Japanese for English speakers Hospital · Lesson 2

Symptoms 4

Use 調子 (chōshi, condition) to discuss health — お腹の調子 (stomach condition), 食欲 (appetite). Learn 'person + は + body part + が + adjective' structure.

Conversation

  1. Bolin Bolin

    胃の調子はどうですか？

    i no chōshi wa dō desu ka?

    What is the condition of your stomach?

    Tip: <i> = stomach <chōshi> = shape, condition (noun)

  2. Muri Muri

    胃の調子はいいです

    i no chōshi wa ī desu

    My stomach in in good shape

    Tip: <chōshi ga ī desu> = to be in good shape <chōshi ga warui desu> = to be in bad shape Note: It is common to have a structure like "person + wa + noun + ga + adjective" to say "he / she is or has something". Here, however, there is no evident subject marked by the particle "wa", which, in this case, emphasizes the noun "i", meaning "the stomach is fine, but maybe something else is wrong"

  3. Bolin Bolin

    食欲がありますか？

    shoku yoku ga arimasuka?

    Do you have an appetite?

    Tip: <shokuyoku> = appetite

  4. Muri Muri

    はい、あります

    hai, arimasu

    Yes, I do

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

What does 調子 mean?

'Condition' or 'state' — 調子がいい = in good shape; 調子が悪い = in bad shape. Used for health, machines, performance.

How do you say 'I have an appetite'?

食欲があります (shokuyoku ga arimasu). The opposite is 食欲がありません = 'I have no appetite'.

What's a 'big topic, small topic' sentence?

Japanese often uses は for the main topic and が for the sub-topic: 私は頭が痛いです = 'As for me, my head hurts'. は emphasises the overall person.

Test yourself

Pick the English translation for each line from this lesson. Wrong answers are pulled from other Japanese lessons.

4 quick questions on what you just heard.

Next lesson in Hospital Taking medicines →