A simple dialogue in English: patient doctor has a runny nose. How to conduct a dialogue with a doctor in a hospital in English: a convenient phrasebook. At a reception at the antenatal clinic
language related to your health.
People with the flu laugh the most contagiously.
The doctor is a philosopher: there is no big difference between wisdom and medicine. - Hippocrates.
Probably every person knows how disgusting it is to be sick. As we get older, we realize the full extent of it. As children, many loved to wrap themselves in a blanket and peek out from under it, waiting for their mother to bring medicine and an orange.
It's getting close to winter. Winter is coming! Cold winds are rising. Winter is coming, the Starks said. And of course, this is a reason to think about your health and not catch a cold. Otherwise, walking with a runny nose is inconvenient and unpleasant.
But the reality is this: in order to live fully,... For our children, for ourselves, for the development of our creativity. After all, illness unsettles us, although it signals that something is wrong with our personality. Be patient with her.
By the way, I remember looking up the word runny nose in the dictionary a long time ago and was amazed at how easy its translation was. Cold, just Cold.
I have a cold. I have a runny nose. Elementary.
I`ve caught a cold. I caught a cold.
I'm cold. I'm cold
So, expressions related to maintaining your health and the problems that arise from time to time.
I try to lead a healthy lifestyle. I try to lead a healthy lifestyle.
If you want to get slimmer, you must eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and less fats. If you want to lose weight, then you need to eat more vegetables and fruits and less fat.
Look at him! Poor man, he is a bit overweight. Look at him, he's a little chubby!
He needs to go on a diet and lose some weight. He is out of shape. He needs to go on a diet and lose some weight. He's out of shape.
Look at this girl! She is so slim. She needs to put on a bit weight. Look at this girl, she's so thin! She needs to gain some weight.
To stay healthy, we should sleep well and give up smoking. To stay healthy we must sleep well and quit smoking
How to cope with stress? Meditate and practice yoga. How to cope with stress? Meditate and practice yoga.
Look also at the expressions and one small dialogue, with analysis.
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To make an appointment with a doctor. Make an appointment with the doctor. Appointment -meeting at the appointed time. Maywood Clinic. Can I help you? Hello! I’d like to make an appointment with a doctor. I’d like to make an appointment with a dentist / with an eye specialist . Dentist Eye specialist - eye specialist I’d like to see a doctor as soon as possible. As soon as possible. as soon as possible. I don't live here. I'm a tourist. I'm here on vacation. On vacation - on vacation I have medical insurance. Medical insuarance - medical insurance When can the doctor see me? When can the doctor see me? |
Dialogue with a doctor.
Good evening, doctor.
Good evening.
What's your trouble?
I don`t feel well. (I feel bad,). I feel sick and I have a stomachache.
Really?
Yes, and I feel a little bit dizzy and sometimes have heavy headaches! It`s very painful!
Let me check your temperature first. Give me your wrist, please. There’s nothing wrong with the pulse .
I hope there’s nothing serious, doctor? I also have a toothache. And a sore throat and I`m coughing! Sometimes I faint and lose consciousness. And you see, I have skin rush! My vision is not good and I hear badly. And I have recently broken my arm!
I think you are suffering from mental disorders and vitamin-mineral deficiency. You should take a blood test, urine test, X-ray and electrocardiogram. You should also go to the dentist and traumatologist and dermatologist. Oh, my God, yo must visit oculist and otolaryngologist.
Here are tablets and prescription. Take one before meals. And the other after meals for three days.
Will it help me?
Anyway, It will be better!
trouble - problem, trouble
to feel sick - feel sick, be sick
stomachache - pain in the stomach
dizzy - dizziness
headache - headache
wrist - wrist
nothing wrong - everything is okay
pulse - pulse
nothing serious - nothing serious
toothache - toothache
sore throat - sore throat
cough - cough
faint - to faint
lose consciousness - lose consciousness
skin rush - skin irritation
vision - vision
suffer - to suffer
mental disorder - mental disorder
vitamin-mineral deficiency - lack of vitamins
take a blood test - take a blood test
urine test - urine test
X-ray - X-rays
electrocardiogram - electrocardiogram
traumatologist - traumatologist
dermatologist - dermatologist
oculist - ophthalmologist
otolaryngologist - ENT
prescription - recipe
If you need to buy medicine at a pharmacy, use the following phrases.
I need a cold medicine. I need medicine for a cold.
I need a cough medicine. I need cough medicine
What would you recommend? What would you recommend?
How do I take this medicine? Three times a day after meals.
How should I take this medicine? Three times a day after meals
Before meals. Before meals.
And, of course, my favorite idioms.
We continue the series of articles DIALOGUES IN ENGLISH. Today we will give examples of dialogues between a doctor and a patient in English – dialogues “At the doctor’s”. All dialogues are given with translation into Russian.
Dialogue between doctor and patient
Doctor: Come in, please.
Patient: Thank you. Doctor, I decided to make an appointment because yesterday I had a splitting headache and rash all over my body after taking pills for stomach pain.
Doctor: Did I write out a prescription for taking the pills?
Patient: Yes, here it is.
