Body, health and a visit to the doctor
Name the parts of the body, say what hurts and how you feel, ask for a doctor's appointment, and know where to buy medicine and whom to call in an emergency.
People and things · Start from zero · 18 min · 20 exercises · Start from zero, Living in Germany
Sooner or later everyone gets a cold or a headache abroad. This lesson prepares you for that day: the words for your body, the phrases Ich habe Kopfschmerzen and Mir geht es nicht gut, how to ask for a Termin (appointment) at the doctor and what to say when a friend is sick. You will also learn the two numbers that can save a life in Germany: 112 and 110.
The body
- der Kopfdie Köpfehead
- das Augedie Augeneye
- das Ohrdie Ohrenear
- die Nasedie Nasennose
- der Munddie Mündermouth
- der Zahndie Zähnetooth
- der Halsdie Hälseneck, throatone word for both
- der Armdie Armearm
- die Handdie Händehand
- der Bauchdie Bäuchestomach, belly
- der Rückendie Rückenback
- das Beindie Beineleg
- der Fußdie Füßefoot
Inside the platform every word is read aloud by a German voice.
Feeling sick
- die Kopfschmerzenheadachealways plural, no article after haben
- die Bauchschmerzenstomachache
- die Halsschmerzensore throat
- das Fieberfever
- der Hustencough
- die Erkältungdie Erkältungencold (the illness)
- der Arztdie Ärztedoctora woman is die Ärztin
- der Hausarztfamily doctor, general practitioneryour first stop when you are sick
- der Termindie Termineappointment
- die Apothekedie Apothekenpharmacylook for the red A
- die Drogeriedie Drogeriendrugstore for soap and shampoosells no medicine
- die Krankenkassehealth insurance company
- die Versichertenkartehealth insurance cardalso called Gesundheitskarte; bring it to every visit
- die Tablettedie Tablettenpill, tablet
Inside the platform every word is read aloud by a German voice.
At the doctor's office
Yusuf is at the front desk of a doctor's office in Hannover.
Ich habe ...: saying what is wrong
German says that you have an illness: Ich habe Kopfschmerzen (I have a headache), Ich habe Fieber, Ich habe Husten, Ich habe eine Erkältung. The words ending in -schmerzen are always plural and take no article. To say that a part of your body hurts, use tut weh: Mein Kopf tut weh (my head hurts). For plural body parts say tun weh: Meine Füße tun weh. To ask for an appointment, copy this sentence exactly: Ich brauche einen Termin (einen, because Termin is a der word after brauche).
How are you feeling?
| German | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Wie geht es Ihnen? | How are you? (formal) | to a doctor, a teacher, a stranger |
| Wie geht es dir? | How are you? (informal) | to a friend or a classmate |
| Mir geht es gut. | I am fine. | word for word: to me it goes well |
| Mir geht es nicht gut. | I am not feeling well. | your opening line at the doctor |
| Ich bin krank. | I am sick. | krank = sick, gesund = healthy |
| Was haben Sie? | What is wrong? | the doctor asks what you have |
| Gute Besserung! | Get well soon! | say it to anyone who is sick |
| Gesundheit! | Bless you! | after a sneeze; word for word: health |
What hurts?
- Mein Kopf tut weh.My head hurts.
- Meine Hand tut weh.My hand hurts.meine for a die word: die Hand
- Meine Beine tun weh.My legs hurt.plural: tun
- Ich habe Bauchschmerzen.I have a stomachache.
- Ich bin krank, ich habe eine Erkältung.I am sick, I have a cold.
- Jetzt bin ich wieder gesund.Now I am healthy again.
Apotheke or Drogerie?
In Germany, medicine is sold only in an Apotheke, marked by a big red A. Even painkillers like ibuprofen or aspirin are behind the counter there: you ask the pharmacist, who will also give you advice. A Drogerie (dm, Rossmann, Müller) looks like an American drugstore but sells no medicine: go there for shampoo, soap, vitamins, diapers and snacks. At night and on Sundays one pharmacy in each area is open as the Notdienst; the list hangs on every pharmacy door.
Termin, Krankenkasse and the emergency numbers
Health insurance (Krankenversicherung) is mandatory in Germany, and your Krankenkasse sends you a card that you show at every visit. For most problems you first go to a Hausarzt (family doctor), usually after booking a Termin by phone or online; some practices also have open hours in the morning. For a real emergency call 112 (fire department and ambulance) from any phone, free of charge; it works in Austria and Switzerland too. For the police call 110. For a doctor at night when it is not an emergency, call 116117.
Two reflexes make you sound German right away. When someone sneezes, say Gesundheit! When someone is sick, say Gute Besserung! Both are expected, even between strangers in a shop or on the bus. And when the receptionist asks Was haben Sie?, answer with Ich habe + the problem: that one pattern covers almost every visit.
Do not translate „I have a headache“ as Ich habe ein Kopfschmerz: the word is always plural and takes no article, Ich habe Kopfschmerzen. Do not look for medicine in a Drogerie, you will only find shampoo. And for „I am cold“ say Mir ist kalt, not Ich bin kalt, which describes a cold personality rather than a cold body.
The exercises of this lesson
20 corrected exercises in two sessions (discovery, practice), including listening items read aloud by a German voice: multiple choice (4), fill in the gap (5), matching (3), sorting (2), word order (1), translation (3), find the mistake (1), gap text (1). Every answer is corrected immediately, with the rule that applies.