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At the doctor in Germany: the phrases you need

2026-10-02

Getting sick is never fun. Getting sick in a new country, in a language you're still learning, is worse. You have to call a practice, explain what's wrong, understand the doctor's questions and maybe organize a sick note for work, all while you feel terrible.

This guide gives you the German for all of that: how the system works in short, the phrases for your symptoms, a phone call and a visit you can listen to, and the words around sick notes and prescriptions. It's written for learners around A2 to B1, with English for everything.

Important: this is a language guide, not medical advice. In an emergency, call 112. If you need a doctor urgently outside office hours but it's not life-threatening, the medical on-call service is at 116 117.

How it works in Germany, in short

  • The Hausarzt is your first stop. Most people have a family doctor (Hausarzt or Hausärztin) they go to first. The family doctor can treat you or send you to a specialist (Facharzt).
  • You need a Termin. Most practices work with appointments. You call, book online (many practices use booking platforms such as Doctolib) or, in some practices, come during open office hours (offene Sprechstunde) and wait.
  • Bring your card. With statutory health insurance, you have a Gesundheitskarte (health insurance card). The practice reads it, so always bring it.
  • Referrals: some specialists need an Überweisung (referral) from your family doctor. Ask when you book.
  • Prescriptions are mostly electronic now. The E-Rezept is stored on the system, and the pharmacy (Apotheke) reads it from your health insurance card.

Describing your symptoms

This is the part that matters most. The good news: a few sentence patterns cover almost everything.

Ich habe ... (I have ...) works for most pains and illnesses. German often builds pain words with -schmerzen: Kopfschmerzen (headache, literally "head pains"), Halsschmerzen (sore throat), Bauchschmerzen (stomachache), Rückenschmerzen (back pain), Zahnschmerzen (toothache).

Mir ist ... (literally "to me it is ...") describes how you feel: Mir ist schlecht (I feel sick to my stomach), Mir ist schwindelig (I feel dizzy), Mir ist kalt (I feel cold).

... tut weh (... hurts) works for any body part: Mein Knie tut weh (my knee hurts), Mein Ohr tut weh (my ear hurts). For more than one: Meine Füße tun weh (my feet hurt).

Seit ... (since, for) tells the doctor how long: seit gestern (since yesterday), seit drei Tagen (for three days), seit einer Woche (for a week).

Ten symptom sentences to match. Drag each German sentence to its meaning, or tap one and then the other. Use the speaker to hear them.

Match the symptom

Two rounds of five. Use the speaker to hear each sentence.

  • Ich habe Kopfschmerzen.: I have a headache.
  • Ich habe Halsschmerzen.: I have a sore throat.
  • Ich habe Bauchschmerzen.: I have a stomachache.
  • Ich habe Fieber.: I have a fever.
  • Ich habe Husten.: I have a cough.
  • Ich habe Schnupfen.: I have a runny nose.
  • Ich bin erkältet.: I have a cold.
  • Mir ist schlecht.: I feel sick to my stomach.
  • Mir ist schwindelig.: I feel dizzy.
  • Mein Rücken tut weh.: My back hurts.

Calling the practice

Phone calls are hard in a new language. Prepare three things before you call: your name, your problem in one sentence, and when you're free. The person at the reception (die Anmeldung or der Empfang) will ask the rest.

Listen to Leo calling a practice for the first time. Press play for the whole call, or tap a line.

Ich hätte gern einen Termin

Leo has had a fever for three days. He calls a family doctor's practice near his apartment.