Doctor: These pills are very strong. They can trigger such symptoms as dizziness, nausea and even rash. Let me check you. I’ll measure your blood pressure but firstly put a thermometer into your armpit.
(After a while)
Doctor: Your temperature is in the normal range but your blood pressure is very low. Did you read the medicine label before taking those pills?
Patient: No, I thought your prescription and recommendations were enough to take them correctly.
Doctor: What dose did you take at once?
Patient: I took two pills.
Doctor: So everything should have been all right then. You told me you had no allergies. What's wrong then?
Patient: Just a few days ago I was sneezing all day long but I went on taking the pills.
Doctor: As far as these pills are concerned, they mustn’t be taken if you have any allergies. So taking them caused terrible side effects.
TRANSLATION OF THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE PATIENT AND THE DOCTOR
Doctor: Please pass.
Patient: Thank you. Doctor, I decided to make an appointment because yesterday I had a severe headache and a rash all over my body after taking pills for stomach pain.
Doctor: Did I give you a prescription to take the pills?
Patient: Yes, here it is.
Doctor: These pills are very strong. They can cause side effects such as dizziness, nausea, and even rash. Let me test you. I'll take your blood pressure, but take your temperature first.
(Over time)
Doctor: Your temperature is within normal limits, but your blood pressure is very low. Have you read the medication label before taking these pills?
Patient: No, I thought that your recipe and recommendations were enough to take them correctly.
Doctor: What dose did you take at a time?
Patient: Two tablets.
Doctor: Everything should have been fine. You said you don't have allergies. What happened next?
Patient: Just a few days ago I was sneezing all day, but I continued taking the pills.
Doctor: These pills should not be taken if you have an allergic reaction, so taking them caused terrible side effects.
Dialogue “At a doctor’s appointment”
Doctor: Good afternoon. How can I help you today?
Patient: I don't feel very well.
Doctor: What's the matter?
Patient: I’ve got an earache and a fever.
Doctor: Sit on the table please, so I can look in your ear. You have an ear infection.
Patient: What do I need to do?
Doctor: You need to put drops in his ear twice a day. Here is a prescription for you to take to the pharmacy.
TRANSLATION OF THE DIALOGUE “At a doctor's appointment.”
Doctor: Good afternoon. How can I help you today?
Patient: I do not feel well.
Doctor: What's happened?
Patient: I have a fever and my ear hurts.
Doctor: Please sit down, I will examine your ear. You have an ear infection.
Patient: What should I do?
Doctor: You need to put the drops in your ear twice a day. Here's the recipe, go to the pharmacy.
Dialogue at the doctor's
Patient: Doctor, please help me. My ankle hurts.
Doctor: What happened?
Patient: I twisted it when I was playing football.
Doctor: Let me have a look. (Pause) It is broken. I'm sorry. You will need to wear a cast for three months.
Patient: That's too bad. No more football this summer!
Patient: Thank you, doctor.
TRANSLATION OF THE DIALOGUE AT THE DOCTOR'S
Patient: Doctor, please help me. My ankle hurts.
Doctor: What's happened?
Patient: I twisted it when I was playing football.
Doctor: Let me see. (pause) It's broken. I'm sorry. You will need to wear a cast for three months.
Patient: this is very bad. No football this summer!
Patient: Thank you Doctor.
Dialogue on the topic “Visiting the doctor.”
D: Come in. Hello! What brings you here today?
P: Well, I've got a problem with my eye. It’s been itchy and swollen since last night.
D: I see. Is it painful?
P: Yes. It’s very sore, it hurts when I blink.
D: Let me have a look at it. Your eyelid is indeed swollen. Have you put any drops in it?
P: Yes, I’ve got some eye drops from the chemist’s, but they didn’t do anything
D: This looks like an eye infection. I think you need antibiotics. Are you allergic to them?
P: No, I'm not
D: OK. I'm going to prescribe some eye drops as well. If it doesn't get better, come back and see me again.
P: OK. Thanks, doctor.
TRANSLATION OF THE DIALOGUE “Visiting the Doctor”.
D: Come on in. Hello! What brings you here today?
P: Well, I have a problem with my eye. It's swollen and itchy since last night.
D: I see. Hurt?
P: Yes, it hurts a lot. It hurts when I blink.
D: Let me take a look at it. The eyelid is really swollen. Did you bury anything?
P: Yes, I have eye drops from the pharmacy, but they didn't help.
D: It looks like an eye infection. I think you need antibiotics. Are you allergic to them?
P: No.
D: OK. I'll prescribe some eye drops for you. If it doesn’t get better, come and we’ll sort it out.
P: OK. Thank you Doctor.
I hope these dialogues were useful to you.
Dialogue between a doctor and a patient with symptoms of gastritis
Exercise 1. Read and analyze the table.Remember types of questions that a doctor asks a patient, having symptoms of digestive system disease.
