Introduction
Expanding your German medical vocabulary is crucial when visiting the doctor in German-speaking countries. This article provides a comprehensive list of vocabulary for beginners and intermediate learners, useful example sentences, quizzes, and short stories to help enhance your language skills in medical contexts.
Whether you’re scheduling appointments, describing symptoms, or understanding medical instructions, mastering these terms will help you to communicate effectively and confidently during your medical visits.
German Vocabulary: At the Doctor – A Full List
| German | English |
|---|---|
| die Allergie | the allergy |
| die Apotheke | the pharmacy |
| der Arzt | the doctor (male) |
| die Ärztin | the doctor (female) |
| die Arztpraxis | the doctor’s office |
| Bauchschmerzen | abdominal pain |
| die Behandlung | the treatment |
| der Blutdruck | the blood pressure |
| die Diagnose | the diagnosis |
| das Fieber | the fever |
| die Grippe | the flu |
| Halsschmerzen | sore throat |
| der Husten | the cough |
| die Infektion | the infection |
| Kopfschmerzen | headache |
| die Krankenversicherung | health insurance |
| das Medikament | the medication |
| der Notfall | the emergency |
| die Operation | the surgery |
| der Patient | the patient (male) |
| die Patientin | the patient (female) |
| das Rezept | the prescription |
| die Salbe | the ointment |
| die Sprechstunde | consultation hour |
| Symptome | symptoms |
| die Untersuchung | the examination |
| die Verletzung | the injury |
| die Wartezeit | waiting time |
Expand your German medical vocabulary with this image of a smiling doctor including terms like die Ärztin (doctor).
Using German Medical Vocabulary: Practical Example Sentences
| Vocabulary | German Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| die Allergie | Er hat eine starke Allergie gegen Nüsse. | He has a strong allergy to nuts. |
| die Apotheke | Sie geht zur Apotheke, um ihre Medikamente zu kaufen. | She is going to the pharmacy to buy her medications. |
| der Arzt | Der Arzt wird Sie jetzt sehen. | The doctor will see you now. |
| die Ärztin | Die Ärztin hat viel Erfahrung. | The doctor has a lot of experience. |
| die Arztpraxis | Die Arztpraxis ist montags geschlossen. | The doctor’s office is closed on Mondays. |
| Bauchschmerzen | Ich habe starke Bauchschmerzen. | I have severe abdominal pains. |
| die Behandlung | Die Behandlung dauert zwei Wochen. | The treatment lasts two weeks. |
| der Blutdruck | Der Arzt misst seinen Blutdruck. | The doctor is measuring his blood pressure. |
| die Diagnose | Die Diagnose wurde gestern gestellt. | The diagnosis was made yesterday. |
| das Fieber | Sie hat hohes Fieber. | She has a high fever. |
| die Grippe | Er erkrankt oft an der Grippe. | He often gets the flu. |
| Halsschmerzen | Sie hat Halsschmerzen und Husten. | She has a sore throat and cough. |
| der Husten | Der Husten wird schlimmer. | The cough is getting worse. |
| die Infektion | Die Infektion muss behandelt werden. | The infection needs to be treated. |
| Kopfschmerzen | Er hat seit gestern Kopfschmerzen. | He has had a headache since yesterday. |
| die Krankenversicherung | Sie muss ihre Krankenversicherung aktualisieren. | She needs to update her health insurance. |
| das Medikament | Das Medikament hilft gegen die Schmerzen. | The medication helps against the pain. |
| der Notfall | Im Notfall rufen Sie 112 an. | In an emergency, call 112. |
| die Operation | Die Operation war erfolgreich. | The surgery was successful. |
| der Patient | Der Patient wartet auf den Arzt. | The patient is waiting for the doctor. |
| die Patientin | Die Patientin hat eine Erkältung. | The female patient has a cold. |
| das Rezept | Der Arzt schreibt ein Rezept aus. | The doctor writes a prescription. |
| die Salbe | Die Salbe hilft gegen den Ausschlag. | The ointment helps against the rash. |
| die Sprechstunde | Die Sprechstunde beginnt um 10 Uhr. | The consultation hour starts at 10 AM. |
| Symptome | Die Symptome sind Fieber und Husten. | The symptoms are fever and cough. |
| die Untersuchung | Die Untersuchung dauert etwa eine Stunde. | The examination takes about an hour. |
| die Verletzung | Die Verletzung erfordert ärztliche Hilfe. | The injury requires medical assistance. |
| die Wartezeit | Die Wartezeit im Arztzimmer war kurz. | The waiting time in the doctor’s office was short. |
Practice German Medical Vocabulary with Our Free Quiz
Improve your understanding of German medical vocabulary with our free online quiz. Start the quiz here.
Free Video Quiz: A visit to the Doctor
Watch a scenario at a doctor’s office and test your comprehension with an interactive video quiz: here.
German Short Stories for Everyday Medical Situations
Immerse yourself in our short stories that incorporate medical vocabulary you’ve learned, available for different learning levels.
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