Health & Hospital

1. Medze dɔ

   I am sick

   Usage

   Tells people you are ill. The same words appear in scripture for “I was sick”

   Grammar Note

   dze dɔ is “to fall ill”. dɔ also means “work” and “hunger”, so context decides.

2. Medi be mayi kɔdzi

   I want to go to the hospital

   Usage

   Use it when you are unwell and want to go to a hospital

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary-verified words: di be … “want to …”, and mayi is the future of yi “go”. Not yet checked by a native speaker.

3. Mexɔ dzo

   I have a fever

   Usage

   Tells people you have a fever. Based on xɔ dzo, used in an article about a child with a fever

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary-verified words: xɔ dzo “to catch heat, run a fever”. dzo also means “fire” and “leave”. Not yet checked by a native speaker.

4. Ɖe ɖɔkta aɖe le afisia?

   Is there a doctor here?

   Usage

   Use it to look for a doctor

   Grammar Note

   Composed; ɖɔkta is a loanword from English “doctor”. A yes/no question starts with Ɖe (capital Ɖ, U+0189). Not yet checked by a native speaker.

5. Abi

   Wound / sore

   Usage

   A word for a wound or a sore on the skin

   Grammar Note

   abi is “wound, sore”. In scripture it refers to sores on the skin.

6. Dzidɔléle

   Heart disease

   Usage

   A word for telling a doctor about a heart condition

   Grammar Note

   A compound of dzi “heart” and dɔléle “illness”. The acute accent on dɔléle follows the standard spelling.

7. Ŋutinye nyo wu azɔ

   I am feeling better now

   Usage

   Says that you have recovered somewhat

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary-verified words: nyo wu “better”, azɔ “now”. Not yet checked by a native speaker.

8. Mitsinyenye

   Diarrhea

   Usage

   The symptom name; show it to a doctor or pharmacist

   Grammar Note

   This word occurs a dozen times in the Ewe health articles of Jehovah's Witnesses, listed beside cholera and dysentery with the meaning "diarrhea", and "medicines to stop diarrhea" is written atike siwo wotsɔna tsia mitsinyenye nu. The spelling mĩtsinyenye (with a nasal vowel) also exists. As a disease name it is mitsinyenyedɔ. Not yet checked by a native speaker.

9. Afɔdzimademade

   Constipation

   Usage

   The symptom name, a compound meaning "not passing stool"; show it to a doctor or pharmacist

   Grammar Note

   Made of afɔdzi "stool" and a negated noun form of de afɔdzi "pass stool". It occurs four times in Ewe articles of Jehovah's Witnesses, and in a list of irritable-bowel symptoms it stands next to mitsinyenye (diarrhea) in the slot of "diarrhea or constipation". The analysis afɔdzi + ma-de-de is inferred. Not yet checked by a native speaker.

10. Afɔdzi

    Poop

    Usage

    The standard word for stool, not vulgar. A baby-talk word could not be confirmed in the sources, so this word is used; it works at the clinic and with a child.

    Grammar Note

    afɔdzi occurs dozens of times both in the Bible (Deuteronomy 23:13, 1 Samuel 24:3, Ezekiel 4:12) and in the health articles of Jehovah's Witnesses. "To pass stool" is de afɔdzi. The word also covers animal dung. Not yet checked by a native speaker.

11. Aɖuɖɔ

    Pee

    Usage

    The standard word for urine, not vulgar. A baby-talk word could not be confirmed in the sources, so this word is used; it works at the clinic and with a child.

    Grammar Note

    aɖuɖɔ occurs in the Bible ("drink their own urine", 2 Kings 18:27 and Isaiah 36:12) and in the health articles of Jehovah's Witnesses (passing urine). "To urinate" is ɖɔ aɖuɖɔ. Not yet checked by a native speaker.

12. Mitsinyenye le fu ɖem nam

    I have diarrhea

    Usage

    Tells a doctor or pharmacist that you have diarrhea

    Grammar Note

    Composed from words confirmed in articles. Not yet checked by a native speaker. "X le fu ɖem nam" (X is troubling me) is a frame found in the Bible (Genesis 31:36 "why do you trouble me?", Daniel 2:3 "a dream is troubling me") and it matches mitsinyenyedɔ ɖea fu na… ("diarrhea troubles …") in the articles of Jehovah's Witnesses.

13. Afɔdzimademade le fu ɖem nam

    I'm constipated

    Usage

    Tells a doctor or pharmacist that you are constipated

    Grammar Note

    Composed from another card "Mitsinyenye le fu ɖem nam" (I have diarrhea) with mitsinyenye replaced by afɔdzimademade (constipation) from another card. Not yet checked by a native speaker.

14. Medi be maɖɔ aɖuɖɔ

    I need to pee

    Usage

    With a companion or a child: says you need the toilet, neither stiff nor crude

    Grammar Note

    The same "Medi be ma- + verb" frame as another card "Medi be mayi kɔdzi", with ɖɔ aɖuɖɔ (to urinate) put in. An article of Jehovah's Witnesses has ate ŋu aɖɔ aɖuɖɔ ("can urinate"). Composed; not yet checked by a native speaker.

15. Medi be made afɔdzi

    I need to poop

    Usage

    With a companion or a child: says you need the toilet, neither stiff nor crude

    Grammar Note

    The same "Medi be ma- + verb" frame as another card, with de afɔdzi (to pass stool) put in. De afɔdzi occurs in the Bible (1 Samuel 24:3, Deuteronomy 23:13) and in the articles of Jehovah's Witnesses. Composed; not yet checked by a native speaker.

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