Spanish at the pharmacy: how to ask for medicine and describe your symptom
In Spain the pharmacist actually gives medical guidance and many medicines stay behind the counter, so you need to describe your symptom out loud. One formula covers most of it: 'me duele' plus the body part. These 26 phrases go from a simple request to a doctor's prescription — plus the false friend every English speaker needs to know before they go.
What they'll ask you
Everyone rehearses what they'll say and freezes when the clerk asks a question. These are the real questions, with audio.
Dígame.
How can I help you?
How the pharmacist invites you to speak.
¿Es una tos seca o con flema?
Is it a dry cough or with phlegm?
The pharmacist's standard question.
The phrases you'll use
Buenos días, necesitaría algo para el dolor de cabeza.
Good morning, I'd need something for a headache.
A polite, natural opening line.
Me duele la cabeza.
My head hurts.
The formula: me duele + body part.
Me duele la garganta.
My throat hurts.
Very common in winter.
Me duele el estómago.
My stomach hurts.
Also works for indigestion.
Me duelen las muelas.
My teeth hurt.
They'll suggest seeing a dentist.
Tengo fiebre.
I have a fever.
Give the number in degrees if you know it.
Tengo tos.
I have a cough.
They'll ask if it's dry or with phlegm.
Estoy resfriado/a.
I have a cold.
Stuffy nose, sneezing.
Tengo náuseas.
I feel nauseous.
Nausea, queasiness.
Tengo una alergia.
I have an allergy.
Say what it's to, if you know the name.
14 more phrases in this situation
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Create a free accountThe mistake English speakers often make here
What they usually say
Estoy embarazada. (said meaning "I'm embarrassed")
The right way
Estoy avergonzado/a. / Estoy confundido/a.
"Embarazada" is Spanish's most famous false friend for English speakers — it looks just like 'embarrassed' but means pregnant, full stop. Saying it to a pharmacist by mistake, thinking it means embarrassed or awkward, creates a very different conversation. For embarrassed, use avergonzado/a; for confused, confundido/a.
If you get stuck
Three phrases that get you through any interaction. Memorize these before all the others.
¿Puede repetirlo más despacio, por favor?
Could you repeat that more slowly, please?
Perdone, no entendí. ¿Puede escribírmelo?
Sorry, I didn't understand. Could you write it down?
Hablo poco español.
I speak a little Spanish.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a prescription to buy medicine in Spain?
- It depends. Common painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen are sold over the counter. Antibiotics and most ongoing medications require a doctor's receta. Ask '¿Hace falta receta para esto?'.
- What is the farmacia de guardia?
- The on-duty pharmacy. Since Spanish pharmacies rotate covering nights and Sundays by neighborhood, there's always one on duty nearby — the address is posted on every pharmacy's door and listed on city government websites.
- How do generics work in Spain?
- They're called genérico or EFG (Especialidad Farmacéutica Genérica) and have the same active ingredient for a lower price. It's always worth asking if a generic version exists before paying for the brand name.
- Can a Spanish pharmacist advise me on simple symptoms?
- Yes, and it's a common habit there. For mild symptoms, the pharmacy is often the first stop in Spain's healthcare system, before you'd need to see a doctor.
- Why does 'estoy embarazada' cause so much confusion?
- Because it looks almost identical to the English word 'embarrassed', but it means 'I'm pregnant' in Spanish — it has nothing to do with embarrassment at all. It's the textbook false-friend example cited in pretty much every Spanish course for English speakers.
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