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How to Say ‘Are you taking any other medication right now?’ in Japanese

今、ほかに飲んでいるお薬はありますか。

ima hoka ni non de iru o kusuri wa ari masu ka

[ima HOH-kah nee NOHN deh eeru o koo-SOO-ree wah ah-ree mahs kah]

🇯🇵 In Japan: Pharmacists routinely ask this before recommending stronger over-the-counter drugs, so have your current medications ready to name or show.

Phrase Breakdown

今、ほかに

ima hoka ni

currently, other

今 (ima) means 'now'. Pause briefly at the comma, then say ほかに (other).

Example

今、ほかに予定はありますか。

Do you have any other plans right now?

Words in this phrase

今

ima

[ima]

now

At the present moment.

Example

今、始まります。

Now, it begins.

ほか

hoka

[HOH-kah]

other; else

A noun meaning 'other' or 'something else'; often followed by に to mean 'besides' or 'in addition'.

Example

ほかに質問はありますか。

Do you have any other questions?

に

[nee]

in; at; to

Particle indicating location or target state.

Example

手元に置きたいです。

I want to keep it at hand.

飲んでいるお薬は

non de iru o kusuri wa

medicine you are taking (as the topic)

飲んでいる means 'taking (regularly)', and お薬 is polite 'medicine'. は marks the topic and is pronounced 'wa'.

Example

飲んでいるお薬は何ですか。

What medicine are you taking?

Words in this phrase

飲ん

non

[NOHN]

drink

Form of 飲む used before the te-ending で.

Example

水を飲んでください。

Please drink water.

で

[deh]

(te-form connector)

Part of the te-form; with iru it shows an ongoing state.

Example

ここに住んでいます。

I live here.

いる

iru

[eeru]

is doing

いる after て can show an ongoing action or current state.

Example

応援しているの？のいるで今の状態を表します。

The いる in 応援しているの？ shows the current ongoing state.

お

[o]

polite prefix

Prefix added for politeness.

Example

お名前は？

What is your name?

薬

kusuri

[koo-SOO-ree]

medicine; drug

General word for medicine or medication.

Example

毎日薬を飲みます。

I take medicine every day.

は

[wah]

topic marker

は marks the topic of the sentence.

Example

空席はありますか。

Are there any seats available?

ありますか。

ari masu ka

do you have?

This is the polite question 'is there / do you have?'. Let your voice rise slightly at か.

Example

時間はありますか。

Do you have time?

Words in this phrase

あり

ari

[ah-ree]

exist; have

Stem of あります, used for existence or possession of non-living things.

Example

はい、あります。

Yes, I have it.

ます

masu

[mahs]

polite verb ending

A standard polite ending added to verbs, often used in customer service and formal speech.

Example

予約を確認します。

I will confirm the reservation.

か

[kah]

question marker

Placed at the end of a sentence to make it a question.

Example

A席はありますか。

Are there A seats available?

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