Medical Vietnamese: hospital, pharmacy and emergency phrases
Body-part words, symptom phrases, the difference between doctor and clinic, and what to say at a Vietnamese pharmacy counter when you don't know the generic name.
Published 2026-05-21· 5 min read· Vietnam Knowledge
Last reviewed: 21 May 2026Report outdated info
The Vietnamese phrases below are for a foreigner who needs medical help and either can't reach an English-speaking professional or needs to make the first 60 seconds clear before help arrives. None of this is a substitute for proper medical care.
Not medical advice. For diagnostic, prescription, or treatment decisions, speak to a qualified medical professional. In emergencies, dial 115 (ambulance) or 113 (police).
Emergency
| English | Vietnamese | Romanised |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | Cứu! | koo |
| Call an ambulance | Gọi xe cấp cứu | goy seh kup koo |
| I need a doctor | Tôi cần bác sĩ | toy kun bak see |
| Where is the hospital? | Bệnh viện ở đâu? | benh vee-en uh dau |
| Emergency | Cấp cứu | kup koo |
| It hurts here | Đau ở đây | dau uh day |
| I can't breathe | Tôi không thở được | toy khong tuh duhk |
| I'm allergic to... | Tôi bị dị ứng với... | toy bee zee oong vuh-ee |
The single most useful phrase is probably Tôi cần bác sĩ (I need a doctor). Add gấp (kup) — "urgent" — for emergencies.
Pain and symptoms
| English | Vietnamese | Romanised |
|---|---|---|
| Pain | Đau | dau |
| Mild pain | Đau nhẹ | dau nyay |
| Severe pain | Đau dữ dội | dau zoo zoy |
| Sharp pain | Đau nhói | dau nyoy |
| Dull pain | Đau âm ỉ | dau am ee |
| Headache | Đau đầu | dau dau |
| Stomach ache | Đau bụng | dau boong |
| Diarrhoea | Tiêu chảy | tee-ew chai |
| Vomiting | Nôn mửa | non muh-uh |
| Fever | Sốt | shoht |
| Cough | Ho | ho |
| Sore throat | Đau họng | dau hong |
| Dizzy | Chóng mặt | chong mat |
| Tired / exhausted | Mệt | met |
| Itchy | Ngứa | ngoo-uh |
| Rash | Phát ban | fat ban |
Body parts
| English | Vietnamese | Romanised |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Đầu | dau |
| Eye | Mắt | mat |
| Ear | Tai | tai |
| Nose | Mũi | mooy |
| Mouth | Miệng | mee-eng |
| Throat | Họng | hong |
| Neck | Cổ | koh |
| Chest | Ngực | ngoook |
| Stomach | Bụng | boong |
| Back | Lưng | loong |
| Arm | Tay | tai |
| Hand | Bàn tay | ban tai |
| Leg | Chân | chun |
| Foot | Bàn chân | ban chun |
| Skin | Da | yah |
At the pharmacy
| English | Vietnamese | Romanised |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy | Nhà thuốc | nyah took |
| Medicine | Thuốc | took |
| Painkiller | Thuốc giảm đau | took zam dau |
| Paracetamol | Paracetamol (same) | par-ah-set-a-mol |
| Ibuprofen | Ibuprofen (same) | ibu-pro-fen |
| Antibiotic | Kháng sinh | kahng sing |
| Anti-diarrhoea | Thuốc tiêu chảy | took tee-ew chai |
| Antihistamine | Thuốc dị ứng | took zee oong |
| For a fever | Trị sốt | tree shoht |
| For a cough | Trị ho | tree ho |
| For a stomach ache | Trị đau bụng | tree dau boong |
| Tablets | Viên | vee-en |
| Liquid | Sirô | shi-roh |
| How many times a day? | Bao nhiêu lần một ngày? | bow new lun mot ngai |
| Take with food | Uống sau khi ăn | oong sau khee un |
Vietnamese pharmacies usually understand the international generic name (paracetamol, ibuprofen, amoxicillin, omeprazole). Write the generic name on paper or show on your phone if the pronunciation isn't getting through. Brand names from your home country won't be recognised.
Allergies and conditions
| English | Vietnamese | Romanised |
|---|---|---|
| Allergic to peanuts | Dị ứng đậu phộng | zee oong dao foan |
| Allergic to shellfish | Dị ứng hải sản | zee oong hai san |
| Allergic to penicillin | Dị ứng penicillin | zee oong penny-sil-lin |
| Diabetic | Tôi bị tiểu đường | toy bee tee-ew duhng |
| Asthmatic | Tôi bị hen | toy bee hen |
| Pregnant | Tôi đang mang thai | toy dang mang tai |
| I take blood thinners | Tôi đang dùng thuốc chống đông máu | toy dang yoong took chong dong mau |
Hospital and clinic words
| English | Vietnamese | Romanised |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital | Bệnh viện | benh vee-en |
| Clinic | Phòng khám | fong kham |
| Doctor | Bác sĩ | bak see |
| Nurse | Y tá | yee tah |
| Emergency department | Khoa cấp cứu | kwa kup koo |
| Outpatient | Khám bệnh | kham benh |
| International department | Khoa quốc tế | kwa kwok tey |
| Insurance | Bảo hiểm | bao hee-em |
| Test (lab) | Xét nghiệm | set ngee-em |
| X-ray | Chụp X-quang | choop X-kwang |
Useful sentences
| English | Vietnamese | Romanised |
|---|---|---|
| I don't speak Vietnamese well | Tôi nói tiếng Việt không giỏi | toy noy tee-eng vee-et khong zoy |
| Please write it down | Xin viết ra | sin vee-et rah |
| Where is the international department? | Khoa quốc tế ở đâu? | kwa kwok tey uh dau |
| I have international insurance | Tôi có bảo hiểm quốc tế | toy co bao hee-em kwok tey |
| Can I have a copy of the report? | Cho tôi bản sao báo cáo | cho toy ban sao bao kao |
| How much does it cost? | Chi phí bao nhiêu? | chee fee bow new |
| Is this covered by insurance? | Bảo hiểm có chi trả không? | bao hee-em co chee cha khong |
What this is not
This page is not a substitute for proper care. In any medical emergency:
- Dial 115 (ambulance) or 113 (police).
- Call your international insurance assistance line.
- Get to a private hospital (Vinmec, FV, Family Medical Practice) if at all possible — they have English-speaking staff and modern facilities.
The phrases above bridge the language gap until proper help arrives.
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