The Pharmacy

A pharmacy is a place where you can buy medicine, talk to a pharmacist, and find health-related products like vitamins, bandages, or skincare items.

Pharmacist – A healthcare professional who prepares and gives out medicine and offers advice on how to use it properly.

 Common Vocabulary at the Pharmacy

Word/Phrase	Meaning	Example Sentence
Prescription	A doctor's written instruction for medicine	"I need to pick up my prescription."
Over-the-counter (OTC)	Medicine you can buy without a prescription	"Can I get something over-the-counter for my headache?"
Painkiller	A medicine that reduces pain	"Do you have a strong painkiller for a toothache?"
Antibiotics	Medicine used to treat infections	"The doctor gave me antibiotics for my throat infection."
Cough syrup	Liquid medicine for a cough	"Take one spoon of cough syrup every six hours."
Side effects	Unwanted reactions to medicine	"This medicine may cause drowsiness as a side effect."
Dosage	The correct amount of medicine	"Make sure you follow the dosage instructions."
Refill	Getting more of your prescribed medicine	"Can I get a refill on my blood pressure medicine?"
Cream / Ointment	Medication applied to the skin	"Apply the ointment twice a day."
Allergic reaction	A harmful response to a substance	"Let the pharmacist know if you’ve had any allergic reactions."

 Practical Exercises

1. Match the Vocabulary

Match the words to their meanings:

a. Antibiotics
b. Prescription
c. Dosage
d. Refill
e. Painkiller

1. _______ A note from the doctor to get medicine

2. _______ Used to reduce or eliminate pain

3. _______ Used to treat bacterial infections

4. _______ The amount of medicine to take

5. _______ Getting more medicine from the pharmacy

2. Fill in the Blanks

Choose the correct word from the box: pharmacist, over-the-counter, cough syrup, allergic, ointment

• I went to the __________ to ask about my medicine.

• You don’t need a prescription for that. It’s __________.

• She had an __________ reaction to the antibiotics.

• I have a cold, so I bought some __________.

• Apply the __________ to the rash twice a day.

3. Speaking Practice (Try saying this out loud!)

Imagine you're at a pharmacy. Practice these sentences:

• "Hi, I have a prescription to pick up."

• "Do you have anything over-the-counter for a headache?"

• "What are the possible side effects of this medication?"

• "Can I speak to the pharmacist, please?"

Think & Comment:

1. Have you ever been to a pharmacy in an English-speaking country? What was it like?

2. Which three words from today’s post were new to you?

3. Try writing your own sentence using the word dosage.

 Leave your answers in the comments or share them with a friend to practice together!