Everyday Dialogues: Treating a Cold

Ecco come cercheresti di curare il raffreddore in inglese.

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Daniel Francis

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Sarah Davison

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Everyday Dialogues: Treating a Cold

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Impara parole e frasi utili in situazioni quotidiane con la nostra serie di articoli Everyday Dialogues. Di seguito, un dialogo tra un farmacista e una persona che va in farmacia a cercare un trattamento per il raffreddore. Ricorda che puoi anche ascoltare questo audio, così potrai praticare sia la comprensione orale che la pronuncia.

Dialogue: How to ask for medication at a pharmacy

Client: Hello there. Do you have anything for a persistent cold? I thought I’d try the pharmacy before going to the doctor’s.

Pharmacist: Of course! What are your symptoms?

Client: I have a stuffy nose and a headache between my eyes.

Pharmacist: I can give you a decongestant and maybe some sort of painkiller to relieve your headache.

Client: That sounds good. Do you have any natural remedies? I don’t want to take too much medication. 

Pharmacist: As a matter of fact, we do. You can try this saline nasal spray to break up your congestion.

Client: That sounds good. Are there any natural painkillers, too? 

Pharmacist: A cold compress might help. And make sure you drink lots of fluids. Herbal teas like ginger or camomile are good.

Client: I’ll try that, thanks!

Pharmacist: You’re welcome! I hope you get well soon.

Now let's review the vocabulary

  • A persistent cold is a cold that lasts a long time and does not seem to go away.
  • An apostrophe is used in going to the doctor’s to indicate a possessive —it is actually short for ‘doctor’s office / surgery’. The same goes for ‘going to the dentist’s (office), hairdresser’s (salon)’, etc.
  • A stuffy nose is a nose which is blocked (or ‘congested’) due to excessive mucus.
  • A decongestant is a treatment to clear a blocked nose.
  • A painkiller does exactly that: it ‘kills’ pain. In other words, it is an analgesic.
  • Natural remedies are treatments made using natural ingredients, like herbs.
  • As a matter of fact is a phrase used to add an explanation or something contrasting. A pharmacy sells medicinal treatments, but this one also sells natural remedies.
  • A nasal spray forces liquid into the nose using a special device
  • In this context, the phrasal verb to break up means ‘to clear’.
  • Congestion means blockage. Here, it refers to a blocked nose. It can also refer to a traffic jam!
  • A cold compress is applied to an area of the body to relieve pain. It can be a cloth dipped in cold water, an ice pack or even a bag of frozen peas.
  • Fluids are liquids like water, juice or tea.
  • Get well soon is a common phrase to use with a person who is ill, to wish them a fast recovery.

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