Tarvitsen lääkäriä
TAR-vit-sen LÄÄ-kä-ri-ä
I need a doctor
Usage
Used to indicate you need medical attention
Grammar Note
The verb "tarvita" (to need) takes a partitive object. "Tarvitsen lääkärin" implies needing a specific doctor
Minulla on kova päänsärky
MI-nul-la on KO-va PÄÄN-sär-ky
I have a severe headache
Usage
Used to describe a severe headache to a doctor or pharmacist
Grammar Note
Finnish expresses possession using the adessive: "minulla on" (at me there is). There is no verb "to have"
Olen allerginen pähkinöille
O-len AL-ler-gi-nen PÄH-ki-nöil-le
I am allergic to nuts
Usage
Used to inform a server or chef about a nut allergy before eating
Grammar Note
"Allerginen" is followed by the allative case -lle (to/towards). E.g., "siitepölylle" = to pollen
Missä on lähin apteekki?
MIS-sä on LÄ-hin AP-tee-kki
Where is the nearest pharmacy?
Usage
Used to ask for the location of the nearest pharmacy
Grammar Note
Finnish pharmacies (apteekki) display a green cross sign. Over-the-counter medicines are available without prescription
Minulla on kuumetta
MI-nul-la on KUU-met-ta
I have a fever
Usage
Used to report a fever to medical personnel
Grammar Note
"Kuume" (fever) appears in partitive "kuumetta" in this construction. Adessive possession "minulla on" is standard for symptoms
Soittakaa ambulanssi heti!
SOIT-ta-kaa AM-bu-lans-si HE-ti
Call an ambulance immediately!
Usage
Used in emergencies to urgently request an ambulance
Grammar Note
The plural imperative -kaa/-kää is used for formal or plural commands. Finnish emergency number is 112
Minulla on diabetes
MI-nul-la on DI-a-be-tes
I have diabetes
Usage
Used to inform a doctor or emergency responder of a diabetes diagnosis
Grammar Note
Finland has one of the world's highest rates of type 1 diabetes. Medical terms in Finnish often borrow from international vocabulary
Tarvitsen kipulääkettä
TAR-vit-sen KI-pu-lää-ket-tä
I need pain medication
Usage
Used to ask for pain relief medication at a pharmacy or hospital
Grammar Note
Kipulääke compounds kipu (pain) and lääke (medicine). Finnish readily compounds words: pain + medicine = pain medicine
Voinko saada vastaanottoajan?
VOI-nko SAA-da VAS-taan-ot-to-a-jan
Can I make a doctor's appointment?
Usage
Used to request a medical appointment at a clinic or hospital
Grammar Note
Vastaanottoaika compounds vastaanotto (reception) and aika (time). Finland has a comprehensive public health system (KELA)
Minulla on hengitysvaikeuksia
MI-nul-la on HEN-gi-tys-vai-keuk-si-a
I am having difficulty breathing
Usage
Used to report breathing difficulties to a doctor or emergency responder
Grammar Note
Hengitysvaikeus compounds hengitys (breathing) and vaikeus (difficulty). Partitive plural -ksia indicates several instances
raskaana
Pregnant
Usage
Show this first at a clinic or pharmacy — it changes what medicine, X-rays, or anaesthesia are allowed
Grammar Note
In a full sentence: "Olen raskaana" (I am pregnant). The word is the essive of raskas (heavy) and is always used in this fixed form
astma
Asthma
Usage
States asthma as a pre-existing condition; an inhaler is "astmapiippu" or "inhalaattori"
diabetes
Diabetes
Usage
States diabetes as a pre-existing condition; insulin is "insuliini"
Grammar Note
The older word "sokeritauti" is still understood, but clinics use "diabetes"
korkea verenpaine
High blood pressure
Usage
States hypertension as a pre-existing condition; low blood pressure is "matala verenpaine"
Grammar Note
Compound of veri (blood) and paine (pressure); the clinical terms are "verenpainetauti" and "hypertensio"
sydänsairaus
Heart disease
Usage
States a heart condition as a pre-existing illness; a heart attack itself is "sydänkohtaus"
epilepsia
Epilepsy
Usage
States epilepsy as a pre-existing condition; a seizure is "kohtaus"
matkavakuutus
Travel insurance
Usage
Show at a clinic reception to state you have insurance; the certificate itself is "vakuutustodistus"
Grammar Note
"Vakuutus" alone can also mean an assurance or assertion, so the compound "matkavakuutus" is safer in a medical setting
