Lesson 9: How to Ask a Patient About Fever, Cough, and Breathing Problems in Medical Arabic, Arabic Tips for nurses
Beginner Medical Arabic Series | For Doctors, Nurses, and Healthcare Professionals
When a patient comes to the hospital with a fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, healthcare professionals need to ask clear questions to understand the patient’s symptoms. If you are learning Arabic from the beginning, you do not need to memorize complicated medical terminology. Start with simple, practical questions that you can use in everyday clinical situations.
In this lesson, you will learn how to ask about fever, coughing, shortness of breath, and other related symptoms. Every Arabic phrase includes tashkeel (vowel marks), transliteration, and English translation to help you read, pronounce, and understand the expressions.
1. How to Ask About Fever
Fever is a common symptom that may occur with many illnesses. These questions help you find out whether the patient has a fever and when it started.
1. Do you have a fever?
هَلْ عِنْدَكَ حُمَّى؟
Hal ʿindaka ḥummā?
2. Do you feel hot?
هَلْ تَشْعُرُ بِالْحَرَارَةِ؟
Hal tashʿuru bil-ḥarārah?
3. When did the fever start?
مَتَى بَدَأَتِ الْحُمَّى؟
Matā badaʾati al-ḥummā?
4. Have you measured your temperature?
هَلْ قِسْتَ دَرَجَةَ حَرَارَتِكَ؟
Hal qista darajata ḥarāratika?
Common patient responses
Arabic with tashkeel | Transliteration | English |
نَعَمْ، عِنْدِي حُمَّى. | Naʿam, ʿindī ḥummā. | Yes, I have a fever. |
لَا، لَيْسَتْ عِنْدِي حُمَّى. | Lā, laysat ʿindī ḥummā. | No, I do not have a fever. |
بَدَأَتِ الْحُمَّى أَمْسِ. | Badaʾati al-ḥummā amsi. | The fever started yesterday. |
لَا أَعْرِفُ. | Lā aʿrifu. | I don’t know. |
Clinical language tip: Asking about fever is useful, but a patient’s feeling of warmth does not confirm a fever. Measure the patient’s temperature according to your clinical protocol.
2. How to Ask About a Cough
A cough may be dry or produce mucus. Ask the patient whether they have a cough, how long they have had it, and whether they are coughing up phlegm.
1. Do you have a cough?
هَلْ عِنْدَكَ سُعَالٌ؟
Hal ʿindaka suʿāl?
2. How long have you had the cough?
مُنْذُ مَتَى وَأَنْتَ تَسْعُلُ؟
Mundhu matā wa-anta tasʿulu?
3. Is your cough dry?
هَلْ سُعَالُكَ جَافٌّ؟
Hal suʿāluka jāffun?
4. Are you coughing up phlegm?
هَلْ يَخْرُجُ بَلْغَمٌ مَعَ السُّعَالِ؟
Hal yakhruju balghamun maʿa as-suʿāl?
5. Do you cough at night?
هَلْ تَسْعُلُ فِي اللَّيْلِ؟
Hal tasʿulu fī al-layli?
Common patient responses
Arabic | Transliteration | English |
نَعَمْ، عِنْدِي سُعَالٌ. | Naʿam, ʿindī suʿāl. | Yes, I have a cough. |
عِنْدِي سُعَالٌ جَافٌّ. | ʿIndī suʿālun jāffun. | I have a dry cough. |
عِنْدِي سُعَالٌ مَعَ بَلْغَمٍ. | ʿIndī suʿālun maʿa balghamin. | I have a cough with phlegm. |
أَسْعُلُ فِي اللَّيْلِ. | Asʿulu fī al-layli. | I cough at night. |
عِنْدِي سُعَالٌ مُنْذُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ. | ʿIndī suʿālun mundhu thalāthati ayyāmin. | I have had a cough for three days. |
Clinical language tip for nurses: If appropriate, follow up by asking about blood in the sputum, chest pain, and the patient’s medical history. Use your clinical assessment and local protocols to guide further questions..
3. How to Ask About Breathing Problems
Breathing difficulties require particular attention. Learn these phrases so you can ask a patient whether breathing is difficult, whether they feel short of breath, and whether their symptoms worsen with activity.
1. Are you having difficulty breathing?
هَلْ تُعَانِي مِنْ صُعُوبَةٍ فِي التَّنَفُّسِ؟
Hal tuʿānī min ṣuʿūbatin fī at-tanaffusi?
2. Do you feel short of breath?
هَلْ تَشْعُرُ بِضِيقٍ فِي التَّنَفُّسِ؟
Hal tashʿuru bi-ḍīqin fī at-tanaffusi?
3. Does breathing hurt?
هَلْ يَؤْلِمُكَ التَّنَفُّسُ؟
Hal yuʾlimuka at-tanaffusu?
4. Does your breathing become difficult when you walk?
هَلْ تَجِدُ صُعُوبَةً فِي التَّنَفُّسِ عِنْدَ الْمَشْيِ؟
Hal tajidu ṣuʿūbatan fī at-tanaffusi ʿinda al-mashyi?
5. Can you breathe normally?
هَلْ تَسْتَطِيعُ التَّنَفُّسَ بِشَكْلٍ طَبِيعِيٍّ؟
Hal tastaṭīʿu at-tanaffusa bi-shaklin ṭabīʿiyyin?
Common patient responses
Arabic | Transliteration | English |
نَعَمْ، أُعَانِي مِنْ صُعُوبَةٍ فِي التَّنَفُّسِ. | Naʿam, uʿānī min ṣuʿūbatin fī at-tanaffusi. | Yes, I have difficulty breathing. |
أَشْعُرُ بِضِيقٍ فِي التَّنَفُّسِ. | Ashʿuru bi-ḍīqin fī at-tanaffusi. | I feel short of breath. |
أَتَنَفَّسُ بِشَكْلٍ طَبِيعِيٍّ. | Atanaffasu bi-shaklin ṭabīʿiyyin. | I am breathing normally. |
أَجِدُ صُعُوبَةً فِي التَّنَفُّسِ عِنْدَ الْمَشْيِ. | Ajidu ṣuʿūbatan fī at-tanaffusi ʿinda al-mashyi. | I have difficulty breathing when walking. |
Important clinical reminder: Severe or sudden breathing difficulty, blue or grey lips, confusion, or inability to speak normally because of breathlessness may indicate a medical emergency. Seek urgent assessment and follow local emergency protocols rather than continuing a routine language interview..
Download the full lesson 9,
4. A Practical Doctor–Patient Dialogue
5. Essential Medical Arabic Vocabulary
6. Beginner Practice: Complete the Questions
7. Speaking Practice: Ask the Patient.
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Lesson 10 — How to ask “When Did the Symptoms Start?” in Arabic
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