Skip to main content
HalloKit
Back to doctor scenario

Doctor visit prep

German phrases for a doctor appointment

A practical sheet for describing symptoms, answering intake questions, and asking for a Krankschreibung without overcomplicating your German.

Content verified July 2026

By HalloKit Editorial Team · Published · Updated

Interactive practice

Rehearse this conversation with choices, feedback, and grammar notes — not just the phrase sheet.

Preview scenario

Bring

  • Health insurance card (Krankenversicherungskarte)
  • List of current medications and doses, if any
  • Referral, notes, vaccination record, or previous findings if relevant

Expect

  • Was fehlt Ihnen?
  • Seit wann haben Sie diese Beschwerden?
  • Auf einer Skala von eins bis zehn, wie stark sind die Schmerzen?
  • Nehmen Sie schon Medikamente?
  • Brauchen Sie eine Krankschreibung?
Useful phrases

Explain the problem in short sentences

Use clear timing words like seit, simple symptom nouns, and direct answers to questions about pain and medication.

Conversation map

Follow the real sequence, then play each line before saying it yourself.

  1. 01

    Check in

    Guten Tag, ich habe um neun Uhr einen Termin.

  2. 02

    Describe symptoms

    Seit gestern habe ich starke Kopfschmerzen.

  3. 03

    Answer details

    Ungefähr sieben. Vor allem am Abend wird es schlimmer.

  4. 04

    Confirm next steps

    Ja, bitte für heute und morgen.

Check in

  • Guten Tag, ich habe um neun Uhr einen Termin.

    Good day, I have an appointment at nine o'clock.

  • Hier ist meine Gesundheitskarte.

    Here is my health insurance card.

Describe symptoms

  • Seit gestern habe ich starke Kopfschmerzen.

    Since yesterday I have had strong headaches.

  • Mir tut der Hals weh.

    My throat hurts.

  • Heute Morgen hatte ich 38 Grad Fieber.

    This morning I had a temperature of 38 degrees.

Answer details

  • Ungefähr sieben. Vor allem am Abend wird es schlimmer.

    About seven. It gets worse especially in the evening.

  • Ich nehme nur Ibuprofen.

    I only take ibuprofen.

  • Ich bin gegen Penicillin allergisch.

    I am allergic to penicillin.

Confirm next steps

  • Ja, bitte für heute und morgen.

    Yes, please for today and tomorrow.

  • Können Sie mir das bitte aufschreiben?

    Could you please write that down for me?

  • Wann soll ich wiederkommen?

    When should I come back?

Rescue phrases
  • Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?
  • Ich verstehe das Wort nicht.
  • Könnten Sie bitte langsamer sprechen?
Preview scenario
Complete dialogue

Hear the full conversation before you rehearse it

Read both sides once, then cover the English and say your lines aloud. The real appointment may use different wording, but the sequence is predictable.

  1. 01

    Doctor

    Guten Tag. Was fehlt Ihnen?

    Good day. What seems to be the problem?

  2. 02

    You

    Seit gestern habe ich starke Kopfschmerzen und Halsschmerzen.

    Since yesterday I have had a strong headache and sore throat.

  3. 03

    Doctor

    Haben Sie auch Fieber?

    Do you also have a fever?

  4. 04

    You

    Ja, heute Morgen hatte ich 38 Grad.

    Yes, this morning my temperature was 38 degrees.

  5. 05

    Doctor

    Wie stark sind die Kopfschmerzen auf einer Skala von eins bis zehn?

    How severe is the headache on a scale from one to ten?

  6. 06

    You

    Ungefähr sieben. Am Abend wird es schlimmer.

    About seven. It gets worse in the evening.

  7. 07

    Doctor

    Nehmen Sie schon Medikamente?

    Are you already taking any medication?

  8. 08

    You

    Nur Ibuprofen, eine Tablette heute Morgen.

    Only ibuprofen, one tablet this morning.

  9. 09

    Doctor

    Brauchen Sie eine Krankschreibung?

    Do you need a sick note?

  10. 10

    You

    Ja, bitte für heute und morgen.

    Yes, please, for today and tomorrow.

Useful vocabulary

Words you are likely to hear

Learn the noun with its article and notice the short grammar pattern attached to it.

die Beschwerden
symptoms or complaints
A common formal word in medical questions: Seit wann haben Sie diese Beschwerden?
die Schmerzen
pain
Usually plural in German. Name the location: Kopfschmerzen, Halsschmerzen, Bauchschmerzen.
seit
since or for
Use it for symptoms that began in the past and continue now: seit gestern, seit drei Tagen.
die Krankschreibung
sick note
A common everyday term for medical certification that you are unable to work.
die Überweisung
referral
Some specialist appointments or treatments require a referral; ask the practice in advance if unsure.
die Gesundheitskarte
electronic health insurance card
People with statutory insurance normally present this card or another proof of insurance for treatment.
Common mistakes

Small fixes that make the conversation clearer

  • Naming the symptom but not the timing

    Add seit plus a date or duration: Seit gestern habe ich Kopfschmerzen. Timing helps make the answer precise.

  • Forgetting medication details

    If asked, name the medicine, dose, and when you took it. Bring a written list or the packaging if that is easier.

  • Pretending to understand medical instructions

    Ask Könnten Sie das bitte einfacher erklären? or Können Sie das bitte aufschreiben? before you leave.

Common questions

FAQ

Short answers for the questions people ask before this appointment.

What should I bring to a German doctor appointment?+

Bring your electronic health insurance card or other proof of insurance. Depending on the visit, also bring your referral, medication list with doses, vaccination record, notes, and relevant previous findings.

How do I describe symptoms in German at the doctor?+

Use seit for timing, name the symptom directly, and keep each answer short. Example: Seit gestern habe ich starke Kopfschmerzen.

How do I ask for a sick note in German?+

If the doctor asks whether you need one, answer clearly: Ja, bitte für heute und morgen.

What if I do not understand the doctor?+

Use Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?, Ich verstehe das Wort nicht, or Könnten Sie bitte langsamer sprechen?

Take it with you

Print or save the offline pocket card with the key lines for appointment day.

Open pocket card
Keep preparing

Related German practice

Move between the phrase guide, appointment checklist, and the conversations that usually come next.

Related phrase guide

German phrases for the pharmacy

Name your symptom, explain timing, and ask about dosage at the Apotheke counter.

Continue preparing

Related phrase guide

German phrases for health insurance registration

Register for public health insurance with the documents and phrases clerks expect.

Continue preparing

Related phrase guide

German phrases for your Anmeldung appointment

What to bring, what officials ask, and the German lines that keep your registration appointment moving.

Continue preparing

Was this accurate?

Help us keep phrases aligned with real appointments in Germany.

Was this accurate?

Sources and references

Authoritative references used to verify the preparation details in this guide. Local requirements can still differ.