Phrases › At the Doctor › Sono allergico a questo medicinale.

Sono allergico a questo medicinale.

I am allergic to this medicine.

Pronunciation

al-LER-ji-ko — stress on the second syllable. The 'gi' is like the 'j' in 'jelly'.

When to use it

Always say this before any prescription or treatment. Show the medicine package if you have it. Critical patient safety phrase.

What it means

'Sono allergico' uses 'essere' (to be). The adjective 'allergico' changes by gender: 'allergico' (male), 'allergica' (female). 'A questo medicinale' means 'to this medicine'. You can substitute the medicine name directly: 'Sono allergico alla penicillina.'

Variations

Sono allergica alla penicillina.

I am allergic to penicillin. (female speaker)

Change ending to '-a' if you are female

Ho un'allergia ai farmaci antinfiammatori.

I have an allergy to anti-inflammatory drugs.

Use 'allergia' as a noun for broader categories

Ho avuto una reazione al farmaco.

I had a reaction to the medication.

Use when describing a past allergic episode

Mini Dialogue

— Le prescrivo l'amoxicillina. — Aspetti — sono allergico agli antibiotici del gruppo delle penicilline. — Grazie per avertelo detto. Le cambio la prescrizione. — Posso avere qualcosa di alternativo? — Sì, le do un macrolide. Va bene lo stesso.

— I will prescribe amoxicillin. — Wait — I am allergic to antibiotics in the penicillin group. — Thank you for telling me. I will change the prescription. — Can I have something alternative? — Yes, I will give you a macrolide. That will work the same.

Cultural Note

In Italy, pharmacists ('farmacisti') are highly trained and can substitute branded medicines with generics ('equivalenti'). Always carry a written list of your allergies in Italian when travelling. 'Codice esenzione' on your health card may entitle you to free medications for chronic conditions.

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