Being sick is never fun, but being sick in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language is the absolute worst!
Communicating with a Dutch doctor, nurse, and other hospital staff is crucial to understand precisely what is happening. Your health, safety, and overall well-being is the most important thing – remember that!
If you find yourself sick while in the Netherlands, knowing health vocabulary in Dutch could save your life … literally!
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You will never regret the time spent preparing for the worst while traveling in a foreign country. You can feel helpless and alone while ill. However, if you feel confident in your ability to communicate with the local people, it could change your negative experience into a positive one.
Keep reading to learn how to communicate your symptoms in Dutch and ensure you receive the correct treatment necessary for a full and speedy recovery.
Health Vocabulary In Dutch: Must-Knows
If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of being sick on holiday, here are the basic Dutch words to help you best communicate with medical professionals.
Essential Body Parts In Dutch:
| English | Dutch | Pronunciation |
| The body | Het lichaam | |
| Head | Hoofd | |
| Heart | Hart | |
| Knee | Knie | |
| Eye | Oog | |
| Tooth | Tand | |
| Nose | Neus | |
| Arm | Arm | |
| Ear | Oor | |
| Mouth | Mond | |
| Hand | Hand | |
| Left hand | Linkerhand | |
| Right hand | Rechter hand | |
| Finger | Vinger | |
| Leg | Been | |
| Left leg | Linkerbeen | |
| Right leg | Rechter been | |
| Foot | Voet | |
| Toe | Teen | |
| Belly, stomach | Buik | |
| Breast | Borst | |
| Hair | Haar |
Health & Medical Words In Dutch:
Pretty simple, right? Some of the basic body parts in Dutch have a similar English translation. Now, here are more detailed health-related and medical words that could be useful in a Dutch hospital or clinic.
| English | Dutch | Pronunciation |
| Headache | Hoofdpijn | |
| Fever | Koorts | |
| Chills | Koude rillingen | |
| Pain | Pijn | |
| Feel dizzy | Duizeligheid | |
| Swelling | Gezwel | |
| Sore throat | Pijnlijke keel | |
| Cough | Hoest | |
| Flu / cold | Griep | |
| Medication | Medicatie | |
| Prescription | Recept | |
| Antibiotics | Antibiotica | |
| Blood | Bloed | |
| Blood test | Bloedonderzoek | |
| Blood pressure | Bloeddruk | |
| Injection | Injectie | |
| Needles | Naalden | |
| Inflammation | Ontsteking | |
| Chest pain | Pijn in de borst | |
| Vomiting | Overgeven | |
| Diarrhea | Diarree | |
| Nausea | Misselijkheid | |
| Doctor | Dokter | |
| Nurse | Verpleegkundige | |
| Hospital | Ziekenhuis | |
| Emergency | Noodgeval | |
| Surgery | Chirurgie | |
| Cancer | Kanker | |
| Birth | Geboorte | |
| Baby | Baby | |
| Disability | Onbekwaamheid | |
| Mental illness | Geestesziekte |
Health-Related Expressions In Dutch:
Now that you’ve got the basic health-related terminology down, let’s put these Dutch words together to make useful expressions.
| English | Dutch | Pronunciation |
| I need an emergency appointment. | Ik heb een spoedafspraak nodig. | |
| My … hurts. | Mijn … doet pijn. | |
| I do not feel well. | Ik voel me niet goed. | |
| I have a fever. | Ik heb koorts. | |
| I have a headache. | Ik heb hoofdpijn. | |
| I have a stomach ache. | Ik heb buikpijn. | |
| I need a doctor. | Ik heb een dokter nodig. | |
| Do I need medicine? | Heb ik medicijnen nodig? | |
| What tests do I need? | Welke testen heb ik nodig? | |
| What is wrong with me? | Wat is er mis met mij? | |
| How much does this cost? | Hoeveel kost dit? |
Three Medical Precautions To Take Before Your Trip To The Netherlands:
If you’re afraid of racking up a huge medical bill in the Netherlands, these three tips could save you tons of money. It saves to travel prepared!
#1: European Health Insurance Card
Before leaving for a European holiday, apply for a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This card entitles you to essential medical care during a temporary time abroad.
You can receive a card for free from your current health insurance provider if you live in Europe. This card will claim any expenses from your health insurer, which makes you less likely to pay out of pocket!
The intention behind the card is that people traveling through Europe will be less likely to go home to receive medical care if they become ill.
The EHIC is valid in all of the EU (plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK), so you can fully relax during your time in the Netherlands, knowing you would be covered in case of an emergency.
(Everything you need to know about EHIC you can find, on the information provided by SchengenVisaInfo.com website.)
#2: Travel Insurance
If your health insurance provider does not cover a European Health Insurance card (i.e. if you do not live in Europe), then definitely get travel insurance.
The cost of hospital visits may be more expensive for foreigners in the Netherlands, so to combat this, buy travel insurance. Travel health insurance ensures that your medical expenses are covered abroad.
It is better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it! So get travel insurance and sleep well, knowing you’re fully covered in an emergency.
#3: Get Vaccinated
Vaccines & boosters support your immune system, making it less likely for you to catch an illness. Plus, some Dutch hospitals and clinics will not treat you unless you are fully vaccinated with the COVID, Hepatitis A + B, and Influenza vaccines.
Be smart and follow these three precautions to stay covered in the Netherlands.
To Conclude
You don’t need to be a master in Dutch to communicate your needs to medical staff. As you can tell, some of the medical terminology in Dutch is quite similar to English!
Still, it’s always better to be prepared while traveling. Knowing some of the Dutch health expressions and vocabulary listed in this article will prepare you fully if (God forbid!) something happens while abroad.
Learn Dutch With The Ling App
Did this little glimpse into the Dutch language make you thirsty to learn more? You can start mastering Dutch today with the Ling App – a multifaceted language-learning app equipped with fun quizzes, various challenges, and engaging lessons. Learning the Dutch language should be fun!
Download the free Ling App today from the App Store and Play Store … you will never regret the time spent learning a new language!
Want more Dutch content? Check out Time And Dates In Dutch: #1 Useful Guide & 14 Easy Ways To Say Yes In Dutch! Plus No, Ok!
