Health & Hospital

1. I dey sick.

   I am sick

   Usage

   The basic way to say you are unwell

   Grammar Note

   dey + verb marks an ongoing action or state. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

2. I wan go hospital.

   I want to go to the hospital

   Usage

   To hotel staff or a taxi driver

   Grammar Note

   go takes the place directly, with no preposition. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

3. My head dey pain me.

   My head is hurting

   Usage

   To describe a pain

   Grammar Note

   dey pain me means 'it hurts me'; head can be replaced with another body part. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

4. Abeg, I need medicine.

   I need medicine

   Usage

   After describing your symptoms

   Grammar Note

   An English-derived word used unchanged; it does not inflect. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

5. I get fever.

   I have a fever

   Usage

   Malaria is possible, so seek care early if you have a fever

   Grammar Note

   get means 'have'. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

6. My belle dey pain me.

   My stomach is hurting

   Usage

   belle is the Pidgin word for belly

   Grammar Note

   belle corresponds to English belly. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

7. Abeg, call ambulance for me.

   Call an ambulance for me

   Usage

   To someone nearby in an emergency

   Grammar Note

   for me means 'on my behalf'. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

8. Doctor dey for here?

   Is there a doctor here?

   Usage

   At a clinic or hotel

   Grammar Note

   Word order does not change in questions. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

9. I don better now.

   I am feeling better now

   Usage

   To say you have recovered

   Grammar Note

   don + adjective means 'has become ...'. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

10. I dey pregnant.

    I am pregnant

    Usage

    To tell a doctor or pharmacist

    Grammar Note

    dey + verb marks an ongoing action or state. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

11. Diabetes.

    Diabetes

    Usage

    A chronic condition in one word

    Grammar Note

    An English-derived word used unchanged; it does not inflect. (an English-derived noun used as is; no individual attestation)

12. Heart disease.

    Heart disease

    Usage

    A chronic condition to disclose

    Grammar Note

    An English-derived word used unchanged; it does not inflect. (an English-derived noun used as is; no individual attestation)

13. My bone don break.

    My bone is broken

    Usage

    Describing an injury

    Grammar Note

    don marks a completed change. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

14. I no fit breathe well.

    I cannot breathe well

    Usage

    When you need medical help immediately

    Grammar Note

    The negative modal is no fit; can't is not used. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

15. I dey bleed.

    I am bleeding

    Usage

    Say it at once after an injury

    Grammar Note

    dey + verb marks an ongoing action or state. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

16. Fire burn me.

    I got burned

    Usage

    When asking for first aid for a burn

    Grammar Note

    burn is a transitive verb meaning 'burn'. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

17. Wound.

    Wound / sore

    Usage

    A one-word label while pointing at the wound

    Grammar Note

    An English-derived word used unchanged; it does not inflect. (an English-derived noun used as is; no individual attestation)

18. I get constipation.

    I am constipated

    Usage

    At a pharmacy or clinic

    Grammar Note

    get means 'have'. (an English-derived noun used as is; no individual attestation)

19. Abeg, call doctor.

    Please call a doctor

    Usage

    When someone is unwell

    Grammar Note

    Commands start with the bare verb, with no subject. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

20. I suppose rest?

    Do I need to rest?

    Usage

    To ask a doctor whether you need rest

    Grammar Note

    suppose expresses 'should'. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

21. Diarrhoea.

    Diarrhea

    Usage

    A symptom in one word. The same spelling, diarrhoea, appears on pcm.wikipedia

    Grammar Note

    An English-derived word used unchanged; it does not inflect. pcm.wikipedia glosses "plenty toilet" as "(diarrhoea)"

22. Constipation.

    Constipation

    Usage

    A symptom in one word

    Grammar Note

    An English-derived word used unchanged; it does not inflect. (an English-derived noun used as is; no individual attestation; another card uses the same word)

23. Poo-poo.

    Poop

    Usage

    An everyday word for stool, usable with a child or when talking about bowel movements at a check-up. Attested in BBC News Pidgin

    Grammar Note

    A noun borrowed from English poo-poo; it does not inflect. en.wiktionary lists it as a Nigerian Pidgin noun ("poo; faeces"), citing a BBC News Pidgin article ("troway di poo-poo comot for window")

24. Urine.

    Urine

    Usage

    No everyday Pidgin word for "pee" could be confirmed in a dictionary or corpus, so the medical word "urine" is used, for talking about urine at a check-up

    Grammar Note

    An English-derived word used unchanged; it does not inflect. (an English-derived noun used as is; no individual attestation)

25. I get diarrhoea.

    I have diarrhea

    Usage

    Tell a doctor or pharmacist you have diarrhea

    Grammar Note

    get means 'have'. The same frame as another card "I get fever." and another card "I get constipation." (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

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