  • Praxis: Praxis Dr. Weber, guten Morgen. (Dr. Weber's office, good morning.)
  • Leo: Guten Morgen, mein Name ist Leo Martins. Ich hätte gern einen Termin. (Good morning, my name is Leo Martins. I'd like an appointment.)
  • Praxis: Waren Sie schon einmal bei uns? (Have you been here before?)
  • Leo: Nein, ich bin neu hier. (No, I'm new here.)
  • Praxis: Was haben Sie denn für Beschwerden? (What symptoms do you have?)
  • Leo: Ich habe seit drei Tagen Fieber und Halsschmerzen. (I've had a fever and a sore throat for three days.)
  • Praxis: Können Sie heute um 11:30 Uhr kommen? (Can you come today at 11:30?)
  • Leo: Ja, das passt. Brauche ich etwas? (Yes, that works. Do I need to bring anything?)
  • Praxis: Bringen Sie bitte Ihre Gesundheitskarte mit. (Please bring your health insurance card.)
  • Leo: Mache ich. Vielen Dank, bis später! (Will do. Thank you, see you later!)

Useful sentences for the phone:

  • Ich hätte gern einen Termin. I'd like an appointment.
  • Es ist dringend. It's urgent.
  • Haben Sie heute noch einen Termin frei? Do you have an appointment free today?
  • Nehmen Sie neue Patienten? Are you taking new patients?
  • Können Sie das bitte buchstabieren? Could you spell that, please?

At the doctor's

At the reception, say your name and that you have an appointment: "Guten Tag, Martins. Ich habe um 11:30 Uhr einen Termin." You'll hand over your card, maybe fill out a form, and wait in the Wartezimmer until your name is called.

The doctor will usually start with "Was fehlt Ihnen?" or "Was kann ich für Sie tun?" (What's the problem? / What can I do for you?). Here's Leo's visit.

Was fehlt Ihnen?

Later that day, Leo is in the consultation room with Dr. Weber.

  • Ärztin: Guten Tag, Herr Martins. Was fehlt Ihnen? (Hello, Mr. Martins. What seems to be the problem?)
  • Leo: Ich habe Fieber, Halsschmerzen, und mir tut alles weh. (I have a fever, a sore throat, and everything hurts.)
  • Ärztin: Seit wann haben Sie die Beschwerden? (Since when have you had the symptoms?)
  • Leo: Seit Montag. (Since Monday.)
  • Ärztin: Nehmen Sie Medikamente? Haben Sie Allergien? (Do you take any medication? Do you have any allergies?)
  • Leo: Nein, keine Medikamente und keine Allergien. (No, no medication and no allergies.)
  • Ärztin: Machen Sie bitte den Mund auf. Ja, der Hals ist rot. Das ist eine Erkältung. (Please open your mouth. Yes, your throat is red. It's a cold.)
  • Leo: Können Sie mich krankschreiben? Ich muss es meinem Arbeitgeber sagen. (Can you write me a sick note? I have to tell my employer.)
  • Ärztin: Ja, ich schreibe Sie bis Freitag krank. Trinken Sie viel und ruhen Sie sich aus. (Yes, I'll put you on sick leave until Friday. Drink a lot and get some rest.)
  • Leo: Mache ich. Vielen Dank! (I will. Thank you very much!)
  • Ärztin: Gern. Gute Besserung, Herr Martins! (You're welcome. Get well soon, Mr. Martins!)

Questions the doctor might ask you:

  • Seit wann haben Sie die Beschwerden? Since when have you had the symptoms?
  • Wo tut es weh? Where does it hurt?
  • Nehmen Sie Medikamente? Do you take any medication?
  • Haben Sie Allergien? Do you have any allergies?
  • Haben Sie Vorerkrankungen? Do you have any pre-existing conditions?
  • Machen Sie bitte den Oberkörper frei. Please undress your upper body.
  • Tief einatmen, bitte. Breathe in deeply, please.

If you don't understand something, say so. It's your health: "Das habe ich nicht verstanden. Können Sie das bitte einfacher erklären?" (I didn't understand that. Could you explain it more simply, please?)

Sick notes: Krankmeldung and AU

In everyday German, the sick note is called die Krankmeldung or die Krankschreibung. The official word is die Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung, which almost everyone shortens to die AU. When the doctor schreibt dich krank, they confirm that you can't work.

