At the doctor in Dutch
Dutch phrases for visiting the doctor
Knowing some Dutch phrases for visiting the doctor can be useful if you live in the Netherlands or need medical assistance during your stay.
In Rotterdam, doctors and other healthcare professionals will often be able to communicate with you in English. However, understanding some basic Dutch medical vocabulary can help you describe symptoms, understand simple questions and communicate more confidently.
In this guide you will find useful phrases with English translations and an approximate pronunciation designed for English speakers.
The pronunciation is only intended as a guide. Some Dutch sounds do not have an exact equivalent in English, so use these transcriptions as a first step and then listen to spoken Dutch.
If you are living in Rotterdam and need information about the Dutch healthcare system, also see our guide on going to the doctor in the Netherlands.
| 🇳🇱 Basic Dutch: choose what you want to learn | |
|---|---|
| I WANT TO LEARN… | GUIDE |
| General Dutch phrases | Basic Dutch |
| Ordering food and drinks | Food |
| Shopping and asking prices | Shopping |
| Days and months | Days and months |
| Staying at a hotel | Hotel |
| Numbers and quantities | Numbers |
| Asking and telling the time | Time |
Basic Dutch phrases at the doctor
These expressions can help you explain some common symptoms and situations to a doctor. The pronunciation is approximate and is intended only to make the Dutch words easier for English speakers to read.
| 🩺 Dutch phrases at the doctor | ||
|---|---|---|
| ENGLISH | DUTCH | APPROXIMATE PRONUNCIATION |
| I have pain in… | Ik heb pijn in… | Ik hep pine in… |
| I don’t feel well | Ik voel me niet goed | Ik fool muh neet khoot |
| I feel sick | Ik voel me ziek | Ik fool muh zeek |
| I feel dizzy | Ik voel me duizelig | Ik fool muh dow-zuh-likh |
| It hurts here | Het doet hier pijn | Het doot heer pine |
| It’s a sharp pain | Het is een stekende pijn | Het is un stay-kuh-duh pine |
| It hurts all the time | Het doet altijd pijn | Het doot al-tite pine |
| It hurts when you touch it | Het doet pijn als u het aanraakt | Het doot pine als uu het ahn-rahkt |
| I’m … months pregnant | Ik ben … maanden zwanger | Ik ben … mahn-dun zvahn-ghur |
| I need a prescription for… | Ik heb een recept nodig voor… | Ik hep un ruh-sept noh-dikh fohr… |
| I’m allergic to… | Ik ben allergisch voor… | Ik ben ah-ler-khees fohr… |
Medical words in Dutch
| 💊 Useful Dutch medical vocabulary | ||
|---|---|---|
| ENGLISH | DUTCH | APPROXIMATE PRONUNCIATION |
| Antibiotic | Antibioticum | An-tee-bee-oh-tee-kum |
| Anaemia | Bloedarmoede | Bloot-ahr-moo-duh |
| Back | Rug | Rukh |
| Blood | Bloed | Bloot |
| Flu | Griep | Khreep |
| Cough | Hoest | Hoost |
| Eye | Oog | Ohkh |
| Ear | Oor | Ohr |
| Fever | Koorts | Kohrts |
| Fracture | Botbreuk | Bot-brook |
| Bleeding | Bloeding | Bloo-ding |
| Headache | Hoofdpijn | Hohft-pine |
| Heart | Hart | Hahrt |
| Migraine | Migraine | Mee-gray-nuh |
| Nausea | Misselijkheid | Mis-uh-likh-hite |
| Nose | Neus | Nuhs |
| Pneumonia | Longontsteking | Long-ont-stay-king |
| Pregnant | Zwanger | Zvahn-ghur |
| Vomit | Overgeven | Oh-vur-khay-vun |
| Rheumatism | Reuma | Ruh-mah |
| Chickenpox | Waterpokken | Vah-tur-pok-un |
| Stomach | Maag | Mahkh |
| Throat | Keel | Kayl |
How to practise Dutch medical vocabulary
Learn the phrases you are most likely to need: expressions such as “I don’t feel well”, “it hurts here” and “I’m allergic to…” are more useful than trying to memorise a long list of medical terms.
Describe where it hurts: learning the Dutch names for a few parts of the body can make explaining symptoms easier.
Listen to the pronunciation: use the approximate pronunciation as a starting point, but listen to native speakers whenever possible.
Keep important information with you: if you have allergies, take regular medication or have an important medical condition, having the relevant information written down can make communication easier.
More Dutch vocabulary and phrases
Continue learning with our Dutch vocabulary guides for other everyday situations:
Basic Dutch | Food | Shopping | Days and months | Hotel | Numbers | Time
Going to the doctor in the Netherlands
Learning these phrases can make communication easier, but it is also useful to understand how healthcare works in the Netherlands, especially if you have recently moved to Rotterdam.
Read our guide about going to the doctor in the Netherlands for practical information, and see our guide to learning Dutch in Rotterdam if you want to improve your language skills.