Czech at the Pharmacy
At a Czech lékárna (pharmacy), describe your illness with "Mám..." (I have...) or point and say "Bolí mě tady" (it hurts here). Most common medicines like painkillers or cold medicine are sold over the counter — no recept (prescription) needed.
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Feeling sick abroad is stressful enough without a language barrier. A Czech lékárna (pharmacy) can sell you most of what you can get in any country, you just need the right words to describe what's wrong.
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Key PhrasesBack to top
| Czech | English |
|---|---|
| Bolí mě hlava. | I have a headache (literally: "My head hurts"). |
| Mám horečku a bolí mě v krku. | I have a fever and my throat hurts. |
| Potřebuji něco na chřipku. | I need something for the flu. |
| Máte to i bez cukru / bez lepku? | Do you have it sugar-free / gluten-free? |
| Jak často to mám brát? | How often should I take it? |
| Potřebuji na to recept? | Do I need a prescription for that? |
| Jsem alergický/alergická na... | I'm allergic to... (penicillin, etc.) |
Pro tip
Adjectives like alergický (allergic) change with the speaker's gender: a man says alergický, a woman says alergická.
Sample DialogueBack to top
Frequently Asked QuestionsBack to top
What's the Czech word for pharmacy?
Lékárna. It's a false friend trap for English speakers expecting something closer to "pharmacy" — the pharmacist is a lékárník (male) or lékárnice (female).
Do I need a prescription (recept) for most medicine in Czechia?
No — many common medicines (painkillers, cold medicine, allergy medicine) are sold volně prodejné (over the counter). Antibiotics and stronger medication need a recept from a doctor.
How do I describe symptoms if I don't know the exact Czech word?
Pointing to the affected area while saying "Bolí mě tady" (It hurts here) works well, and pharmacists in bigger cities often speak some English. "Mám..." (I have...) plus the symptom — like "Mám horečku" (I have a fever) — covers most common cases.
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