Tom: Good afternoon, excuse me, do you work here?
Sarah: Good afternoon, yes, I’m the pharmacist, how can I help you?

Tom: I’m not feeling very well and I’d like some medicine.
Sarah: I’m sorry to hear that, what symptoms do you have?

Tom: I have a sore throat and a bit of a cough.
Sarah: Is your cough dry or do you bring up mucus?

Tom: It’s a dry cough, mostly at night.
Sarah: Do you also have a fever or a runny nose?

Tom: I don’t think I have a fever, but my nose is a little blocked.
Sarah: All right, how long have you been feeling like this?

Tom: It started about four days ago.
Sarah: Have your symptoms got worse, better, or are they the same?

Tom: The sore throat is a bit worse, but the cough is about the same.
Sarah: Are you taking any medicine at the moment?

Tom: I only took some paracetamol yesterday for a headache.
Sarah: Do you have any allergies to medicines, like penicillin or aspirin?

Tom: No, I don’t have any known allergies.
Sarah: Do you have any other health problems, such as asthma, heart problems, or high blood pressure?

Tom: I have mild asthma, but it’s usually under control.
Sarah: Thank you, that’s important to know, I’ll avoid anything that could affect your breathing.

Tom: I mainly want something to help with the sore throat and the night cough.
Sarah: I can recommend a soothing syrup for the dry cough and lozenges for your throat.

Tom: How often should I take the syrup?
Sarah: You can take one or two teaspoons three times a day, and once before going to bed.

Tom: And the lozenges, can I use them during the day?
Sarah: Yes, you can slowly suck one lozenge every two to three hours, but don’t take more than eight in one day.

Tom: Okay, that sounds good.
Sarah: Also, drink plenty of water and warm drinks, they will help your throat.

Tom: Is there anything I should avoid eating or drinking?
Sarah: Try to avoid very cold drinks, alcohol, and smoking if you smoke, because they can irritate your throat.

Tom: I don’t smoke, but I do drink coffee, is that okay?
Sarah: One or two coffees a day is fine, but don’t drink too much, and avoid very strong or very hot drinks.

Tom: Do I need to see a doctor, or is the pharmacy enough for now?
Sarah: For now, the pharmacy is fine, but if your symptoms last more than ten days or you get a high fever, you should see a doctor.

Tom: What do you mean by high fever?
Sarah: If your temperature goes above 38.5 or 39 degrees, or you feel very weak or short of breath, go to a doctor or an emergency clinic.

Tom: All right, I’ll watch out for those signs.
Sarah: Good, and if the cough becomes very chesty or painful, you should also see a doctor.

Tom: Thank you, that’s very clear.
Sarah: You’re welcome, I’ll get the syrup and the lozenges for you now.

Tom: Do I need to take the syrup with food?
Sarah: You can take it with or without food, but some people prefer to take it after meals to avoid any stomach discomfort.

Tom: That’s helpful, I’ll do that.
Sarah: Here you are, this is your cough syrup and these are your throat lozenges, and the instructions are on the boxes.

Tom: Thank you very much for your help and advice.
Sarah: It’s my pleasure, I hope you feel better soon, have a nice day.

Tom: You too, goodbye.
Sarah: Goodbye.

En el diálogo aparece el vocabulario básico que necesitas para hablar de salud en una farmacia.

Síntomas habituales:
Palabras como sore throat, cough, dry cough, blocked nose, headache, fever, mucus, chest discomfort describen problemas muy comunes.
sore throat = dolor de garganta
dry cough = tos seca
blocked nose = nariz tapada
bring up mucus = expulsar mucosidad al toser

Productos de farmacia:
El farmacéutico menciona medicine, soothing syrup, lozenges, teaspoon, cough syrup.
soothing syrup = jarabe calmante
lozenges = pastillas para chupar (caramelos medicinales)
teaspoon = cucharadita

Frecuencia y dosis:
Expresiones como one or two teaspoons three times a day, once before going to bed, every two to three hours, not more than eight in one day son típicas para indicar dosis.
Fíjate en el patrón: cantidad + unidad + frecuencia.

Antecedentes y seguridad:
Aparecen términos como allergies to medicines, asthma, high blood pressure, under control.
La farmacéutica pregunta por problemas previos para evitar interacciones o riesgos: Do you have any other health problems…?

Para empezar la conversación:
Excuse me, do you work here? es una forma muy educada de iniciar.
I’m not feeling very well and I’d like some medicine. es una frase comodín excelente para abrir el tema.

Para describir los síntomas:
I have a sore throat and a bit of a cough.
It’s a dry cough, mostly at night.
My nose is a little blocked.
El patrón I have… + síntoma es sencillo y muy útil: I have a headache / a stomach ache / a cold.

Preguntas típicas del farmacéutico:
Is your cough dry or do you bring up mucus?
Do you also have a fever or a runny nose?
How long have you been feeling like this?
Have your symptoms got worse, better, or are they the same?
Are you taking any medicine at the moment?
Do you have any allergies to medicines?
Son prácticamente las mismas preguntas que escucharías en una farmacia real.

