दवा लगाना

Using this phrase is quite simple. You generally mention the body part or the injury first. For example, you would say chot par dava lagana (to apply medicine on the wound). The verb lagana changes based on the tense. If you did it yesterday, you say lagayi. If you are doing it now, you say laga raha hoon. It follows standard Hindi grammar rules for transitive verbs. You will find it very easy to plug into conversations.

You should use this whenever medicine touches the skin. Use it at the doctor's office when they give you a prescription. Use it at home when your mom tells you to treat a mosquito bite. It is also perfect for skincare contexts if the product is medicinal. If you are texting a friend who got hurt, asking Kya tumne dava lagayi? shows you care. It is a warm, helpful phrase.

Do not use this for medicine you swallow! This is a classic mistake. If you are taking a pill or drinking cough syrup, you use dava khana (to eat medicine) or dava peena (to drink medicine). Using lagana for a pill will make people think you are trying to rub a tablet on your forehead. Also, for eye drops, while some people use lagana, the more accurate word is dalna (to put/pour).

In Indian households, दवा लगाना often involves more than just pharmacy creams. India has a deep history of Ayurveda. You might find someone applying haldi (turmeric) or sarson ka tel (mustard oil) to a wound. This act is often associated with caregiving. Usually, an elder or a mother does it for a child. It carries a sense of comfort and healing beyond just the chemical effect of the medicine.

You might hear malam lagana. Malam specifically means ointment or balm. Another variation is lep lagana. A lep is a thick medicinal paste, often made from herbs. If you are at a pharmacy, you might hear tube lagana. All of these fall under the umbrella of the general act of treating a surface-level ailment.