Doctor questions | Patient's answers |
1. General complaints What worries you? What are you complaining about? | My stomach hurts a lot. Nothing I can't eat. There is also often a bitter taste in the mouth. |
2. Characteristics of pain 2.1. Localization Where exactly do you feel the pain? Where does it hurt: in the epigastric region or under the ribs on the right? | In the pit of my stomach. It hurts a lot here on the right side. |
2.2. Character What kind of pain do you have in the epigastric region: sharp or dull? What is the nature of the pain: cutting or pulling, aching? | Spicy, cuts in the stomach. More often it aches and pulls, sometimes there is just a feeling of heaviness. |
2.3. Duration How long does the pain last? | Differently. Sometimes it hurts for a short time, sometimes it hurts for a long time, but not more than an hour. |
2.4. Repeatability How many times a day does the pain occur? | Every time after eating. Repeatedly. |
3. Conditions for the occurrence of pain 3.1. Connection with food intake When do you experience pain: before, during, or after eating? | Usually when I eat. It starts to hurt on an empty stomach, before eating. |
3.2. Nature of food After what food does the pain most often begin: fatty, fried or spicy? | After fatty and fried. Especially after salty, sour and spicy. |
3.3. Time of pain onset How long after eating does the pain appear: a few minutes or a few hours? | In 10-15 minutes. In 2-3 hours. |
4. Diet. What is your diet: do you eat regularly or irregularly? Do you often overeat? Do you eat dry food? | I don't follow a diet. As it turns out, more often than not 1-2 times a day. I eat rarely and in large quantities. It happens on holidays. Yes, I often eat dry food at work. |
5. Additional complaints. 5.1. Nausea, vomiting Do you experience nausea or vomiting? In the morning on an empty stomach or after a meal? Nature of vomiting and vomit Are you vomiting mucus or food? Is vomiting profuse or scanty? What color is the vomit? | Yes, sometimes I feel nauseous. And vomiting happens. Both in the morning and in the afternoon. In the morning - on an empty stomach, and in the afternoon - 20 minutes after eating, and sometimes two hours later. Abundant. Sometimes brown. |
5.2. - Feeling of fullness does it happen in the epigastric region? | Yes, sometimes. (No, it doesn't happen). |
5.3. - And the feeling of bloating belly? | Yes, the stomach is often swollen and bursting. |
5.4. Heartburn Do you have heartburn? After what food does it appear? Are you taking anything for heartburn? | Often. Sometimes it hurts all day. Usually after fried. Soda, but it doesn’t help for long. |
5.5. Belching Is belching bothering you? What kind of belching do you have: air, sour, bitter, or with the taste of food eaten? | Worrying. Belching air. |
5.6. Appetite What's your appetite? | Now I’m feeling bad, I don’t want to eat, I just want to drink, because I’m thirsty and my mouth is dry. |
5.7. Chair Is the bowel movement regular or irregular? Do you suffer from diarrhea and constipation? | Irregular, sometimes there is an upset stomach. Yes, sometimes it strengthens and then weakens. |
Task 2. Formulate the answers of a patient with gastritis to the doctor’s questions. Use colloquial language in the patient's answers.
What worries you?
Where do you feel pain? Show.
What kind of pain do you feel: sharp or dull, cutting or aching?
How long does the pain usually last: a few minutes or several hours?
Does the pain recur throughout the day?
When does pain occur: on an empty stomach, during a meal or after a meal?
How long does it take for pain to appear after eating?
After what food does it most often occur: after fatty, fried, spicy?
Do you feel nauseous?
What about vomiting?
When is vomiting more common: in the morning or during the day?
What kind of vomiting: mucus or food eaten?
Is vomiting profuse or scanty?
Heartburn bothering you?
What do you take for heartburn?
Do you have a feeling of fullness in the epigastric region?
What about bloating?
What type of bowel movements do you have: regular or irregular?
Task 3. Formulate the doctor's questions using the patient's answers.
My stomach hurts a lot, I can’t touch it, I have no appetite at all.
Right here, in this place.
Cutting. Cuts in the stomach.
A few minutes, then the pain goes away.
Yes, mostly after eating.
Appears 15-20 minutes after eating.
After fried and spicy.
Yes, sometimes I feel nauseous and vomit.
Morning and afternoon.
In the morning it happens on an empty stomach. Vomits only mucus.
The pain decreases. It gets easier.
Abundant.
Yes, my stomach is swollen and bursting.
Rarely, but a lot.
Yes, often dry.
Not really. It weakens, then strengthens.
Tortured. It happens very often, especially after fried food.
I drink almagel for heartburn.
Task 4.
1. At a doctor's appointment, the patient complains of aching and pressing pain in the epigastric region, nausea, sour belching and heartburn after eating fried and spicy foods. The pain is relieved by taking almagel. Also disturbing is profuse vomiting in the morning with a lot of mucus and general weakness. The diet is disrupted: dry food and overeating are common. There is a decrease in appetite, a feeling of fullness in the epigastric region, and flatulence. The stool is irregular and unstable.
2. was admitted to the hospital with complaints of intense paroxysmal pain of a pressing and cutting nature in the epigastric region, occurring mainly on an empty stomach, accompanied by a burning sensation. The pain lasts from 5 to 20 minutes and repeats several times a day. The painful attack is relieved with Almagel. Nausea on an empty stomach, weakness, and fatigue are also of concern. He does not follow a diet and often eats dry food.
Task 5. Formulate in writing the patient’s gastritis answers to the doctor’s questions. Use colloquial language in the patient's answers.
