Beim Arzt — At the Doctor's Office
At the doctor's office · a free German immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Ich habe seit drei Tagen starke Kopfschmerzen und fühle mich sehr schwach.
I have had a severe headache for three days and feel very weak.
Literal I have since three days strong headaches and feel myself very weak.
Uses 'seit' with the present tense to describe an ongoing condition. German keeps the verb in the present where English uses the present perfect. 'Sich fühlen' is a reflexive verb meaning to feel.
- seit + present tense for ongoing states
- reflexive verb: sich fühlen (to feel oneself)
Können Sie mir bitte erklären, was die Diagnose bedeutet?
Could you please explain to me what the diagnosis means?
Literal Can you me please explain, what the diagnosis means?
A polite request using the modal verb 'können' in formal address. The dative 'mir' is the indirect object. The subordinate clause 'was die Diagnose bedeutet' has verb-final word order.
- modal verb: können (can/could)
- dative pronoun: mir (to me)
- verb-final in subordinate clause
Der Arzt hat mir empfohlen, täglich viel Wasser zu trinken und mich auszuruhen.
The doctor recommended that I drink plenty of water daily and rest.
Literal The doctor has to me recommended, daily much water to drink and myself to rest.
Present perfect 'hat empfohlen' reports a completed recommendation. Two infinitive clauses with 'zu' follow: 'zu trinken' and 'auszuruhen' (reflexive separable verb in infinitive form).
- present perfect: hat empfohlen
- infinitive clause with zu
- reflexive separable infinitive: sich ausruhen
Ich muss diese Tabletten zweimal täglich nach dem Essen einnehmen.
I must take these tablets twice daily after meals.
Literal I must these tablets twice daily after the eating take-in.
Modal verb 'muss' expresses obligation. 'Einnehmen' is a separable verb; in a modal construction the infinitive stays unseparated at the end of the clause.
- modal verb: müssen (must)
- separable verb: einnehmen (infinitive unseparated)
- temporal expression: nach dem Essen (after meals)
Haben Sie irgendwelche Allergien gegen bestimmte Medikamente?
Do you have any allergies to certain medications?
Literal Have you any-kind-of allergies against certain medications?
Standard intake question in formal Sie. 'Irgendwelche' is an indefinite article meaning 'any'. 'Gegen' governs the accusative and here means 'against/to'.
- irgendwelche (any, some kind of) — indefinite determiner
- preposition: gegen + accusative
- formal Sie address
Seit wann haben Sie diese Beschwerden?
Since when have you had these complaints?
Literal Since when have you these complaints?
A key medical history question. 'Beschwerden' (complaints/symptoms) is always used in the plural in German medical contexts. German uses seit with the present tense (Präsens) to describe situations that began in the past and continue now; English renders this with the present perfect, but the German verb 'haben' here is plain Präsens, not Perfekt.
- seit wann — temporal question phrase
- seit + Präsens for ongoing situations (English uses present perfect for the same meaning)
- Beschwerden always plural in medical context
Das Medikament kann Schläfrigkeit als Nebenwirkung verursachen.
The medication can cause drowsiness as a side effect.
Literal The medication can sleepiness as side-effect cause.
Modal 'kann' expresses possibility. 'Nebenwirkung' is a compound noun: Neben- (side/alongside) + Wirkung (effect). The main verb 'verursachen' moves to the end of the clause.
- modal verb: können (can, expressing possibility)
- compound noun: die Nebenwirkung (side effect)
- verb at end in modal clause
Sie sollen sich drei Tage ausruhen und keinen Sport treiben.
You should rest for three days and not do any sport.
Literal You should yourself three days rest-out and no sport drive.
Modal 'sollen' conveys the doctor's direct instructions. 'Sich ausruhen' is a reflexive separable verb. 'Keinen Sport treiben' uses the fixed expression for doing sport with accusative negation.
- modal verb: sollen (should, as per instruction)
- reflexive separable verb: sich ausruhen
- accusative negation: keinen Sport
Wenn die Schmerzen schlimmer werden, sollen Sie sofort zurückkommen.
If the pain gets worse, you should come back immediately.
Literal If the pains worse become, should you immediately back-come.
Conditional 'wenn' clause with verb-final order. After the 'wenn' clause, the main clause inverts (verb before subject). The modal 'sollen' carries the doctor's standing instruction.
- conditional clause with wenn
- verb-second in main clause after fronted wenn-clause
- modal verb: sollen for standing instructions
Ich möchte gerne einen Termin für nächste Woche vereinbaren.
I would like to schedule an appointment for next week.
Literal I would-like gladly an appointment for next week arrange.
'Möchte' is the polite conditional/subjunctive form of mögen and is the standard way to express a wish. 'Vereinbaren' means to arrange or agree upon. 'Einen Termin' is accusative.
- möchte — polite wish (conditional of mögen)
- accusative: einen Termin
- inseparable verb: vereinbaren (ver- is an inseparable prefix; the stem never splits)
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
der Arzt
doctor (male)
Der Arzt untersucht den Patienten sorgfältig.
The doctor examines the patient carefully.
