دواء
dawā'
The Arabic word for medication is دواء (dawā').
دواء is the most common and general Arabic term for medication, referring to one or all the medicines regularly taken by a patient.
Meaning: one or all the medicines regularly taken by a patient (noun)
Which one should you use?
While دواء specifically refers to the medication itself, the word علاج (ʿilāj) refers to the process of treatment or therapy. However, علاج can be used interchangeably with medication when you are referring to a medical treatment or a remedy.
How does it change in a sentence?
دواء is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
dawā'
Did you know?
- Arabic uses the word جرعة (jurʿa) for 'dose', and in a colloquial context, saying someone 'took a dose' can sometimes imply they have lost their mind or are acting crazy.
- When discussing traditional or herbal medication, one might hear the term وصفة (wasfa), which means 'a recipe' or 'a prescription'.
- The word دواء shares a linguistic root with the concept of 'disease', creating a poetic link between the sickness and the remedy.
Examples in context
- بدأ دواء سامي يؤثّر فيه.Sami's medication started to take effect.This sentence shows how to describe medication starting to take effect using دواء.Tatoeba #7009533 by OsoHombre, translation #6711719 by OsoHombre
- لم يكن زيري يتناول دواءه.Ziri didn't take his medication.This sentence is useful for describing someone not taking their medication using دواء.Tatoeba #11999952 by dididodo, translation #10225505 by Amastan
- تركت ليلى دواءها في المخيّم.Layla left her medication in the camp.This sentence is useful for describing someone leaving their medication behind using دواء.Tatoeba #7009528 by OsoHombre, translation #6111531 by OsoHombre
- أريد الحصول على دَواءٍ للصداع.I want to get medicine for a headache.
- ممكن حبوب للسعال؟Could I have some cough medicine?
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Omar and Layla are talking in the kitchen about Layla's health.
- عمر Omarيا ليلى، هل أخذتِ دواءكِ؟Ya Layla, hal akhadhti dawa'aki?Layla, did you take your medication?
- ليلى Laylaنعم، أخذت الدواء قبل قليل.Na'am, akhadhtu al-dawa' qabla qalil.Yes, I took the medication a little while ago.
- عمر Omarهل تشعرين بتحسن الآن؟Hal tash'urina bi-tahassun al-an?Do you feel better now?
- ليلى Laylaنعم، أشعر أنني أفضل بكثير.Na'am, ash'uru annani afdal bi-kathir.Yes, I feel much better.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries دواء, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