What are you complaining about?
Where exactly do you feel pain?
What is the nature of the pain: cutting or pulling?
When does the pain appear: before eating or after?
How long does the pain last?
How long after eating does pain occur?
After what food does it appear: after fatty, spicy or
Fried?
Do you experience nausea or vomiting?
Does stomach pain go away after vomiting or does it continue?
Is vomiting profuse or scanty?
How do you eat: regularly or irregularly?
Do you eat dry?
Does burping bother you?
Does heartburn happen?
After what food: after smoked, spicy or any?
Do you take medicine or baking soda for heartburn or does it go away on its own?
What's your appetite?
How long have you had no appetite?
Do you suffer from diarrhea or constipation?
Task 6. Formulate the doctor’s questions in writing using the patient’s answers.
I have a pain in the pit of my stomach, a swollen stomach and severe weakness.
There is an aching in the stomach, there is pressure on the stomach.
The pain lasts for 5-10 minutes.
The pain recurs several times a day.
My stomach starts to hurt after I eat.
About half an hour after eating.
It happens, especially after fatty and fried foods.
Yes, I drink soda, it helps.
Yes, I feel nauseous often.
Sometimes there is vomiting.
No, not very plentiful.
More often in the morning.
Yes, burping is painful.
It used to be normal, but now it’s not at all. I haven’t felt like eating anything for two weeks now.
I don't comply. In the morning I only have tea, and in the evening I eat a lot.
Yes, I eat it dry. There is no time to go to the canteen at work.
I often have an upset stomach. And sometimes it gets stronger.
Task 7. Based on the information in the texts, compose dialogues between the doctor and the patient.
1. At a doctor's appointment, patient Z. complains of pain in the epigastric region. The pain is dull, aching in nature, usually associated with eating fried, spicy or sour foods and occurs approximately half an hour after eating. During the day, the attack of pain is repeated several times and is accompanied by a feeling of nausea, as well as profuse vomiting, which occurs periodically in the morning and daytime. After vomiting, pain in the epigastric region decreases and health improves. Appetite is reduced, diet is disrupted, stool is irregular. The patient complains of an unpleasant taste in the mouth, belching of air, heartburn after fatty foods, which is relieved by taking Maalox tablets.
2. At an appointment with a gastroenterologist, patient D. said that he was bothered by intense paroxysmal aching and nagging pain in the right hypochondrium, accompanied by flatulence. Pain occurs after eating fried and spicy foods. The patient also complains of severe weakness, nausea on an empty stomach, constant heartburn, and dry mouth. He takes Rennie tablets for heartburn. He does not follow the diet, his appetite is poor, his bowel movements are irregular, and he has diarrhea.
- How do you feel (today)?
- How are you feeling?
- Is everything okay?
- I'm fine. - I'm fine.
- I feel sick. - I am sick.
- Not so good. - Not very good.
- Not very well. - Not very good.
- I don't feel well. - I don't feel well.
- I'm sick. - I'm sick.
- What's the matter?
- What's wrong?
- What seems to be the problem?
- I have... (+ health condition) - I have...
- I "ve got ... (+ health condition) - I have ...
- I have a headache - I have a headache
- I "ve got a sore throat. - I have a sore throat
12 June
Visit to the doctor - we conduct a dialogue in English
Seeking medical help abroad is commonplace today. Unfortunately, language difficulties can directly affect your health. Therefore, we recommend that you prepare thoroughly for the visit and learn a few phrases in advance for dialogue with the doctor in English.
Appointment with a doctor in English
The most common question is “How are you feeling?” - you can hear from a doctor in these variations:
A physician can answer this question in different ways:
Having heard the answer about your unwell health, the doctor will most likely ask about the cause of your discomfort:
Symptoms and health in English. Explain to the doctor
To explain to the doctor the reason for your poor health, you will have to use the following constructions:
What symptoms/discomfort/sensations/pain are you experiencing? In other words, what to put after have / have got? Try to describe them in the following words.
Table 1. Diseases in English
| Symptom/Pain | Transcription | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| asthma | |ˈæzmə| | asthma |
| a backache | |ˈbækeɪk| | backache |
| a broken leg | |ˈbroʊkən leɡ| | leg broken |
| a cold | |koʊld| | cold |
| a cough | |kɔːf| | cough |
| an earache | |ˈɪreɪk| | earache |
| a fever | |ˈfiːvə| | fever |
| the flu | |fluː| | cold |
| a headache | |ˈhɛdeɪk| | headache |
| heartburn | |ˈhɑːtbəːn| | heartburn |
| (the) meats | |ˈmiːz(ə)lz| | measles |
| a rush | |ræʃ| | rash |
| a sore throat | |sɔː θrəʊt | | sore throat |
| a stomachache (US), stomachache (Brit) | |ˈstʌmək ˌeɪk| | sick stomach |
| sunburn | |ˈsʌnbəːn| | sunburn |
| a toothache | |ˈtuːθeɪk| | toothache |
For a more accurate diagnosis, you need to describe your condition in more detail. This will require you to use more advanced phrases.
