Day 10: Balisawsaw Is Not in the Chart
In the emergency room of a public hospital in Manila, Rodel (A) brings in his mother, Lola Rosing (B), who describes her symptoms to Ica (C), a young nurse, and Jonel (D), a medical intern, in the old-fashioned Tagalog of her girlhood.
How to study this lesson 3 steps
- Read the situation under the title. It says who is talking and how they know each other, which decides how politely they speak.
- Read the dialogue line by line with its translation, until every line makes sense.
- Spend at least 30 minutes listening to native Tagalog. It doesn't matter if you don't understand it yet.
Dialogue
Audio for this lesson is coming soon. For now, read the dialogue and its translation.
Keys: E hide English · ← → previous / next day
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A
Nurse, pakitingnan po ang nanay ko, nilalagnat po at parang nalilito.
Nurse, please take a look at my mother. She has a fever and seems confused.
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B
Hindi ako nalilito, Rodel, sinisinat lamang. Binabalisawsaw ako, iha, at kumikirot ang aking puson.
I am not confused, Rodel, merely a touch feverish. I have balisawsaw, dear, and my lower belly aches.
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C
Lola, ano po ang balisawsaw? Ngayon ko lang po narinig 'yan.
Lola, what's balisawsaw? I've never heard that before.
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D
Ica, i-chart mo: fever, confusion, lower abdominal pain. Lola, kailan pa po sumasakit ang puson ninyo?
Ica, chart it: fever, confusion, lower abdominal pain. Lola, since when has your lower belly hurt?
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B
Kahapon pa, iho. Datapuwat ang balisawsaw, tatlong araw na.
Since yesterday, young man. But the balisawsaw, three days now.
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A
Dok, ang balisawsaw po, 'yung ihi nang ihi pero patak-patak lang, at mahapdi.
Doc, balisawsaw means needing to pee again and again, but only a few drops come out, and it stings.
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D
'Yan ang kulang sa chart. Ica, pa-urinalysis tayo, baka UTI ang dahilan ng lagnat at pagkalito niya.
That's what the chart was missing. Ica, let's get a urinalysis. A UTI could be behind her fever and confusion.
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C
Sige, Dok. Lola, iihi po tayo sa maliit na lalagyan, ha?
Okay, Doc. Lola, we're going to pee into a little cup, all right?
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B
Sa lalagyan? Noong dalaga ako, iha, ang ganyang bagay ay ibinubulong, hindi isinisigaw sa pasilyo.
Into a cup? When I was a young woman, dear, such matters were whispered, not shouted down the hallway.
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D
Pasensiya na po, Lola. Salamat po sa inyo, nasa chart na ang balisawsaw.
Sorry, Lola. Thanks to you, balisawsaw is in the chart now.
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