lääkeresepti
Prescription
Usage
Use when asking a doctor for a prescription, or at a pharmacy to say the item is prescription-only
Grammar Note
"Resepti" alone means both a medical prescription and a cooking recipe, so this card uses the compound with lääke (medicine). Finnish prescriptions are normally electronic ("sähköinen resepti")
apteekki
Pharmacy
Usage
Point to this to ask where a pharmacy is; the sign is a green cross reading APTEEKKI (Swedish APOTEK)
Grammar Note
In Finland both prescription and over-the-counter medicines are sold only in an apteekki, never in supermarkets or convenience stores
luunmurtuma
Bone fracture
Usage
Report a suspected fracture at an emergency room; a cast is "kipsi"
Grammar Note
Compound of luu (bone) and murtuma (fracture); "murtuma" alone is also understood
hengenahdistus
Shortness of breath
Usage
A single word for breathlessness — faster to point at than a sentence when you cannot speak
huimaus
Dizziness
Usage
Reports dizziness; as a sentence it is "Minua huimaa"
verenvuoto
Bleeding
Usage
States that something is bleeding; a nosebleed is "nenäverenvuoto"
palovamma
Burn
Usage
Reports a burn at a clinic or pharmacy; sunburn is "auringonpolttama"
haava
Wound (cut)
Usage
Point to this for a cut or open wound; a plaster is "laastari" and stitches are "ompeleet"
korva
Ear
Usage
Point to the body part when your ear hurts; earache is "korvasärky"
niska
Neck (back of the neck)
Usage
Point to this for pain at the back of the neck, e.g. a stiff neck
Grammar Note
Finnish splits the neck in two: "niska" is the back of the neck, while the front and throat side is "kaula" — they are not interchangeable
olkapää
Shoulder
Usage
Point to this to indicate shoulder pain
polvi
Knee
Usage
Point to this for knee pain or a knee injury
sormi
Finger
Usage
Point to this for a finger injury; a toe is a separate word, "varvas"
iho
Skin
Usage
Used when describing a skin problem; a dermatologist is "ihotautilääkäri"
käsivarsi
Arm
Usage
Point to this for pain or injury in the arm
Grammar Note
In everyday speech "käsi" covers both hand and arm, so use "käsivarsi" when you specifically mean the arm
nenä
Nose
Usage
Point to this for nose symptoms; a blocked nose is "nenä tukossa"
yskä
Cough
Usage
Reports a cough; cough medicine is "yskänlääke"
kutina
Itching
Usage
Reports itching; as a sentence it is "Minua kutittaa"
ihottuma
Rash
Usage
Reports a rash at a clinic or pharmacy; hives are "nokkosihottuma"
ummetus
Constipation
Usage
Point to this at a pharmacy or clinic for constipation; diarrhoea is "ripuli"
kuukautiset
Period (menstruation)
Usage
The ordinary Finnish word for menstruation, for use at a pharmacy or clinic — it is not a euphemism
Grammar Note
Always plural — the singular "kuukautinen" is not used. Period pain is "kuukautiskivut"
veriryhmä
Blood type
Usage
Show this when asked about your blood type before treatment or a transfusion, then write the type itself (A, B, O, AB)
Grammar Note
A compound of veri (blood) and ryhmä (group)
lääkärintodistus
Medical certificate
Usage
Ask for the document a doctor writes for an insurance claim or to prove absence from work
Grammar Note
The genitive of lääkäri (doctor) plus todistus (certificate): a certificate of illness issued by a doctor
sairaalahoito
Hospital admission
Usage
Treatment given as an inpatient; show this to ask whether you need to be admitted
Grammar Note
A compound of sairaala (hospital) and hoito (care); outpatient care is the contrasting term "avohoito"
vilunväristykset
Chills
Usage
Reports the shivering cold that often comes before a fever
Grammar Note
Normally plural when reporting the symptom (the singular is "vilunväristys"); vilu is cold and väristys is a shiver
flunssa
Common cold
Usage
The everyday word for a mild infection of the nose and throat; showing it at a pharmacy gets you to the cold-remedy shelf
Grammar Note
Colloquial; the medical term is "nuhakuume". Influenza is "influenssa" and is a different illness
Soittakaa lääkärille!