Table 2. Phrases for dialogue with a doctor in English
| Expression in English | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| I have an upset stomach. | I have an upset stomach. |
| I have a wheezing cough. | I have a dry cough. |
| I have a rash on my neck. | I have a rash on my neck. |
| I"m having chest pains. | I have chest pains. |
| I"m having trouble sleeping. | I have problems sleeping. |
| I"ve been having excruciating sinus headaches for the last few days. | For the last few days I have been having pressing headaches in the bridge of my nose. |
| I"m short of breath. | I'm suffocating. |
| My muscles are sore. | I'm weakened. |
| I get this sharp pain in my shoulder whenever I raise my arm. | I have shooting pains in my shoulder when I lift my arm. |
| I sometimes get dull, throbbing headaches. | I have constant throbbing headaches. |
| I feel lightheaded. | I'm dizzy. |
| I feel kind of nauseous. | I'm sick. |
| I"m feeling under the weather. | I feel sick. |
| My ankle is red and swollen. | My ankle is red and swollen. |
| It hurts when I apply pressure to it. | She/he hurts with physical activity. |
| My stomach hurts. | I have a stomach ache. |
| My nose is stuffy. | I have a stuffy nose. |
| I"m running a fever of … degrees. | My temperature is... degrees. |
| I"ve been vomiting for the last 12 hours. | I've been vomiting for the last 12 hours. |
| I"ve been waking up in the middle of the night every night. | Every night I wake up in the middle of the night. |
| I suffered a neck injury in a motorcycle accident last year. | Last year I injured my neck in a motorcycle accident. |
| I never fully recovered from the accident. | I never recovered from the accident. |
| My allergies are killing me! | My allergies are getting to me! |
| My arthritis is acting up. | My arthritis has worsened. |
To reinforce the material, take the online exercise
When we write articles, we always hope that the material will be useful to our readers and will be useful to them in practice. However, this article unsettled us: we really hope that these materials on how to conduct a dialogue with a doctor in English will never be useful to you in your life. And yet it’s definitely worth learning them, because the English proverb says: better safe than sorry (God protects the safe).
We have written a simple phrase book for travelers, in which you will find dialogues, phrases and vocabulary on 25 essential topics. Go on a journey with the main character and improve your English. You can download the book for free at.
How to make an appointment with a doctor
So you've been swimming in the sea for too long or sprained your ankle during an excursion. In this case, you need to contact the hotel administrator or ask someone where you can find a doctor. To do this, say: I need a doctor (I need a doctor) or Please, get me a doctor (Please send for a doctor). You may need to make an appointment with your doctor by calling his or her office. In this case, use the following phrases when speaking:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| I would like to make an appointment with Dr. House, please. | I would like to make an appointment with Dr. House. |
| When will the doctor be free? | When will the doctor be free? |
| I'd like to see Dr. House on Monday. | I would like to make an appointment with Dr. House on Monday. |
When talking to you, the administrator may use the following phrases:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| Is it urgent? | This is urgent? |
| Do you have private medical insurance? | Do you have health insurance? |
| What's the problem? / What's the matter? / What do you complain of? | What is the problem? / What's happened? / What are you complaining about? (you can respond by describing your symptoms using the phrases below) |
| Which day and what time is good for you? | On what day and at what time will be convenient for you? |
If you need a specialist, the conversation can be conducted using the previous phrases, but you need to know the name of the doctor you need. Fortunately, many doctor names in Russian and English sound almost the same, so you don’t have to learn much.
| Word | Translation |
|---|---|
| an allergist | allergist |
| a cardiologist | cardiologist |
| a dentist | dentist |
| a dermatologist | dermatologist |
| a GP (general practitioner), a physician | general practitioner, therapist, family doctor |
| a gynecologist (AmE) / a gynecologist (BrE) | gynecologist |
| a neurologist | neurologist |
| an ophthalmologist | ophthalmologist |
| an orthopedic doctor | orthopedic doctor |
| a pediatrician | pediatrician |
| a surgeon | surgeon |
If you or another person needs urgent help, ask someone around you to call it by saying: Please, call an ambulance. Ambulance doctors will provide first aid to the victim and, if necessary, take him to the hospital.
Have you decided to call for help yourself? Before traveling, be sure to check with your tour operator or online for all emergency phone numbers. You can call them even if you have no money in your account and without a SIM card. Record the following emergency numbers in your phone:
- 112 - Europe (full list of countries);
- 911 - USA, Canada and NANP countries (full list of countries);
- 999 - Great Britain, Ireland and other countries (full list of countries).
In some cases, when you dial one of these universal numbers, the system will automatically route your call to emergency services. Therefore, if you are shocked and have forgotten which number is valid in a given country, dial any of the numbers listed. The operator will clarify what type of assistance you need and connect you with the appropriate service. To be connected to an ambulance, say: I need an ambulance, please. After connecting, describe your symptoms and give your address, and a specialist will be sent to you.
Let's use dialogue to find out how to make an appointment with a doctor in English.