Recomendaciones y consejos:
I can recommend a soothing syrup for the dry cough and lozenges for your throat.
Drink plenty of water and warm drinks, they will help your throat.
Try to avoid very cold drinks, alcohol, and smoking.
Estas frases usan verbos suaves como recommend, try to avoid, will help, que suenan informativos, no autoritarios.

Hablar de cuándo ver al médico:
For now, the pharmacy is fine, but if your symptoms last more than ten days or you get a high fever, you should see a doctor.
If your temperature goes above 38.5 or 39 degrees, or you feel very weak or short of breath, go to a doctor or an emergency clinic.
El patrón If… you should… marca claramente las señales de alarma.

Uso de PRESENT SIMPLE para síntomas y hechos generales:
I have a sore throat.
My nose is a little blocked.
You can take one or two teaspoons three times a day.
Se usa el presente simple para describir el estado actual y para dar instrucciones generales.

Uso de PRESENT PERFECT para duración:
It started about four days ago. (pasado simple)
Aunque aquí se usa started, en contexto médico también es muy frecuente: I’ve had this cough for four days.
En cualquier caso, la idea clave es combinar un tiempo pasado con expresiones como ago, for y since para marcar duración.

Preguntas con DO y HAVE:
Do you have a fever?
Do you have any allergies to medicines?
Have you been feeling like this…? (implícito en el contexto)
El farmacéutico usa preguntas cerradas para obtener información rápida y clara.

Modales para recomendaciones:
You can take one or two teaspoons…
You can slowly suck one lozenge…
You should avoid very cold drinks…
Can indica posibilidad/permiso; should indica recomendación. Es una diferencia importante: can = puedes, should = deberías.

Estructuras de cantidad y límite:
One or two teaspoons three times a day.
Every two to three hours, but don’t take more than eight in one day.
Aquí se ven estructuras muy típicas en prospectos y explicaciones de medicamentos.

Papel del farmacéutico:
En muchos países de habla inglesa, igual que en España, el farmacéutico tiene un rol importante de primer filtro: puede aconsejar tratamientos simples y decirte cuándo debes ir al médico. Por eso frases como For now, the pharmacy is fine, but… you should see a doctor son muy habituales.

Formas suaves de hablar de gravedad:
Se evita el dramatismo:
It’s a bit worse, it’s usually under control, for now, the pharmacy is fine.
El lenguaje es calmado y tranquilizador, incluso cuando se mencionan posibles señales de alarma.

Información sobre riesgos y antecedentes:
Es normal que te pregunten por asthma, heart problems, high blood pressure, aunque solo pidas un jarabe. No es indiscreción, es seguridad.

Modo de hablar de la fiebre:
Se usan grados centígrados en el diálogo (38.5 or 39 degrees), pero en países como EE. UU. se usaría Fahrenheit. Aun así, las expresiones high fever, temperature goes above… son estándar.

Estilo de consejo:
Se combinan recomendaciones médicas con consejos de estilo de vida: drink plenty of water, avoid smoking, too much coffee. Es muy típico que la conversación incluya ambos planos: medicación + hábitos.

Cómo iniciar la conversación:
Puedes copiar casi literalmente:
Excuse me, I’m not feeling very well and I’d like some medicine, please.
Después añade:
I have a sore throat and a dry cough.

Estructura sencilla para explicar tu caso:
Primero qué tienes:
I have… + síntoma
Por ejemplo: I have a sore throat and a blocked nose.

Luego desde cuándo:
It started… + tiempo
Por ejemplo: It started four days ago.

Y cómo evoluciona:
It’s getting better / worse / it’s the same.

Frases clave que te van a preguntar casi seguro:
Are you taking any medicine at the moment?
Do you have any allergies to medicines?
Do you have any other health problems?
Te conviene tener preparada la respuesta: No, I don’t have any allergies o I have asthma / high blood pressure.

Cómo preguntar por la dosis:
Frases muy útiles:
How often should I take it?
How many times a day?
Do I take it before or after meals?

Cómo preguntar si necesitas ir al médico:
Frase comodín:
Do I need to see a doctor, or is this enough for now?
Y después:
When should I see a doctor?

Si no entiendes las explicaciones:
Usa frases cortas y muy prácticas:
Sorry, could you repeat that, please?
Could you speak a bit more slowly, please?
Can you show me on the box how to take it?

En resumen, para desenvolverte en la farmacia en inglés te basta con:
usar I have… para describir síntomas,
decir desde cuándo (It started…),
contestar a las preguntas sobre medicación y alergias,
y aprender unas pocas preguntas clave sobre dosis y cuándo ir al médico.
La cortesía (excuse me, please, thank you) y la claridad sencilla valen mucho más que tener un vocabulario médico avanzado.