Useful Phrases to Know If You Run into Trouble in Japan: Illness & Injury

The following is the explanation of the video with texts and images. It gives you some further information that is not mentioned in the video so you can use these phrases with a better understanding.

Atama ga itai desu.

Whether it is a headache caused by a cold, a throbbing pain in the head, or a migraine, you could use this phrase when you have a headache for any sort of reason. It is best to see a doctor as soon as possible, but if you want to get some aspirin, you can go to a drugstore and say "zetsuyakuwo kudasai," meaning "can you give me some aspirin please?"

Netsu ga arimasu.

Regardless of the cause, you could use this phrase when you have a fever in general. Also, if you don't have a medical thermometer, you can buy one at a drugstore. In that case, you could use the phrase "taionkeiwo kudasai," "please give me a thermometer."

Ha ga itai desu.

You could use this phrase no matter which tooth hurts. Having a tooth pain could be a big problem, especially when you are traveling. It is best to see a dentist, but most dental clinics are open only during the day and not 24 hours a day. Make sure to sort it out beforehand if you have a tooth problem!

Guai ga warui desu.

You could use this phrase when you are not feeling well in general, including when you have a cold or chills, or feel sick or nauseated.

Arerugi ga demashita.

Whether it is caused by food or house dust, you could use this phrase regardless of the kind of allergy. Also, please be aware that some people are allergic to "soba," the famous Japanese thin noodles made of buckwheat. If you had an allergic reaction to soba, be sure to see a doctor right away. It can cause a critical health problem such as anaphylactic shock​.

Onaka ga itai desu.

The phrase could be generally used when you have a stomachache. The cases include when you have a stomachache caused by diarrhea, your stomach hurts, or you have a sharp pain in the stomach. Also, the Japanese term "onaka" often refers to the area that covers the stomach and abdomen, so if you are having a pain in this area, you can use this phrase.

Hiza ga itai desu.

You could use the phrase when your knee hurts. Traveling usually takes a lot of walking, and it is very common that you might hurt your knees, especially if you don't usually get much exercise. If you need to walk for a long time, please be careful and walk in flexible shoes like sneakers.

Shukketsu ga arimasu.

Regardless of where, you could use this phrase when you are bleeding in general. If you got into some kind of accident and bleeding heavily, call an ambulance. In that case, you can say "kyukyusha wo yonde!" ("call an ambulance!) and ask for help from the people around you. In Japan, calling an ambulance will not cost you any money.

When you get sick or injured in an unfamiliar place, especially in a foreign country you are visiting, it is a real problem. But if you ever got into trouble, please try and use the phrases introduced in the video! And please don't forget to watch the video and work on your pronunciation of these phrases!