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| A: Hello! I would like to make an appointment with a doctor, please. | A: Hello, I would like to make an appointment with the doctor. |
| B: Hello! Do you need urgent care? What seems to be the problem? | IN: Hello! Do you need urgent help? What's happened? |
| A: Yes, I do. I have a terrible pain in my left arm and my wrist is swollen. | A: Yes, it's urgent. My left hand hurts terribly and my wrist is swollen. |
| B: Do you have private medical insurance? | IN: Do you have health insurance? |
| A: Yes, I do. | A: Yes, I have. |
| B: Ok, I can fit you in today at 3 p.m. Does that suit you? | IN: I can make an appointment for you with a doctor at 3 pm today. Suits you? |
| A: That's great, thank you. | A: Excellent thank you. |
| B: Ok, I will write you in for today at 3 p.m. m. | IN: Okay, I'll make an appointment for you today at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. |
| A: Thank you for your help! | A: Thank you for your help! |
We invite you to watch a video in which you will learn useful phrases for conversation with the clinic administrator. They can be used when you go to the doctor and wait your turn, describe your symptoms to the nurse, etc.
Names of disease symptoms in English
You sought medical help and now you need to explain to the doctor what happened to you. Getting a correct diagnosis depends on how accurately you describe your symptoms, so English can literally save lives.
We will give the names of symptoms of diseases in English: that is, this is what you feel, what you are complaining about.
| Word/Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| ill | sick |
| an illness | illness (internal organs, short-term) |
| a disease | severe/chronic/fatal illness |
| sickness | nausea |
| an injury | bodily injury |
| a backache | backache |
| a black eye | black eye |
| a blister | blister, callus |
| a bruise | bruise |
| a bump | cone |
| a burn (a sunburn) | burn (sunburn) |
| a chill | chills |
| a cough | cough |
| a cramp | cramp, spasm |
| a cut | a cut |
| an earache | earache |
| a faint | fainting |
| a fever | fever |
| a headache | headache |
| a muscle ache | muscle pain |
| a nosebleed | nosebleed |
| a pain / an ache | pain |
| a rush | rash |
| a scratch | scratch |
| a sore throat | sore throat |
| a stomachache | stomach ache |
| a toothache | toothache |
| bleeding | bleeding |
| blood pressure | arterial pressure |
| constipation | constipation |
| diarrhea/diarrhea | diarrhea |
| indigestion | indigestion, upset stomach |
| insomnia | insomnia |
| inflammation | inflammation |
| sore | inflamed, painful (when muscles ache after heavy physical activity) |
| sore eyes | inflamed (red) eyes |
| to hurt | get sick |
| to sneeze | sneeze |
| to feel dizzy | to feel dizzy |
| to feel weak | feel weak |
| to be broken | broken (My arm is broken. - My arm is broken.) |
| to sprain/pull | sprain (I sprained my ankle. - I sprained my ankle.) |
| to twist | dislocate (I twisted my ankle. - I sprained my ankle.) |
| swollen (leg) | swollen/edematous (leg) |
| runny/running nose | runny nose (runny nose) |
| (my nose is) stuffed up | (my nose) is stuffy |
| (my skin is) itchy | (my skin) itches |
| (to feel) sick | (feel) nauseated |
| to vomit / throw up / puke | tear |
As you already understand, in order to tell the doctor exactly what hurts you, you need to know the names of body parts. Therefore, we recommend that you learn at least the basic concepts from the article “Body Parts in English”.
There are two similar terms for the word “pain” in English: pain and ache. What is the difference? Ache is a long-lasting dull pain that we can endure. The word pain usually refers to more severe pain, for which we go to the doctor. However, in many cases, these two words are interchangeable, because each person has their own pain threshold, and for some, ache can be comparable in strength to pain.
How to report your complaints to your doctor
Now you know the names of the main symptoms in English and can tell the doctor what is bothering you. We suggest using the following simple phrases for dialogue with a doctor in English.
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| I am not feeling well. | I do not feel myself well. |
| I feel ill. | I am sick. |
| I feel sick. | I'm sick. |
| I feel dizzy. | I feel dizzy. |
| I've cut myself. | I cut myself. |
I have:
| I have:
|
| My back/arm/head is hurting. / My back/arm/head hurts. | My back/arm/head hurts. |
| It hurts here. | It hurts here. (universal phrase if you have forgotten the name of a body part) |
| I got hit with... | I got hit... |
After you have described your symptoms, your doctor may ask you the following questions to help clarify the situation. We have also written simple answer options that you can use.
