WordNest

German health words: 25 words for the doctor, pharmacy and Krankenkasse

🇩🇪 GermanA2–B125 words

When you feel unwell, the right words matter. This list covers symptoms, booking an appointment at the Hausarzt, the health insurance card, prescriptions, the Apotheke and the sick note your employer needs.

Where you will use it: Doctors, pharmacies, health insurance and sick notes in Germany.

German words for health and the doctor — The word list

Meanings and translations are in English.

GermanMeaning and example
der Arztthe doctor“Ich muss heute zum Arzt.”I have to go to the doctor today.
die Ärztinthe (female) doctor“Die Ärztin hat mich gründlich untersucht.”The doctor examined me thoroughly.
der Hausarztthe GP; family doctor“Mein Hausarzt hat eine Praxis um die Ecke.”My GP has a practice round the corner.
die Praxisthe doctor's surgery; practice“Die Praxis ist mittwochs nachmittags geschlossen.”The surgery is closed on Wednesday afternoons.
die Sprechstundethe consultation hours“Die Sprechstunde ist von 8 bis 12 Uhr.”Consultation hours are from 8 to 12.
der Facharztthe specialist“Für den Facharzt brauchen Sie eine Überweisung.”You need a referral for the specialist.
die Krankenkassethe health insurance fund“Bei welcher Krankenkasse sind Sie versichert?”Which health insurance fund are you with?
die Gesundheitskartethe health insurance card“Bitte bringen Sie Ihre Gesundheitskarte mit.”Please bring your health insurance card.
das Rezeptthe prescription“Die Ärztin hat mir ein Rezept gegeben.”The doctor gave me a prescription.
die Apothekethe pharmacy“Die Apotheke hat bis 19 Uhr geöffnet.”The pharmacy is open until 7 pm.
das Medikamentthe medicine; medication“Wie oft muss ich das Medikament nehmen?”How often do I have to take the medicine?
die Tablettethe tablet; pill“Nehmen Sie zweimal am Tag eine Tablette.”Take one tablet twice a day.
die Krankmeldungthe sick note“Die Krankmeldung bekommt mein Arbeitgeber direkt von der Krankenkasse.”My employer gets the sick note straight from the health insurer.
krankill; sick“Ich bin seit gestern krank.”I've been ill since yesterday.
die Schmerzenthe pain“Ich habe starke Schmerzen im Rücken.”I have bad back pain.
die Kopfschmerzenthe headache“Ich habe seit heute Morgen Kopfschmerzen.”I've had a headache since this morning.
das Fieberthe fever; temperature“Das Kind hat 39 Grad Fieber.”The child has a temperature of 39 degrees.
der Hustenthe cough“Gegen den Husten trinke ich Tee mit Honig.”I drink tea with honey for my cough.
die Erkältungthe cold“Ich habe eine leichte Erkältung.”I have a slight cold.
weh tunto hurt“Mir tut der Hals weh.”My throat hurts.
allergischallergic“Ich bin allergisch gegen Nüsse.”I'm allergic to nuts.
der Notrufthe emergency number“Der Notruf für Feuerwehr und Rettungsdienst ist 112.”The emergency number for the fire brigade and ambulance is 112.
die Notaufnahmethe A&E; emergency room“Mit dem gebrochenen Arm bin ich in die Notaufnahme gefahren.”I went to A&E with my broken arm.
der Krankenwagenthe ambulance“Bitte rufen Sie einen Krankenwagen!”Please call an ambulance!
gute Besserungget well soon“Gute Besserung und bleib im Bett!”Get well soon and stay in bed!

Tips for learning German words

  • Learn der, die or das with every nounThe article is part of the word: der Zug, die Fahrkarte, das Gleis. It decides the case endings and adjectives, so learn it from day one.
  • Type the umlauts and ßWrite ä, ö, ü and ß, not a, o, u or ss: schon means "already" but schön means "beautiful". Getting them right in WordNest trains your spelling.
  • Watch the verb positionIn a German main clause the verb comes second, and separable verbs split: "Ich rufe dich morgen an." Read each example aloud to feel the word order.

Standard German as used in Germany

German is spoken in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and a few everyday words differ between them: a tomato is a Tomate in Germany and a Paradeiser in Austria, a bicycle is a Fahrrad rather than a Velo. These lists follow Standard German (Hochdeutsch) as used in Germany, and WordNest's examples, audio and AI corrections use the same standard. You will be understood in every German-speaking country.

Add five or six of these words a day rather than the whole list at once, keep the example sentence on the card, and review them when they come due. WordNest schedules each word across seven growing intervals — same day, then 1, 3, 7, 14, 30 and 60 days — so the list is still with you months later. Read how spaced repetition works if you want the reasoning behind those numbers.

German word lists →

Questions about this list

Is this German from Germany, Austria or Switzerland?

Standard German (Hochdeutsch) as used in Germany. Where Austria or Switzerland usually use a different word, the list gives the one used in Germany, but every word is understood across the German-speaking world.

How do I practise German words for health and the doctor?

Start with five words, listen and say each example aloud. Then recall the German word, with its article, from its English meaning and review it over several days.

How many words are in this list?

This list contains 25 words and phrases with English meanings and example sentences. It is a starting set, not a complete course.

Study these words with spaced repetition

Create a free account, choose German as a study language and add these words to your own deck.

More German word lists