Go to the Pharmacy in English

Come on with me to an American pharmacy. I'd like  to take you inside of an American pharmacy to show  

you what it's like. And if you ever visit the US  and you need to visit a pharmacy or you would like  

to, I'd like to help you make that a smoother and  easier experience. And like always, I have created  

a free PDF worksheet with all of today's important  expressions, ideas, and helpful tips to help you  

navigate visiting the US a little bit easier.  So you can click on the link in the description  

to download that free PDF worksheet today. All right, are you ready to join me, Vanessa,  

and my baby Matilda inside the pharmacy? Let's  go. So inside a pharmacy in the US there are a lot  

of things that you can purchase. You might think  that a pharmacy is just for medicine, but that's  

not true. There's a lot of different sections. So  let's walk around. Here we are in the cosmetics  

section. Cosmetics means makeup. And you can  see down each aisle like this, you can buy soap,  

shampoo, really anything you can imagine. Little  toys and trinkets. There are endless amounts of  

things you can get at a pharmacy. In fact, this is  something that the US is kind of known for. Having  

stores that are a one-stop shop, that means  you can stop one place and get everything you  

need. Very convenient and kind of a stereotype. This is where you would go if you were celebrating  

a birthday party and you wanted to buy some  balloons, candles, themed birthday plates for  

your kids. Birthday cards, any cards for really  any occasion. In fact, this is something that  

pharmacies are known for, is having lots of  cards. So if you are on the way somewhere and  

you realize, "I forgot to bring a card!" Well,  you can just stop into a pharmacy. Let's see. 

So over here you can see this is the actual  pharmacy part. You can go to the clinic,  

you can actually see somebody who is a certified  nurse or doctor, someone who can give you some  

advice about a medical issue. Generally it's a  good idea to make an appointment, but you can  

always drop in and ask if they have any way that  you can talk with someone if you have an issue. 

Over here you can see it says in big letters  what we came for. Pharmacy. So at the pharmacy,  

this is where you would go if you were  going to pick up a prescription. And in  

the US there's a couple different ways  to get medicine. Unfortunately a lot of  

medications that are pretty typical, like an  antibiotic, you have to have a prescription,  

which means you need to see a doctor first. You  have to pay to see the doctor. The doctor has to  

evaluate if you need that medicine, and then  they will send a prescription to your chosen  

pharmacy. So when you go to a doctor in the US,  they'll ask, "What is your preferred pharmacy?"  

And you'll choose maybe a place like this and  you'll say the address and the location and  

then you can come here and you can pick up  your prescription whenever it's available.  

I see my baby has noticed the microphone.  You want to grab that? Not a good idea. 

It is possible that you could ask the pharmacist  or if they have a little clinic like this, you  

could ask them for some advice. So if you have no  appointment, if you just need some medical advice,  

maybe you're on a vacation and you have a  cough that won't go away. You could ask, "Hey,  

do you have any recommendations? What should I  do?" You could ask them for advice. Who knows what  

they'll say, but it's always worth it and it's no  problem to ask. Let's take a look at some of the  

aisles to see what kind of medication you can get  over-the-counter and I'll explain what that means. 

So for example, this is the children's  section, but let's say you have allergies,  

terrible allergies, and you visit the US during a  spring season, you will need to get some allergy  

medicine. This is something that you can get  over-the-counter. These are children's allergy  

medications in the children's section. But you can  get allergy medicine, you can get pain and fever  

relieving medicine over-the-counter. And I've  always been a little bit confused by this phrase  

because where's the counter? There's no counter. Instead, that's the counter where you actually  

have to have a prescription. So don't be confused.  Over-the-counter means that you can just walk in  

and get it. You don't need a prescription, you  don't need a doctor's approval. You can just  

walk in and get anything over-the-counter, even  though that's the counter. Don't be confused.  

Sometimes English is strange. All right, let's  keep walking and see what else you can get. 

You need some Kleenex? You can get Kleenex. You  can get wrapping paper, if it's Christmastime  

like it is now. You can get reading glasses if  you forgot your reading glasses, you can even  

get some kind of minor medical supplies. There  are some hearing aids, there are some braces  

for your arm. There are alarm clocks, paternity  testing kits. I didn't even know you could get  

that here. There's thermometers, pain medication.  Sometimes in the US we do use... You all right  

baby? Sometimes we do use the brand name. Oh, a  little cough? Maybe you need some medication. We  

do use the brand name to talk about medications. So if you ask a pharmacist, "I have a cough,  

what should I do?" And they recommend a specific  brand name to you and you're not familiar with it,  

you can just ask, "Oh, is that a cough medication  or is that a fever-reducing medication?" You're  

welcome to ask for clarification because  sometimes I don't know what the medication  

is either. So feel free to ask for clarification  if you're not sure. All right, let's keep going. 

Lots and lots of medication. Lots and lots.  All right, we're getting to the section of  

stuff. Candy, not medicine anymore. Candy, candy,  candy. So if you need to buy any dry goods,  

maybe last minute Christmas presents, you  can get toilet paper, laundry detergent,  

all of these types of dry goods. And  there's even lots of different types  

of foods. So let's go take a look at the food. There's candy and candy and candy and candy. Lots  

of candy, but there might be seasonal items  as well. Right now it is almost Christmas. I  

know it's after Christmas when you're watching  this, but imagine Christmas. So lots of candy  

for stockings and different seasonal things.  There's many toys down here. Let's actually go  

down the next aisle. I want to show you something.  These types of things are like grab-and-go snacks.  