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| A: When did you notice the symptoms? When did the symptoms start? | A: When did you notice the symptoms? When did symptoms first appear? |
| B: Yesterday / two days ago / month ago. | IN: Yesterday / 2 days ago / a month ago. |
| A: When do you have the symptoms? | A: When do your symptoms appear? |
| B: Only at night / every morning. | IN: Only at night/every morning. |
| A: How long did the symptoms last? For how long have you been feeling ill? | A: How long do symptoms last? How long have you been sick? |
| B: Three days / four hours / a week. About two days ago and it still hurts. | IN: Three days / four hours / week. About two days ago and it still hurts. |
| A: Did you take any medicine? | A: Did you take any medications? |
| B: I'm taking... | IN: I accept... |
In addition, your doctor may ask you the following questions:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| Where's the pain? | Where does it hurt? |
| What seemed to make the symptoms worse? | What do you think is worsening your condition? |
| What have you eaten/drunk? | What did you eat/drink? |
| Have you got any other symptoms? | Do you have any other symptoms? |
| What infectious diseases have you had? | What infectious diseases have you had? |
| Is this the first time this has happened? | Is this the first time this has happened to you? |
| Have you taken your temperature? | Have you taken your temperature? |
| Take your clothes off. | Take off your clothes. |
After the interview, the doctor will conduct an examination, and he may say the following to you:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| Can I have a look? | Can I have a look? |
| Does it hurt when I press here? | Does it hurt when I click here? |
| Could you roll up your sleeve? | Could you roll up your sleeve? |
| I’m going to take your blood pressure/temperature/pulse. | I'm going to take your blood pressure/temperature/pulse. |
| Your blood pressure is low / normal / rather high / very high. | Your blood pressure is low/normal/quite high/very high. |
| Your temperature is normal / a little high / very high. | Your temperature is normal / elevated / very high. |
| Open your mouth, please. | Open your mouth, please. |
| Cough, please. | Cough, please. |
| Take a deep breath, please. | Take a deep breath, please. |
| Breathe out. | Exhale. |
| Don't breathe. | Don't breathe. |
| Lay down over here. | Lie down here, please. |
After the examination, the doctor may prescribe you an additional examination or procedure, as well as give some instructions. We suggest studying the following phrases that a doctor can say in a dialogue with a patient in English:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| You need to have a blood test. | You need to do a blood test. |
| I want you to see a specialist. | I want you to see a specialist. |
| We need to take a urine sample / blood sample. | We need to take a blood/urine test. |
| You need a few stitches. | You need stitches. |
| I want to send you for an X-ray. | I want to send you for an x-ray. |
| I want to send you for an ultrasound. | I want to send you for an ultrasound. |
Making a diagnosis in English
If additional examinations are not required, the doctor will make a diagnosis, and you will need to understand what is wrong with you. We suggest you memorize the names of the main diseases in English.
| Word/Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| (a) brain discussion | concussion |
| a break/fracture | fracture |
| a cold | cold |
| a contagious disease | contagious/infectious disease |
| a heart attack | heart attack, infarction |
| A nervous breakdown | breakdown |
| a stroke | stroke |
| a tumor (benign tumor) / a tumor | tumor (benign tumor) |
| a virus/bug | virus |
| an allergy | allergy |
| an infection | infection |
| an ulcer | ulcer |
| appendicitis | appendicitis |
| arthritis | arthritis |
| asthma (asthmatic) | asthma (asthma patient) |
| bronchitis | bronchitis |
| chicken pox (chicken pox) | chicken pox |
| diabetes | diabetes |
| epilepsy | epilepsy |
| food poisoning | food poisoning |
| hepatitis | hepatitis |
| influenza/the flu | flu |
| pneumonia | pneumonia |
| mumps | piggy |
| tonsillitis | sore throat, tonsillitis |
Now let's look at an example of a dialogue between a doctor and a patient in English.
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| A: Hello! What seems to be the problem? | A: Hello! What worries you? |
| B: Hello! I have a nagging pain in my left arm and my wrist is swollen. | IN: Hello! I have a nagging pain in my left hand and my wrist is swollen. |
| A: When did the symptoms start? | A: When did the symptoms first appear? |
| B: About two hours ago and it still hurts. | IN: About two hours ago and it still hurts. |
| A: Can I have a look? Please roll up your sleeve. Does it hurt when I press here? | A: Can I have a look? Please roll up your sleeve. Does it hurt when I click here? |
| B: Yes, it hurts. | IN: Yes, it hurts. |
| A: Well, I want to send you for an X-ray. | A: Okay, I want to send you for an x-ray. |
| B: OK. | IN: Fine. |
| A: Well, it’s not a fracture. You have only sprained your wrist. | A: Well, it's not a fracture. You just sprained your wrist. |
| B: Ok, what are your recommendations? Could you prescribe something? | IN: Okay, what do you advise me? Could you prescribe something for me? |
| A: I’m going to apply a bandage and prescribe you some anti-inflammatory ointment. Do you have any allergies? | A: I'm going to apply a bandage and prescribe you some anti-inflammatory ointment. Are you allergic to anything? |
| B: No, I don’t. | IN: No. |
| A: OK, here is your prescription. You should apply your ointment three times a day. | A: Okay, here's your recipe. You should apply the ointment three times a day. |
| B: Thank you very much! | IN: Thanks a lot! |
| A: Not at all! | A: Please! |
So, the diagnosis has been made, all that remains is to get cured. The doctor will give you his recommendations and a prescription so that you can buy medications at the pharmacy (remedy). Treatment may also include medical procedures. In this case, the doctor can tell you in English what he is going to do.
