Pharmacy & Health

1. E vai 'ānei te rā'au no te ma'i upo'o?

   Do you have headache medicine?

   Usage

   Ask for headache medicine at a pharmacy in French Polynesia

   Grammar Note

   The spelling is ma'i. Medicine is rā'au, rā'au rapa'au and head is upo'o. 'ānei asks whether it is available

2. E hina'aro vau i te rā'au no te ma'i 'ōpū.

   I need stomach medicine

   Usage

   Use when you need stomach medicine

   Grammar Note

   "To want" is hina'aro. 'ōpū "belly" is genuinely Tahitian, cognate with Hawaiian

3. E hina'aro vau i te rā'au no te hī.

   I need anti-diarrhea medicine

   Usage

   Ask for anti-diarrhea medicine

   Grammar Note

   Diarrhoea is hī

4. 'Ua ahuahu tō'u tino.

   I have a fever

   Usage

   Tell the pharmacist you have a fever

   Grammar Note

   Fever is ahu / ahuahu and tino is "body"

5. E allergique vau

   I have an allergy

   Usage

   Inform the pharmacist about your allergy

   Grammar Note

   "Allergique" is borrowed from French. French Polynesia has strong French linguistic influence

6. E hina'aro vau i te pansement.

   I need bandages/plasters

   Usage

   Ask for bandages or plasters at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   There is no Tahitian word for "plaster / bandage", so the French pansement is used — the word actually on the shelf label

7. E hina'aro vau i te rā'au tāpe'a naonao.

   I need insect repellent

   Usage

   Ask for insect repellent at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   A mosquito is naonao and "to keep off / hold back" is tāpe'a. Pharmacy shelves label it anti-moustique in French

8. E hina'aro vau i te crème solaire.

   I need sunscreen

   Usage

   Ask for sunscreen at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   "Crème solaire" is the French term for sunscreen. French is an official language in French Polynesia

9. Nāhea e inu ai i tēnā rā'au?

   How do I take this medicine?

   Usage

   Ask the pharmacist how to take the medicine

   Grammar Note

   The interrogative is written Nāhea as one word. tēnā is the demonstrative for something near the addressee

10. E titauhia 'ānei te ordonnance?

    Do I need a prescription?

    Usage

    Check if a prescription is needed

    Grammar Note

    "To require" is titau (exiger = titau; demander = ani, titau), made passive with -hia. ordonnance is the French word actually used in Tahitian pharmacies

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