Reading Passage
Hôm nay Nam không đi làm. Nam bị bệnh. Nam bị đau đầu và sốt cao. Mẹ Nam lo lắng lắm.
Today Nam is not going to work. Nam is sick. Nam has a headache and a high fever. Nam's mother is very worried.
Mẹ nói: "Con ơi, con bị sốt. Chúng ta đi phòng khám nhé."
Mom said: "My child, you have a fever. Let's go to the clinic, shall we?"
Nam và mẹ đi đến phòng khám gần nhà. Phòng khám tên là "Phòng Khám Gia Đình." Ở đây có nhiều người đang chờ.
Nam and his mother went to the clinic near their home. The clinic is called "Family Clinic." There are many people waiting here.
Bác sĩ tên là bác sĩ Lan. Bác sĩ Lan hỏi: "Anh bị bệnh gì?"
The doctor's name is Dr. Lan. Dr. Lan asked: "What is wrong with you?"
Nam trả lời: "Thưa bác sĩ, tôi bị đau đầu và sốt cao. Tôi cũng bị đau họng."
Nam replied: "Doctor, I have a headache and a high fever. I also have a sore throat."
Bác sĩ Lan khám bệnh cho Nam. Bác sĩ nói: "Anh bị cảm. Anh cần nghỉ ngơi và uống nhiều nước."
Dr. Lan examined Nam. The doctor said: "You have a cold. You need to rest and drink plenty of water."
Bác sĩ Lan cho Nam thuốc. Bác sĩ nói: "Anh uống thuốc ba lần mỗi ngày, sau bữa ăn."
Dr. Lan gave Nam medicine. The doctor said: "Take the medicine three times a day, after meals."
Nam cảm ơn bác sĩ. Nam và mẹ về nhà. Nam uống thuốc và nghỉ ngơi. Ngày hôm sau, Nam thấy khỏe hơn nhiều.
Nam thanked the doctor. Nam and his mother went home. Nam took the medicine and rested. The next day, Nam felt much better.
Vocabulary List
| Tiếng Việt | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| bị bệnh | to be sick / ill | Hôm nay tôi bị bệnh. (Today I am sick.) |
| đau đầu | headache | Nam bị đau đầu. (Nam has a headache.) |
| sốt | fever | Con bị sốt cao. (The child has a high fever.) |
| phòng khám | clinic / doctor's office | Chúng ta đi phòng khám nhé. (Let's go to the clinic.) |
| bác sĩ | doctor / physician | Bác sĩ Lan rất tốt. (Dr. Lan is very kind.) |
| khám bệnh | to examine / medical checkup | Bác sĩ khám bệnh cho tôi. (The doctor examined me.) |
| thuốc | medicine | Bác sĩ cho tôi thuốc. (The doctor gave me medicine.) |
| uống thuốc | to take medicine | Anh uống thuốc sau bữa ăn. (Take medicine after meals.) |
| nghỉ ngơi | to rest | Anh cần nghỉ ngơi nhiều. (You need to rest a lot.) |
| đau họng | sore throat | Tôi bị đau họng. (I have a sore throat.) |
| bị cảm | to have a cold | Nam bị cảm rồi. (Nam has caught a cold.) |
| lo lắng | worried / anxious | Mẹ lo lắng lắm. (Mom is very worried.) |
Comprehension Questions
1. Why didn't Nam go to work today?
Answer
Nam didn't go to work because he was sick (bị bệnh). He had a headache (đau đầu) and a high fever (sốt cao).
2. What is the name of the clinic that Nam and his mother visited?
Answer
The clinic is called "Phòng Khám Gia Đình" (Family Clinic). It is located near their home.
3. What three symptoms did Nam describe to Dr. Lan?
Answer
Nam told the doctor he had a headache (đau đầu), a high fever (sốt cao), and a sore throat (đau họng).
4. What did Dr. Lan tell Nam to do to recover?
Answer
Dr. Lan told Nam to rest (nghỉ ngơi) and drink plenty of water (uống nhiều nước), in addition to taking the prescribed medicine.
5. How often should Nam take his medicine, and when?
Answer
Nam should take his medicine three times a day (ba lần mỗi ngày), after meals (sau bữa ăn).
Grammar Notes
1. Using "bị" for Negative Experiences
The word bị is placed before a noun or verb to express suffering, illness, or something unpleasant happening to the subject. It is the go-to word for describing sickness in Vietnamese.
Nam bị bệnh. / Tôi bị đau đầu. / Anh ấy bị cảm.
Nam is sick. / I have a headache. / He has a cold.
2. Making Suggestions with "nhé"
Adding nhé at the end of a sentence softens it into a gentle suggestion or invitation, similar to "shall we?" or "okay?" in English. It creates a warm, friendly tone common in everyday Vietnamese speech.
Chúng ta đi phòng khám nhé.
Let's go to the clinic, shall we?
3. Respectful Address: "Thưa"
Thưa is placed before a title or pronoun when addressing someone of higher social status, such as a doctor, teacher, or elder. It is a key marker of politeness in Vietnamese.
Thưa bác sĩ, tôi bị đau họng.
Doctor, I have a sore throat. (said respectfully)
4. Frequency Pattern: "[number] + lần + mỗi + time period"
To express how often something should be done, Vietnamese uses this structure. Lần means "time/instance" and mỗi means "every/each."
Uống thuốc ba lần mỗi ngày.
Take medicine three times a day.
Cultural Context
Clinics vs. Hospitals in Vietnam
Vietnamese people commonly visit a phòng khám (neighborhood private clinic) for minor illnesses like colds and fevers. These clinics are fast, affordable, and widely available throughout cities and towns. For more serious conditions, patients visit a bệnh viện (hospital). Visiting the clinic first for everyday ailments is the standard practice.
Family Support at the Doctor
In Vietnamese culture, it is very common — and deeply expected — for a family member to accompany a sick relative to the doctor. Mothers in particular play a central role in caring for their children, even adult children. Going to the doctor alone is less typical, and showing up together as family reflects the close-knit nature of Vietnamese family life.
Rest and Recovery
Beyond prescribed medicine, Vietnamese families traditionally recommend drinking warm water, sleeping well, and eating simple foods such as cháo (rice porridge) during illness. Combining medical treatment with rest and gentle home care is the widely practiced approach to getting better quickly.