Health & Hospital

1. Sirah kula mumet

   Si-rah ku-la mu-met

   I have a headache / I feel dizzy

   Usage

   Krama expression for describing head pain or dizziness to a doctor or pharmacist

   Grammar Note

   Ngoko equivalent: "Sirahku mumet" or "Ndhasaku mumet". The contrast between Krama "kula" (I) and Ngoko "aku" (I) illustrates Javanese speech-level differences.

2. Kula mbetahaken dhokter

   Ku-la mbe-ta-ha-ken dhok-ter

   I need a doctor

   Usage

   Krama expression for requesting medical help in an emergency or when feeling ill

   Grammar Note

   "Dhokter" is borrowed from Dutch "dokter". Javanese has many Dutch loanwords from the colonial era. Ngoko: "Aku butuh dhokter".

3. Wonten obat napa?

   Won-ten o-bat na-pa?

   Is there any medicine?

   Usage

   Krama phrase used at pharmacies or clinics to ask about available medicine

   Grammar Note

   "Wonten" = Krama for "there is/have"; Ngoko: "ana". "Wonten obat napa?" literally "is there what medicine?" Reflects similar structure to Indonesian "Ada obat apa?"

4. Kula alergi dhateng...

   Ku-la a-ler-gi dha-teng...

   I am allergic to...

   Usage

   Krama phrase for informing medical or food service staff about an allergy

   Grammar Note

   "Dhateng" is the Krama directional preposition meaning "toward/to". Ngoko: "menyang"/"marang". Fill in the allergen after "dhateng": "kacang" (peanut), "susu" (milk).

5. Kula watuk lan mriyang

   Ku-la wa-tuk lan mri-yang

   I have a cough and a fever

   Usage

   Krama phrase used to describe coughing and fever symptoms to a doctor

   Grammar Note

   "Lan" is the Javanese conjunction "and", equivalent to Indonesian "dan". Ngoko: "Aku watuk lan mriyang". Symptoms can be combined: "watuk lan mutah" (cough and vomiting).

6. Pundi apotek ingkang celak?

   Pun-di a-po-tek ing-kang ce-lak?

   Where is the nearby pharmacy?

   Usage

   Polite Krama phrase for asking the location of a nearby pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   "Apotek" from Dutch "apotheek". Many medical and administrative terms in Java/Indonesia retain Dutch colonial-era loanwords. Ngoko: "Neng endi apotek sing cedhak?"

7. Kula mboten saged nedha

   Ku-la mbo-ten sa-ged ne-dha

   I cannot eat

   Usage

   Krama phrase to inform doctors or hotel staff about inability to eat

   Grammar Note

   When speaking of your own eating, the Krama verb is "nedha" — as in "Kula mboten nedha daging". "Dhahar" is krama inggil ("to dine", said of the person you honour) and becomes self-honorification when used of oneself. "Saged" is Krama for "can" (Ngoko "bisa"), so "mboten saged" = cannot. Ngoko: "Aku ora bisa mangan".

8. Kula mbetahaken ambulan

   Ku-la mbe-ta-ha-ken am-bu-lan

   I need an ambulance

   Usage

   Krama phrase used in medical emergencies to request an ambulance

   Grammar Note

   Indonesia emergency numbers: Police 110, Fire 113, Ambulance 119. In a true emergency, "Tulung!" (Help! — Ngoko) or "Tulung kula!" is also understood.

9. Weteng kula sakit

   We-teng ku-la sa-kit

   My stomach hurts

   Usage

   Krama phrase for describing stomach pain to a doctor or pharmacist

   Grammar Note

   "Sakit" means both "painful" and "sick". "Weteng kula sakit" (stomach hurts) vs. "Kula sakit" (I am sick). Ngoko: "Wetengku lara" where "lara" is Ngoko for "hurt/pain".

10. Kula kedah ngunjuk obat

    Ku-la ke-dah ngun-juk o-bat

    I need to take medicine

    Usage

    Krama phrase to inform others that you need to take medication

    Grammar Note

    "Kedah" (Krama) = must/need to; Ngoko: "kudu"; "Ngunjuk" is the Krama verb for "drink" (Ngoko "ngombe", cf. "ngombe obat"), so "ngunjuk obat" = take medicine.

11. Ngandhut

    Ngan-dhut

    Pregnant

    Usage

    Decides what medicine, X-rays, or anaesthetic are allowed — show it first at a clinic or pharmacy

12. Asma

    As-ma

    Asthma

    Usage

    Declare it as a condition; show your inhaler alongside

    Grammar Note

    Javanese also has "mengi" (to wheeze), but the international form "asma" is what medical staff recognise

13. Diabetes

    Di-a-be-tes

    Usage

    Lead with this before explaining diet limits or a hypo

    Grammar Note

    Colloquially also "lara gula" (sugar illness); hospitals use "diabetes"

14. Tensi dhuwur

    Ten-si dhu-wur

    High blood pressure

    Usage

    A condition to declare before anything is prescribed

    Grammar Note

    "Tensi" (blood pressure) is everyday usage across Java; "dhuwur" is Javanese for high. Doctors also say "darah tinggi"

15. Lara jantung

    La-ra jan-tung

    Heart disease

    Usage

    The condition to declare first in an emergency

    Grammar Note

    "Lara" is Javanese for illness/pain; "jantung" is the heart

16. Ayan

    A-yan

    Epilepsy

    Usage

    Show it so bystanders understand what a seizure is

17. Balung tugel

    Ba-lung tu-gel

    Broken bone

    Usage

    Show it while pointing at the injury

    Grammar Note

    "Balung" is Javanese for bone, "tugel" for broken

18. Angel ambegan

    A-ngel am-be-gan

    Hard to breathe

    Usage

    Just show the screen when you cannot spare the breath to speak

19. Mumet

    Mu-met

    Dizzy / light-headed

    Usage

    Javanese "mumet" covers both dizziness and a heavy head/headache — add a gesture if you need to be specific