The general rules for employees:

  • Tell your employer right away that you're sick and how long you'll probably be off, ideally before your shift starts. This is your job, not the doctor's.
  • If you're sick for more than three calendar days, you need a sick note from a doctor, at the latest on the next working day. Your employer can ask for it from the first day, so check your contract or ask your team.
  • With statutory health insurance, the note is electronic. The practice sends it to your health insurer, and your employer gets it from there. That's called the eAU. You may still get a paper copy for yourself.
  • In some cases, for mild illnesses, a practice that knows you can write a sick note after a phone call. Ask if you're not sure.

Useful sentences:

  • Können Sie mich krankschreiben? Can you write me a sick note?
  • Ich bin krankgeschrieben bis Freitag. I'm on sick leave until Friday.
  • Ich melde mich krank. I'm calling in sick.

The words around the visit

Tap the cards for the twelve words you'll see on signs, forms and letters.

12 words for the doctor's

Tap a card to flip it. The speaker reads the word, or the example once the card is flipped.

  • die Arztpraxis (plural: die Arztpraxen): doctor's office (short: die Praxis) Example: Die Arztpraxis ist im ersten Stock. (The doctor's office is on the second floor.)
  • der Hausarzt (plural: die Hausärzte): family doctor, GP (female: die Hausärztin) Example: Mein Hausarzt kennt meine Krankengeschichte. (My family doctor knows my medical history.)
  • der Facharzt (plural: die Fachärzte): specialist (female: die Fachärztin) Example: Für die Haut gehe ich zum Facharzt. (For my skin, I go to a specialist.)
  • der Termin (plural: die Termine): appointment Example: Ich hätte gern einen Termin, bitte. (I'd like an appointment, please.)
  • die Sprechstunde (plural: die Sprechstunden): office hours, consultation hours Example: Die offene Sprechstunde beginnt um acht. (Walk-in hours start at eight.)
  • das Wartezimmer (plural: die Wartezimmer): waiting room Example: Bitte nehmen Sie im Wartezimmer Platz. (Please take a seat in the waiting room.)
  • die Gesundheitskarte (plural: die Gesundheitskarten): health insurance card Example: Haben Sie Ihre Gesundheitskarte dabei? (Do you have your health insurance card with you?)
  • die Krankmeldung (plural: die Krankmeldungen): sick note, sick leave notice Example: Ich brauche eine Krankmeldung für die Arbeit. (I need a sick note for work.)
  • das Rezept (plural: die Rezepte): prescription (also: recipe) Example: Das Rezept ist auf Ihrer Karte gespeichert. (The prescription is saved on your card.)
  • die Apotheke (plural: die Apotheken): pharmacy Example: Die Apotheke gegenüber hat bis 19 Uhr offen. (The pharmacy across the street is open until 7 p.m.)
  • die Überweisung (plural: die Überweisungen): referral (also: bank transfer) Example: Für den Radiologen brauchen Sie eine Überweisung. (For the radiologist, you need a referral.)
  • die Notaufnahme (plural: die Notaufnahmen): emergency room Example: In der Nacht bin ich in die Notaufnahme gefahren. (At night I went to the emergency room.)

At the pharmacy

With your E-Rezept, you go to any Apotheke and hand over your health insurance card. Pharmacists are also a good first stop for small things like a cold. Try:

  • Ich habe ein Rezept auf meiner Karte. I have a prescription on my card.
  • Haben Sie etwas gegen Halsschmerzen? Do you have something for a sore throat?
  • Wie oft muss ich das nehmen? How often do I have to take it?
  • Vor oder nach dem Essen? Before or after meals?

At night and on weekends, a few pharmacies in each area take turns staying open. That's the Notdienst, and every pharmacy shows where the nearest one is.

And when someone you know is sick, here's the phrase every German uses: Gute Besserung! (Get well soon!)

Keep learning

You'll never be fully prepared for getting sick, but knowing these phrases takes away a lot of stress. Save the words below to your word library, and review them before you need them. When a letter from your health insurance confuses you, paste a sentence into our sentence explainer. And if you'd like to build your vocabulary a little every day, our 5 words a day email is free.

Gute Besserung, whenever you need it!

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