SOIT-ta-kaa LÄÄ-kä-ril-le
Please call a doctor
Usage
Ask the people around you to call a doctor when you or your companion is unwell
Grammar Note
The "soittaa + allative -lle" frame, with the doctor as the addressee; "soittaa" can also mean to play an instrument, but with an allative it means to phone
Minulla on kipua tässä
MI-nul-la on KI-pu-a TÄS-sä
It hurts here
Usage
Show this while pointing at the place that hurts
Grammar Note
The adessive possession frame, with the place adverb "tässä" (here) instead of a body-part compound
Minulla on huono olo
MI-nul-la on HUO-no O-lo
I feel sick
Usage
Say that you feel unwell when you cannot name the symptom
Grammar Note
The adessive possession frame "Minulla on ...", filled with the adjective "huono" (bad) and the noun "olo"; "olo" is how one feels health-wise, as in "todella huono olo"
Olen voimaton
O-len VOI-ma-ton
My body feels sluggish
Usage
Say that your body has no strength, for instance with a fever or after an illness
Grammar Note
The "Olen + adjective" frame; while "väsynyt" is tiredness including sleepiness, "voimaton" (voima = strength + -ton = without) is the state of having no strength
Olen oksentanut monta kertaa
O-len OK-sen-ta-nut MON-ta KER-taa
I have vomited several times
Usage
Tell a doctor how often you have vomited; it matters for diagnosing food poisoning or infection
Grammar Note
The "Olen + active past participle" perfect; the count is expressed with the word "monta" (many) and the partitive "kertaa" of "kerta" (time)
Pitääkö minun levätä?
PI-tää-kö MI-nun LE-vä-tä
Do I need to rest?
Usage
Check with the doctor after an examination whether you have to stay at rest
Grammar Note
A necessive construction, with the agent in the genitive "minun"
ripuli
Diarrhea
Usage
Point to this at a pharmacy or clinic for diarrhoea; constipation is "ummetus"
kakka
Poop
Usage
A soft word for children and casual talk (childish). With a doctor, "uloste" (stool) is the safer word
pissa
Pee
Usage
An everyday word used with family and children (colloquial). With a doctor or in formal settings, use "virtsa" (urine)
Minulla on ripuli
MI-nul-la on RI-pu-li
I have diarrhea
Usage
Tell a doctor or pharmacist that you have diarrhea
Grammar Note
The "Minulla on + symptom" frame (possession is expressed as "at me there is ..."). For constipation: "Minulla on ummetus".
Minulla on ummetus
MI-nul-la on UM-me-tus
I'm constipated
Usage
Tell a doctor or pharmacist that you are constipated
Grammar Note
The "Minulla on + symptom" frame with "ummetus" (constipation) filled in. For diarrhea: "Minulla on ripuli".
Minun pitää pissata
MI-nun PI-tää PIS-sa-ta
I need to pee
Usage
A casual way to tell a companion or a child that you need the toilet
Grammar Note
"Minun pitää + infinitive" means "I need to ..."; note that the subject is in the genitive (minun). "Pissata" is the verb form of "pissa" and is colloquial. In more formal settings: "Minun täytyy päästä vessaan" (I must get to the toilet).
Minun pitää kakata
MI-nun PI-tää KA-ka-ta
I need to poop
Usage
A casual way to tell a companion or a child that you need the toilet
Grammar Note
The "Minun pitää + infinitive" frame. "Kakata" is the verb form of "kakka" and is colloquial. With a doctor, "ulostaa" (to pass stool) is used.
More Finnish phrases
- Basic Words
- Basic Nouns
- Basic Verbs
- Adjectives
- Question Words
- Greetings
- Food & Drinks
- Transportation
- Shopping
- Numbers
- Hotel
- Emergency
- Sightseeing
- Flirting
- Nightlife
- Massage & Spa
- Compliments
- Contacts & SNS
- Beach & Activities
- Places & Areas
- Useful Phrases
- Airport & Customs
- Weather & Climate
- Pharmacy & Health
- Directions
- Money & Exchange
- Internet & WiFi
- Nature & Outdoors
- Religion & Temples
- Café & Drinks
- Schedule & Booking
- Culture & Etiquette
- Traveling with Kids
- Sports & Activities
- Public Transport
- Accommodation
- Banking & ATM
- Visa & Immigration
- Business & Work
- School & Education
- Cooking & Markets
- Music & Entertainment
- Art & Museums
- Festivals & Events
- Photography
- Laundry
- Post Office
- Language Learning
- Dating & Romance
- Dating Apps
- Volunteering
- Accessibility
- Sustainability & Eco
- Fruits
- Colors
- Dietary & Allergies
- Markets & Souvenirs
- Wine & Spirits
- Car Rental & Driving
- Time & Dates
- Hiking & Trekking
- Diving & Water Sports
- Skiing & Winter Sports
- Hot Springs & Baths
- Yoga & Wellness
- Casino & Gambling
- Beauty & Grooming
- Remote Work
- Fashion & Clothing
- Convenience Store
- Martial Arts
- Signs
- Body Parts
- Animals
- Vehicles
- Electronics
- Feelings
- Slang
- Local Dishes
- Local Drinks
- Indulgences