دوا
davāstandard
The Urdu word for "medicine" is دوا (davā). People also say دوائی (davāʾī), and ادویات (adviyāt) is the formal plural for medicines in general.
Meaning: drug used to treat illness (noun)
Ways to say it
| Pakistan | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| دوا | davā | standard |
| دوائی | davāʾī | everyday |
| ادویات | adviyāt | plural, formal |
People say دوا لینا (davā lenā) for "to take medicine". A shop selling medicine is a میڈیکل اسٹور (meḍikal sṭor) or دوا خانہ (davā khāna).
Which one should you use?
دوا (davā) and دوائی (davāʾī) mean the same in daily talk. ادویات (adviyāt) is used in news, rules and shop signs.
Did you know?
- Urdu also has the saying دعا اور دوا (duʿā aur davā), "prayer and medicine", for the hope that comes with both treatment and prayer.
Examples in context
- یہ دوا دن میں دو بار لیںyeh davā din meñ do bār leñTake this medicine twice a day
- مجھے دوائی لینی ہےmujhe davāʾī lenī haiI have to take my medicine
Example conversation
Patient Kashif asks the pharmacist Rukhsana for medicine in Karachi.
- Kashifمجھے بخار کی دوا چاہیے۔mujhe bukhār kī davā chāhiye.I need medicine for fever.
- Rukhsanaیہ گولی دن میں دو بار لیں۔yeh golī din meñ do bār leñ.Take this tablet twice a day.
- Kashifشکریہ۔shukriya.Thank you.
