I can make an appointment with the family doctor by phone, say what hurts and since when, understand the doctor's advice, buy medicine with a prescription at the pharmacy, and wish a sick person a quick recovery.
At the family doctor's and the pharmacy
The appointment, the complaint, the doctor's advice, the pharmacy, and good wishes
In the Netherlands you see your family doctor first for any illness — de huisarts. The huisarts refers you to the hospital (het ziekenhuis) and to other doctors. You make an appointment by phone: Ik wil graag een afspraak maken. The assistant asks: Wat is er aan de hand?
Complaints: Ik heb koorts. · Mijn arm doet pijn — “my arm hurts”; if several parts hurt, doen: Mijn handen doen pijn. Since when: sinds with the present tense, where English says “I've had”: Ik heb sinds dinsdag koorts. The doctor asks: Sinds wanneer? · Wat is er gebeurd?
The doctor gives advice in the command form: the stem, with no -t and no subject, as in English “Sleep a lot”: Slaap veel. The stem is spelled as in the present tense: schrijven → schrijf, slapen → slaap. Formal: with u and the -t ending: Slaapt u veel. You buy medicine (het medicijn) at the pharmacy — de apotheek. Many medicines need a prescription — het recept (not a receipt).
Beterschap! — to someone sick, when you say goodbye. Sterkte! — to someone who is grieving or going through a hard time; also to people you barely know. Succes! — before an exam or something important. Gezondheid! — to someone who sneezed.
Common mistakes:
• ×Slaapt veel → Slaap veel (advice is the stem, no -t)
• ×Mijn handen doet pijn → Mijn handen doen pijn
• ×keel pijn → keelpijn (one word)
Who says it to whom
Four wishes: each has its own occasion.
| Phrase | Who to whom | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Beterschap! | to someone who is sick, when you say goodbye | Get well soon! |
| Sterkte! | to someone who is grieving or going through a hard time | Stay strong! |
| Gezondheid! | to someone who sneezed | Bless you! |
| Succes! | to someone facing an exam or something important | Good luck! |
Lesson notes
The appointment, the complaint, the doctor's advice, the pharmacy, and good wishes
In the Netherlands you see your family doctor first for any illness — de huisarts. The huisarts refers you to the hospital (het ziekenhuis) and to other doctors. You make an appointment by phone: Ik wil graag een afspraak maken. The assistant asks: Wat is er aan de hand?
Complaints: Ik heb koorts. · Mijn arm doet pijn — “my arm hurts”; if several parts hurt, doen: Mijn handen doen pijn. Since when: sinds with the present tense, where English says “I've had”: Ik heb sinds dinsdag koorts. The doctor asks: Sinds wanneer? · Wat is er gebeurd?
The doctor gives advice in the command form: the stem, with no -t and no subject, as in English “Sleep a lot”: Slaap veel. The stem is spelled as in the present tense: schrijven → schrijf, slapen → slaap. Formal: with u and the -t ending: Slaapt u veel. You buy medicine (het medicijn) at the pharmacy — de apotheek. Many medicines need a prescription — het recept (not a receipt).
Beterschap! — to someone sick, when you say goodbye. Sterkte! — to someone who is grieving or going through a hard time; also to people you barely know. Succes! — before an exam or something important. Gezondheid! — to someone who sneezed.
Common mistakes:
• ×Slaapt veel → Slaap veel (advice is the stem, no -t)
• ×Mijn handen doet pijn → Mijn handen doen pijn
• ×keel pijn → keelpijn (one word)