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| I'm going to give you an injection. | I'll give you an injection. |
| I'm going to put on a plaster. | I'll put you in a cast. |
| I'll dress the wound. | I'll bandage the wound. |
| You need a drip. | You need to get an IV. |
| I'm going to prescribe you some antibiotics. | I will prescribe you antibiotics. |
| Do you have any allergies? | Are you allergic to anything? |
| I'll give you a prescription. Take two of these pills three times a day. | I'll give you the recipe. Take two of these tablets three times a day. |
| You must take your medicine four times a day. If you don’t feel better in two or three days, call me again. | You should take your medicine 4 times a day. If you don't feel better in 2-3 days, call me again. |
| We'll need to run some tests. | We need to conduct additional examination. |
| Come back next week if you don’t feel better. | Come back next week if you don't feel better. |
| You shouldn't worry. There's no serious problem. | You shouldn't worry. You don't have any serious problems. |
| I don't think it's too serious. | I don't think it's too serious. |
| You must stay in bed and take your medicine four times a day, after meals. | You should stay in bed and take your medicine 4 times a day after meals. |
| You must follow a diet. | You must stick to your diet. |
| I’d like to keep you here overnight for observation. | I would like to keep you here (in the hospital) for observation. |
| You'll have to stay in hospital for two weeks. | You will have to stay in the hospital for two weeks. |
You can also ask the doctor your questions in English:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| What are your recommendations for me? | What will you advice me? |
| Is it something serious? Is this a common problem at my age? | Is this something serious? Is this normal for my age? |
| When will the tests results come in? Are you going to run more tests? | When will the test results be ready? Are you going to conduct any more examinations? |
| Do I have to be operated on? / Will I need surgery? | Do I need an operation? |
| How long do I have to stay in hospital? | How long do I have to stay in the hospital? |
| Could you prescribe some medicine for me? | Could you prescribe me some medicine? |
| How often should I take this medicine? | How often do I need to take this medicine? |
| Shall I come back next week if I don’t get better? | Should I come see you again next week if I don't get better? |
Watch the following examples of conversations from the British Council, which show you how a doctor's visit progresses from the moment of injury to discharge from hospital.
How to communicate in a pharmacy in English
A pharmacy can be called by three different words: pharmacy, drugstore and chemist’s. What is the difference between them? It is believed that drugstore is the American version of the name of the pharmacy, and the terms pharmacy and chemist’s are better used in the UK. Previously, the word “drug” was used only in the USA and Canada to refer to medical preparations in addition to drugs. Now the word drugstore is already used by residents of Foggy Albion. However, there is another difference between these three terms. In most cases, pharmacies and chemist’s dispense medications only with a doctor’s prescription, while you can also buy over-the-counter medications at drugstores.
Let us now learn the names of different types of medicines in English. This information will be useful if you decide to purchase medications without visiting a doctor.
| Word/Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| a bandage | bandage, bandage |
| a brace | corset, splint, bandage |
| a capsule | capsule |
| a dressing | bandage |
| a laxative | laxative |
| a painkiller | painkiller |
| a sleeping tablet/pill | hypnotic |
| a sticking poster | patch |
| a sling | support bandage |
| a tablet/pill | tablet |
| a tranquilizer | tranquilizer, sedative |
| an antacid | stomach acid reducer |
| an antibiotic | antibiotic |
| an elastic tape | rubber band |
| an inhaler | inhaler |
| antibacterial medication | antibacterial medicine |
| antifebrile | febrifuge |
| antiseptic | antiseptic |
| antiviral medication | antiviral medicine |
| cough medicine | cough medicine |
| drops | drops |
| insulin | insulin |
| medicine/a drug | medicine |
| mixture | medicine |
| ointment | ointment |
| powder | powder |
| syrup | syrup |
What is the difference between the words pill and tablet? Usually a pill is a round tablet that is easy to swallow - a pill. The word tablet usually refers to flat tablets. However, recently these words are increasingly used as synonyms, calling them different types of tablets, as well as capsules.
Let's give an example of a dialogue in a pharmacy in English.
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| A: Hello! Can I help you? | A: Hello! I can help you? |
| B: Hello! I am looking for some anti-inflammatory ointment. | IN: Hello! I'm looking for an anti-inflammatory ointment. |
| A: Do you have a prescription? | A: Do you have a prescription? |
| B: Yes, here you are. | IN: Yes, here it is. |
| A: Alright, one moment, please. | A: Okay, one minute please. |
| B: Thanks. Another thing, have you got any bandages for my sprained wrist? | IN: Thank you. And one more thing, do you have bandages, I sprained my wrist? |
| A: Sure, here you are. | A: Of course, here they are. |
| B: Thank you! What is the total? | IN: Thank you! What is the total amount? |
| A: That will be £7, please. | A: 7 pounds please. |
| B: Here you are. Thank you! | IN: Hold it. Thank you! |
| A: Have a nice day! | A: Have a good day! |
By the way, every medicine has side effects; be sure to ask your pharmacist what you can expect from certain pills. You can read more about how to communicate with a pharmacist in the article by our teacher Ekaterina “At the pharmacy, or Useful English in the pharmacy.”
Now you are ready for any situation abroad and will not be confused if you get sick. We hope you will never need this knowledge and you will have a great rest without any unpleasant adventures. And if you want to improve your English in order to feel completely comfortable abroad, we invite you to. Our teachers will teach you to speak competently and beautifully.
Complete list of words and phrases for download
We have compiled 2 documents: one contains all the words and expressions on this topic, and in the second you will find the presented dialogues.
(*.pdf, 327 Kb)