So you could get pistachios, chocolate covered  almonds, I love that kind of stuff. More trail  

mix, dried fruit, chips, lots of soda, lots and  lots of soda. Beef jerky, lots of beef jerky,  

apparently. Different types of popcorn and juices. And back here it's a little bit loud. There are  

coolers where you can get cooled drinks. And guess  what? In some pharmacies in the US you can buy  

alcohol. Did you hear that right? Alcohol. You can  get beer and wine in some pharmacies and that's  

really normal. Here I guess in this pharmacy,  I don't see any. It might be state by state  

too. Different states have different rules, but  don't be surprised if you walk into a pharmacy and  

there's wine, grab a bottle of wine and go have  a party. Let's go down here for the last section. 

This is the baby section. So if you have a  baby like I do and you need to buy anything  

like specific baby medicine, baby soaps,  diapers, wipes, any of these types of things,  

you can get this here. So it's pretty incredible.  Pharmacies are so inclusive of many different  

things. They're really a one-stop shop. Now, I  must say that oftentimes pharmacies in the US are  

going to be more expensive than going to somewhere  like Walmart or purchasing something online if you  

have that option. But you know what? Sometimes  when you're visiting or you're traveling,  

it's nice to just go to one of these places  that's an easy access and one-stop shop and  

you can just get whatever you need to get. All right, I'm going to grab a pack of baby  

wipes. You always need baby wipes when you have  a baby. And we're going to go to the checkout  

and I'll show you how the checkout works. If  I remember right, this pharmacy has a couple  

checkout options, so let's go see. Oh, you can  even get stuff for your car. Pretty amazing. If  

you need some washer fluid or something for  your car or to wash your clothes, it's here.

Speaker 2: Welcome. If  

you have your Extra Care card, please scan now.

Speaker 1: So I'm going to use  

this self-checkout because that's the  easiest option. And there's nobody here  

right now and I think those are pretty  much the same all around the world.

Speaker 2: Place your item in the bagging area.

Speaker 1: I did. One  

little note as I do this. There is a photo studio,  

so if you want to have any pictures printed  and you don't have access to doing that online.

Speaker 2: If  

you are finished scanning,  please touch finish and pay.

Speaker 1: This is a great  

place to do that. Get your pictures  printed here. All right, I'm going to-

Speaker 2: Scan coupon now. Touch the continue button

Speaker 1: Coupons

Speaker 2: If finished

Speaker 1: And I'm going to continue. No.

Speaker 2: Your total is 5. Please wait.

Speaker 1: And I will use my card.

Speaker 2: System processing. Swipe  

or insert card and follow instructions on pin pad.

Speaker 1: All right, now I know  

in some countries you have to just put your  card in really quickly. Sometimes in the US  

it's quick. Sometimes you have to leave  it in there. So please read the pin pad,  

little screen and make sure you're doing it the  right way. All right, I don't want a receipt,  

so I'll click no receipt and that's it. I'm not  going to use a bag, I'll just carry it out myself.

Speaker 2: Thank you for shopping at CVS.

Speaker 1: Let's go. You're welcome. 

I just want to let you know there also is an  ATM at a lot of CVSs. You can use the ATM or  

what you can do if you go to the checkout counter  where there's an actual person there. I think you  

can do this at the self-checkout too. You can  choose cash back and you can get cash back. So  

if you need $20 in cash, you're welcome to  go to the counter and buy something small,  

buy a little candy bar or some gum and then  ask for some cash back and you can get cash  

back or you can use the ATM. That's what we  call it in the US. In fact, it's right here,  

ATM. You can use that as well to get money  back. All right, let's leave. Come on. 

All right, I want to show you something else  down here. This is kind of a blast from the  

past. I don't know if in your country people  use DVDs still or if they're more likely to  

use Netflix. In the US DVDs are not very common,  but this is a machine where you can rent DVDs and  

they will come out of here, I guess this little  slot. They'll come out and you can actually take  

the physical DVD home. It's called a Redbox.  It's kind of a blast from the past. I don't  

know how many people actually use these, but  you know what? If you need a DVD, go for it.  

Enjoy the Redbox at the pharmacy. Well, thanks  so much for joining me at an American pharmacy.  

I want to know in the comments, how different  is this than a pharmacy where you are from? 

Let me know in the comments, some similarities,  some differences. I can't wait to see what you  

have to say. And don't forget to download the free  PDF worksheet with all of the vocabulary I use  

today, some concepts and some tips so that when  you walk in American pharmacy, you know exactly  

what to do and you feel confident and comfortable.  I'll also leave some extra tips about various  

pharmacies around the US so that you can easily  go into one and get whatever you need, a one-stop  

shop. You can click on the link in the description  to download that free PDF worksheet today. 

Thanks so much for learning English with me  and I'll see you again next Friday for a new  

lesson here on my YouTube channel. Bye. But wait, do you want more? I recommend  

watching this video next where you will  join me and my second son when he was a  

baby at the grocery store. You can visit an  American grocery store, walk around with me  

and see how it's different from a grocery  store in your country. I'll see you there.