Search from various English teachers...
Cipto
I was wondering if you know the verbs that we usually use for medication. Are these sentences correct? Can I eat paracetamol before having breakfast? We can safely take paracetamol on an empty stomach. The word "eat" and "take" is acceptable? In my native language, any medicine, such as paracetamol, will use the verb "drink". People swallow paracetamol by drinking water. I read somewhere that the verb "eat" is better suited to food and suggests the idea of chewing and tasting the food and enjoying the taste. That isn't generally done with medicine? Do you have any ideas about this?
Dec 8, 2021 8:55 PM
Answers · 4
2
You are right, we don't (normally, anyway!) 'eat' medicine, we 'take' it. To take medicine means we simply swallow it (usually without chewing etc.) You can take paracetamol on an empty stomach. It's different again when we get vaccinated tho' - we don't 'take' vaccines, we 'have' them, or 'get' them (because they are done to us by someone else and don't go in our mouths). I had my vaccine yesterday / I got my vaccine yesterday (not, I took my vaccine yesterday).
December 8, 2021
1
I would never use "eat" for medicine. It's always "taken" or "swallowed".
December 8, 2021
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn a language from the comfort of your own home. Browse our selection of experienced language tutors and enroll in your first lesson now!