20. Metu getihe

    Me-tu ge-ti-he

    Bleeding

    Usage

    Show it while pointing at where you are bleeding

    Grammar Note

    "Metu" = to come out, "getih" = blood, "-e" = its — literally "its blood is coming out"

21. Kobong

    Ko-bong

    Burn

    Usage

    Show it while pointing at the burn

22. Tatu

    Ta-tu

    Wound / Cut

    Usage

    Covers cuts and grazes alike

23. Watuk

    Wa-tuk

    Cough

    Usage

    To report the symptom or to buy cough medicine

24. Gatel

    Ga-tel

    Itchy

    Usage

    For bites or a rash — point at the itchy spot

25. Abang-abang ing kulit

    A-bang-a-bang ing ku-lit

    Rash (red patches on the skin)

    Usage

    Point at the rash; Javanese has no single word for "rash", so this describes red patches on the skin

26. Sembelit

    Sem-be-lit

    Constipation

    Usage

    Show it when asking at a pharmacy

    Grammar Note

    Shared with Indonesian and fully established in Javanese; showing it saves you saying it out loud

27. Haid

    Ha-id

    Period (menstruation)

    Usage

    The everyday word for menstruation at a pharmacy or clinic

    Grammar Note

    "Haid" is the word that shops and clinics understand

28. Asuransi kesehatan

    A-su-ran-si ke-se-ha-tan

    Health insurance

    Usage

    Show it at reception while handing over your policy or travel-insurance papers

29. Resep dhokter

    Re-sep dhok-ter

    Prescription

    Usage

    Use it to ask whether a prescription is needed or can be issued

30. Golongan getih

    Go-lo-ngan ge-tih

    Blood type

    Usage

    Blood type: "golongan" is group or class and "getih" is the ngoko word for blood

31. Kadhemen

    Ka-dhe-men

    Chills

    Usage

    Having a chill; the same word also describes being excessively cold

32. Mangsuk angin

    Mang-suk a-ngin

    A cold

    Usage

    To have or to catch a cold

33. Telpun dhokter!

    Tel-pun dhok-ter!

    Please call a doctor

    Usage

    Asks someone on the spot to call a doctor, for instance when a person has collapsed

    Grammar Note

    The same frame as "Telpun polisi!", with "dhokter" as the object.

34. Mriki sakit.

    Mri-ki sa-kit.

    It hurts here

    Usage

    Point at the spot while saying this to a doctor

    Grammar Note

    The "… sakit" frame of "Weteng kula sakit" (my stomach hurts), with the location given as "Mriki" (here). Since the card is used while pointing, this is all the location word that is needed.

35. Badan kula lemes.

    Ba-dan ku-la le-mes.

    My body feels sluggish

    Usage

    Tells a doctor that you feel weak and without energy, as with a fever or exhaustion

    Grammar Note

    The same "body part + kula + state word" frame as "Weteng kula sakit". "Badan" is the krama word for body (ngoko: awak); using krama inggil for one's own body parts would be an honorific error.

36. Kula sampun mutah kaping kathah.

    Ku-la sam-pun mu-tah ka-ping ka-thah.

    I have vomited several times

    Usage

    Tells a doctor that you have been throwing up repeatedly

    Grammar Note

    Uses the perfective "sampun" (as in "Sampun rampung") and expresses the count with "kaping" (as in "Kaping pindho" — twice) plus "kathah" (many, krama). "Mutah" is the ngoko word; the krama inggil "luntak" may only be used of the addressee, so this is the correct form for one's own vomiting.

37. Kula kedah ngaso?

    Ku-la ke-dah nga-so?

    Do I need to rest?

    Usage

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

    Grammar Note

    The frame of "Kula kedah minum obat", with the verb "ngaso", turned into a question by rising intonation.

38. Mencret

    Men-cret

    Diarrhea

    Usage

    One word for diarrhea; a colloquial term shared by Javanese and Indonesian, understood as is at a pharmacy

39. Uyuh

    U-yuh

    Pee

    Usage

    The standard Javanese word for urine/pee (the verb "to pee" is nguyuh); not baby talk, so it also works at a clinic

40. Kula mencret

    Ku-la men-cret

    I have diarrhea

    Usage

    Krama expression for telling a doctor or pharmacist you have diarrhea

    Grammar Note

    "Kula" (I) as in "Sirah kula mumet", followed directly by "Mencret". Ngoko: "Aku mencret"

41. Kula sembelit

    Ku-la sem-be-lit

    I'm constipated

    Usage

    Krama expression for telling a doctor or pharmacist you are constipated

    Grammar Note

    Same "Kula + symptom" frame as "Kula mencret", with the symptom word replaced by "Sembelit". Ngoko: "Aku sembelit"

42. Kula badhe nguyuh

    Ku-la ba-dhe ngu-yuh

    I need to pee

    Usage

    Krama way to tell a companion or child you need the toilet; "badhe" means "going to / about to"

    Grammar Note

    Same "Kula + auxiliary + verb" frame as "Kula kedah minum obat", with "badhe" and "nguyuh". Ngoko: "Aku arep nguyuh"

43. Kula badhe ngising

    Ku-la ba-dhe ngi-sing

    I need to poop

    Usage

    Krama way to tell a companion or child you need the toilet; "ngising" is the standard verb for defecating, not a vulgar word

    Grammar Note

    Same "Kula badhe + verb" frame as "Kula badhe nguyuh"; only the verb changes. Ngoko: "Aku arep ngising". The honorific form (bobotan) is for other people's actions, never for yourself

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