You need to communicate clearly with your doctor to get the right care. This guide teaches you the exact words required to handle a medical consultation in the Netherlands, helping you master your dutch huisarts vocabulary a2 for both real life and the Inburgering exam.
Making the Appointment: Initial Contact Vocabulary — Learn phrases to schedule, change, or cancel your visit.
In the Netherlands, you do not simply walk into a doctor's office. You must always call first. The person who answers the phone is the doktersassistente (doctor's assistant). This professional is trained to perform triage. They decide if your situation is a spoedgeval (emergency) or if it can wait a few days.
When you call, have your BSN (citizen service number) and your zorgverzekering (health insurance) card ready. The assistant will usually ask, "Wat is de reden voor uw afspraak?" (What is the reason for your appointment?). You should be ready to give a short, one-sentence summary of your problem. If you need to change your plans, use the verb verzetten (to reschedule). If you cannot come at all, use annuleren (to cancel).
DUO often includes scenarios about making appointments in the KNM (Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij) section of the exam. You might be asked who to call if you have a non-emergency health issue. The answer is always the huisarts (GP). If it is after 5:00 PM or during the weekend, you call the huisartsenpost (after-hours GP service). Never go directly to the eerste hulp (emergency room) for a simple cough or small rash.
Typical phrases include:
- "Ik wil graag een afspraak maken" (I would like to make an appointment).
- "Kan ik vandaag nog langskomen?" (Can I come by today?).
- "Het is dringend" (It is urgent).
Describing Symptoms: Your Body and Ailments — Master words to precisely communicate how you feel.
To help the doctor, you must be specific. General statements like "I feel bad" do not provide enough information for a diagnosis. Use the structure "Ik heb last van..." (I am suffering from...) followed by the body part or symptom. This is the standard way to describe ongoing discomfort in Dutch.
Basic body parts
During the A2 exam, you are expected to know the external parts of the body. You will use these constantly at the huisarts. If the pain is in your head, you say "Ik heb hoofdpijn." For other areas, you use the specific noun.
Common body parts include:
- Hoofd (head)
- Keel (throat)
- Rug (back)
- Buik (stomach/belly)
- Knie (knee)
- Schouder (shoulder)
If the doctor asks "Waar doet het pijn?" (Where does it hurt?), you can point and say "Hier, bij mijn..." (Here, at my...). Use the word borst for chest and longen for lungs if you are describing breathing issues. Understanding these labels helps you follow the doctor's instructions during a physical onderzoek (examination).
Common symptoms (pijn, hoest, koorts)
Beyond naming the location, you must describe the sensation. Dutch doctors often ask if you have koorts (a fever). They consider a temperature above 38 degrees Celsius to be a real fever. If you have a cold, you are verkouden. This usually involves a loopneus (runny nose) and a hoest (cough).
Common ailments include:
- Griep (flu)
- Ontsteking (inflammation/infection)
- Jeuk (itch)
- Duizelig (dizzy)
- Misselijk (nauseous)
If you have been vomiting, you say "Ik moet overgeven." If you are tired constantly, use the word moe or vermoeid. For the Inburgering exam, knowing the difference between ziek (sick) and misselijk (nauseous) is vital for the Luisteren (listening) section. One implies a general illness, while the other refers specifically to your stomach feeling upset.
Severity and duration
Timing is everything in Dutch healthcare. The doctor will ask, "Sinds wanneer heeft u deze klachten?" (Since when have you had these complaints?). You should answer with a specific time frame, such as "Sinds drie dagen" (For three days) or "Sinds een week" (For a week).
Use adverbs to describe the intensity of the pain. If the pain is very strong, say it is erg or hevig. If it comes and goes, you can say it is af en toe (now and then). If the pain stays the same, it is constant. Many students lose points by not specifying duration, so practice your numbers and time units.
During the Consultation: Questions and Explanations — Understand the huisarts's questions and give clear answers.
A standard appointment lasts 10 to 15 minutes. The doctor will be direct. They expect you to be direct too. They might ask, "Kunt u de pijn omschrijven?" (Can you describe the pain?). Is it stichend (stabbing) or zeurend (dull/aching)?
If the doctor needs to look at you, they will say, "Gaat u maar zitten" (Please sit down) or "Kunt u uw shirt uitdoen?" (Can you take off your shirt?). Follow these commands quickly to save time. If you do not understand a word, ask "Wat betekent dat?" (What does that mean?). It is better to ask for clarification than to guess your medical advice.
Moreover, the doctor might ask about your history. "Heeft u dit vaker gehad?" (Have you had this more often?). Answer with "ja" or "nee" and provide the date of the last occurrence if possible. This helps them decide if you need a doorverwijzing (referral) to a hospital specialist.
Understanding Advice and Next Steps — Decipher instructions for medication, follow-up appointments, or referrals.
Dutch doctors are famous for suggesting paracetamol and rust (rest). Do not feel ignored if they suggest waiting a week before coming back. This is the "wait and see" policy. If they do decide to act, they might request a bloedonderzoek (blood test). They will give you a form and tell you to go to a laboratorium or prikpost to have blood drawn.
If the problem requires a specialist, you will receive a verwijsbrief (referral letter). You cannot see a specialist in a Dutch hospital without this letter from your GP. The huisarts acts as the gatekeeper of the healthcare system. The assistant might email this letter directly to the hospital, or you might receive a digital code through a system like ZorgDomein.
Key instruction words:
- Innemen (to take/swallow medicine)
- Smeren (to apply/rub cream)
- Drie keer per dag (three times a day)
- Voor de maaltijd (before the meal)
Post-Appointment: Pharmacy and Follow-up — Key terms for prescriptions and further care.
Once the doctor prescribes medicine, they send a recept (prescription) electronically to your apotheek (pharmacy). You usually do not carry a paper note anymore. You simply go to your registered pharmacy, give your name and date of birth, and pick up your medicijnen.
At the pharmacy, the assistant will explain the bijwerkingen (side effects). They might ask if you have used the medication before. If it is a new medicine, you often pay a small terhandstellingsgesprek fee (explanation fee) for the first time you receive it. This is normal and covered by most insurance, but it might come out of your eigen risico (deductible).
Check the label on the box for the following:
- Dosering (dosage)
- Houdbaarheid (expiry date)
- Bewaren (storage instructions)
If your symptoms do not improve, you must call for a controle (check-up). Do not wait for the doctor to call you. In the Dutch system, the patient is responsible for following up if the treatment does not work.
Bottom line: Mastering Dutch medical vocabulary for A2
The most important takeaway is to be specific about your body parts and the duration of your symptoms when speaking to the huisarts. Using terms like last van, sinds, and verwijsbrief correctly will ensure you receive the right care and pass your A2 exams.
