a symptom and ask for something to treat it.
Do this first: W-questions
At the German Pharmacy — Apotheke Vocabulary
In Germany medicine comes from behind a counter, so you have to describe the problem out loud. Every symptom is something you HAVE.
Watch · 0%
Kulturnotiz
The German Apotheke is a regulated profession, not a shop: pharmacies are independently owned, cannot be run as chains, and everything medical sits behind the counter. Even paracetamol requires you to ask. The upside is that the pharmacist is a trained adviser who will genuinely help you work out what you need — describing your symptoms is expected, not an imposition, and it is often faster than seeing a doctor.
Common questions
+How do I describe a symptom?
Ich habe plus the symptom: Ich habe Kopfschmerzen, Ich habe Fieber, Ich habe Husten. Symptoms take haben, just like Hunger and Durst.
+How do I ask for a remedy?
Haben Sie etwas gegen …? — "do you have something against…". Haben Sie etwas gegen Husten? It is the standard phrasing at any counter.
+What is the difference between Apotheke and Drogerie?
An Apotheke dispenses medicines and is staffed by pharmacists. A Drogerie (dm, Rossmann) sells toiletries, cosmetics and vitamins but no medicines at all.
+What do I do if pharmacies are closed?
Find the Notdienst — the rotating out-of-hours pharmacy. Its address is posted on the door of every closed pharmacy and listed online by postcode.