Female form: die Ärztin. Plural: die Ärzte.
die Symptome
symptoms
Welche Symptome haben Sie genau?
What symptoms do you have exactly?
Singular: das Symptom. Usually used in the plural in conversation.
das Medikament
medication
Nehmen Sie dieses Medikament zweimal täglich.
Take this medication twice daily.
Plural: die Medikamente. Informal synonym: das Mittel.
die Nebenwirkung
side effect
Hat dieses Medikament starke Nebenwirkungen?
Does this medication have strong side effects?
Compound: Neben- (beside) + Wirkung (effect). Plural: die Nebenwirkungen.
die Diagnose
diagnosis
Die Diagnose lautet Mandelentzündung.
The diagnosis is tonsillitis.
Pronounced dee-ag-NOH-zeh. The verb phrase is 'eine Diagnose stellen' (to make a diagnosis).
einnehmen
to take (medication)
Er muss die Tabletten nach dem Essen einnehmen.
He must take the tablets after meals.
Separable verb: er nimmt ... ein (present). Only used for ingesting medication, not general taking.
die Beschwerden
complaints / symptoms
Seit wann haben Sie diese Beschwerden?
Since when have you had these complaints?
Always used in the plural in medical German. More subjective than Symptome.
verschreiben
to prescribe
Der Arzt hat ihr Antibiotika verschrieben.
The doctor prescribed her antibiotics.
Past participle: verschrieben. Inseparable verb (ver- prefix). Takes dative for the patient, accusative for the medication.
der Termin
appointment
Ich möchte einen Termin für Montag vereinbaren.
I would like to make an appointment for Monday.
Also means deadline or scheduled date in other contexts. Plural: die Termine.
sich ausruhen
to rest
Sie sollen sich heute unbedingt ausruhen.
You should definitely rest today.
Reflexive separable verb. Present: er ruht sich aus. The reflexive pronoun 'sich' is required.
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
Frau Müller betritt die Arztpraxis und erklärt der Sprechstundenhilfe, dass sie seit zwei Tagen Fieber und Halsschmerzen hat. Der Arzt untersucht sie gründlich und stellt fest, dass sie eine Mandelentzündung hat. Er verschreibt ihr Antibiotika und empfiehlt ihr, sich zu schonen und viel zu trinken. Außerdem sagt er ihr, dass sie die Tabletten dreimal täglich einnehmen soll und in einer Woche zur Kontrolluntersuchung zurückkommen soll.
Sentence by sentence
betritt die Arztpraxis
enters the doctor's office
Present tense of 'betreten' (to enter), an inseparable verb with be- prefix. 'Die Arztpraxis' is the medical practice.
seit zwei Tagen Fieber und Halsschmerzen hat
has had a fever and sore throat for two days
German uses present tense with 'seit' for conditions ongoing up to now, where English uses the present perfect. 'Halsschmerzen' (sore throat) is always plural.
stellt fest, dass sie eine Mandelentzündung hat
determines that she has tonsillitis
'Feststellen' is a separable verb (stellt...fest) meaning to determine. The 'dass' clause triggers verb-final order: 'hat' goes to the end.
verschreibt ihr Antibiotika
prescribes her antibiotics
'Verschreiben' takes a dative indirect object 'ihr' (to her) and the accusative 'Antibiotika'. This double-object structure is typical for verbs of giving.
die Tabletten dreimal täglich einnehmen soll
should take the tablets three times a day
In a subordinate clause, both the infinitive 'einnehmen' and the conjugated modal 'soll' go to the end. The modal comes last in this construction.
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Modal Verbs for Medical Advice and Obligation
German modal verbs müssen (must), können (can/may), and sollen (should/are supposed to) are essential at the doctor's office. They express necessity, possibility, and reported instructions respectively. The modal verb is conjugated and takes second position; the main verb moves to the end of the clause as an infinitive.
Subject + modal verb (conjugated) + [middle field] + main verb (infinitive)
Ich muss täglich zwei Tabletten einnehmen.
I must take two tablets daily.
Sie können morgen zur Kontrolle zurückkommen.
You can come back tomorrow for a check-up.
Er soll sich drei Tage ausruhen.
He is supposed to rest for three days.
Ich kann Ihnen ein Rezept ausstellen.
I can write you a prescription.
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to German: "I have had a severe headache for three days and feel very weak."
Hint Use 'seit' with the present tense to express how long something has been going on.
What does this sentence mean in English? "Das Medikament kann Schläfrigkeit als Nebenwirkung verursachen."
Hint Look for 'die Nebenwirkung' (side effect) and the modal verb 'kann'.
Complete the sentence with the correct verb: "Ich muss diese Tabletten zweimal täglich nach dem Essen ___."
Hint The verb means 'to take' (medication). It's a separable verb.
The doctor wants to ask how long you have had your symptoms. Which question is correct?
Rewrite this sentence replacing 'sollen' with 'müssen', keeping the meaning as close as possible: "Sie sollen sich drei Tage ausruhen und keinen Sport treiben."
Hint Both 'sollen' and 'müssen' can express obligation, but 'müssen' sounds more like an internal necessity or firm rule.
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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