EFE learning modules / Visiting the Doctor & Symptoms

Visiting the Doctor & Symptoms @ Describing specific illnesses and physical pains to medical staff and identifying different body parts.

Common Expressions Back to Catalog

Explore Contexts

Select a specific social context to practice.

Under the weather

/አንደር ዘ ዌዘር/

ጤና ማጣት ወይም ህመም መሰማት

Feeling slightly ill or not well.

ትንሽ መታመም ወይም ጥሩ ስሜት አለመሰማት።

In Practice

"I am feeling a bit under the weather today."
"She couldn't come to work because she was under the weather."
Fluent Tip

Used to describe a general feeling of being unwell without a specific diagnosis.

Sick as a dog

/ሲክ አዝ ኤ ዶግ/

በጣም መታመም

To be very ill.

በጣም መታመም ወይም በከፍተኛ ሁኔታ መታመም።

In Practice

"He was sick as a dog after eating that seafood."
"I've been sick as a dog all weekend."
Fluent Tip

Informal expression used when someone is experiencing severe symptoms, often nausea.

Back on one's feet

/ባክ ኦን ዋንስ ፊት/

ከህመም ማገገም

To be healthy again after a period of illness.

ከታመሙ በኋላ እንደገና ጤናማ መሆን።

In Practice

"It took a week, but I'm finally back on my feet."
"We hope to see you back on your feet soon."
Fluent Tip

Used when discussing recovery from an illness or injury.

Clean bill of health

/ክሊን ቢል ኦፍ ሄልዝ/

ሙሉ ጤንነት ማረጋገጫ

A report or certificate stating that someone is healthy.

አንድ ሰው ጤናማ መሆኑን የሚገልጽ የጤና ሪፖርት።

In Practice

"The doctor gave him a clean bill of health."
"I'm happy to report a clean bill of health after my checkup."
Fluent Tip

Formal or semi-formal context after a medical examination.

Bitter pill to swallow

/ቢተር ፒል ቱ ስዋሎው/

ለመቀበል የሚከብድ መጥፎ ዜና

Unpleasant information that must be accepted.

መቀበል ያለብን ደስ የማይል መረጃ ወይም እውነታ።

In Practice

"The diagnosis was a bitter pill to swallow."
"Losing his mobility was a bitter pill to swallow."
Fluent Tip

Used metaphorically for difficult medical news.

At death's door

/አት ዴዝስ ዶር/

ለሞት መቃረብ

Very close to death.

በጣም ለሞት መቃረብ ወይም በከፍተኛ ሁኔታ መታመም።

In Practice

"He looked like he was at death's door last night."
"The patient was at death's door before the surgery."
Fluent Tip

Hyperbolic or literal description of extreme illness.

Out of sorts

/አውት ኦፍ ሶርትስ/

ምቾት ማጣት ወይም መረበሽ

Slightly ill or in a bad mood.

ትንሽ መታመም ወይም የባህሪ መለዋወጥ።

In Practice

"The baby is out of sorts because of teething."
"I've been feeling out of sorts all morning."
Fluent Tip

General description of not feeling like one's normal self.

Running a fever

/ረኒንግ ኤ ፊቨር/

ትኩሳት መኖር

To have a body temperature higher than normal.

ከወትሮው የተለየ ከፍተኛ የሰውነት ሙቀት መኖር።

In Practice

"The child is running a fever and needs rest."
"I think I'm running a fever; I feel very hot."
Fluent Tip

Common clinical observation described idiomatically.

Coming down with something

/ካሚንግ ዳውን ዊዝ ሰምቲንግ/

በህመም መያዝ መጀመር

Starting to get sick.

መታመም መጀመር ወይም የህመም ምልክቶች መታየት።

In Practice

"I think I'm coming down with a cold."
"She felt tired and thought she was coming down with something."
Fluent Tip

Used when early symptoms of an illness appear.

Bundle of nerves

/ባንድል ኦፍ ነርቭስ/

በጣም መጨነቅ

Extremely nervous or anxious.

በጣም መረበሽ ወይም መጨነቅ።

In Practice

"I was a bundle of nerves before the surgery."
"The patient was a bundle of nerves waiting for the results."
Fluent Tip

Describes psychological distress related to medical issues.

Off-color

/ኦፍ ካለር/

ጤነኛ አለመምሰል

Looking or feeling ill.

የታመመ መምሰል ወይም ጤነኛ አለመሆን።

In Practice

"You look a bit off-color today; are you okay?"
"He's been feeling off-color for a few days."
Fluent Tip

Used when someone's physical appearance suggests illness.

Green around the gills

/ግሪን አራውንድ ዘ ጊልስ/

ማቅለሽለሽ ወይም ፊት መገርጣት

Looking nauseated or pale.

የማቅለሽለሽ ስሜት መታየት ወይም ፊት መገርጣት።

In Practice

"He looked a bit green around the gills after the blood test."
"Are you okay? You look green around the gills."
Fluent Tip

Specifically used to describe someone who looks like they might vomit.