Sickness and pain
Ziekte en pijn
- Express sickness and pain.
- Express your medical condition at the doctor's office.
- Adverbs Anders, graag, zo, heel,...
Learn essential Dutch vocabulary and expressions for discussing sickness and pain, such as 'ziek' (sick), 'koorts' (fever), and 'het medicijn' (the medicine), to describe symptoms, make doctor appointments, and talk about recovery.
Listening and reading
Start this class by listening to the audio and completing the corresponding exercises.
Vocabulary (13) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Arrange the words in the correct group: the words related to complaints and symptoms versus the words related to medical advice and aids.
Symptomen
Medische adviezen en hulpmiddelen
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
De griep
The flu
2
Schrijven
To write
3
Beterschap!
Get well soon!
4
Ziek
Ill
5
Het medicijn
The medicine
Oefening 5: Conversation exercise
Instructie:
- Beschrijf de symptomen van elke persoon. (Describe the symptoms of each person.)
- Speel een dialoog af bij de huisarts. (Play a dialogue at the doctor's office.)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Hij heeft pijn in de nek. He has pain in the neck. |
|
Je hebt koorts. You have a fever. |
|
Mijn rug doet pijn. My back hurts. |
|
Waar doet het pijn? Where does it hurt? |
|
Ik heb een hoest. I have a cough. |
|
Ik heb hoofdpijn. I have a headache. |
|
Ik heb buikpijn. I have a stomachache. |
|
Ik voel me misselijk. I feel nauseous. |
| ... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Ik ______ altijd mensen die ziek zijn.
(I ______ always help people who are sick.)2. Hij ______ de dokter met de papieren.
(He ______ the doctor with the papers.)3. Wij ______ een brief naar de apotheek om het medicijn te bestellen.
(We ______ a letter to the pharmacy to order the medicine.)4. Jij ______ goed, ook als je ziek bent.
(You ______ well, even when you are sick.)Exercise 8: A Visit to the Doctor
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Helpen - Helpen
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd
- ik help
- jij helpt
- hij/zij/het helpt
- wij helpen
- jullie helpen
- zij helpen
Schrijven - Schrijven
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd
- ik schrijf
- jij schrijft
- hij/zij/het schrijft
- wij schrijven
- jullie schrijven
- zij schrijven
Exercise 9: Bijwoorden Anders, graag, zo, heel,...
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Adverbs Anders, graag, zo, heel,...
Show translation Show answersheel, nergens, niet, anders, zo, nooit, graag
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Helpen to help Share Copied!
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| (ik) help | I help |
| (jij) helpt/help | you help |
| (hij/zij/het) helpt | he/she/it helps |
| (wij) helpen | we help |
| (jullie) helpen | you help |
| (zij) helpen | they help |
Schrijven to write Share Copied!
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| (ik) schrijf | I write |
| (jij) schrijft/schrijf | you write/write |
| (hij/zij/het) schrijft | he/she/it writes |
| (wij) schrijven | we write |
| (jullie) schrijven | you write |
| (zij) schrijven | they write |
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Sickness and Pain: Learning How to Talk About Health in Dutch
This lesson introduces essential Dutch vocabulary and expressions related to sickness, pain, symptoms, and recovery. Suitable for A1 beginners, it helps you communicate basic health concerns, make doctor appointments, describe symptoms, and understand common phrases used in medical contexts.
Key Vocabulary and Expressions
You will learn important words about illness, such as de griep (the flu), koorts (fever), misselijk (nauseous), and hoesten (to cough). In addition, helpful words connected to treatment and recovery include het medicijn (medicine), helpen (to help), and beterschap (get well soon).
Practice with Sentences and Dialogues
By studying example sentences like Ik voel me niet goed, ik heb koorts en ik hoest heel erg. (I don't feel well, I have a fever, and I cough a lot.) you will understand how to express your symptoms. Dialogues simulate real-life situations such as making an appointment at the doctor’s office, describing your complaints, and conversations at the pharmacy after the visit.
Adverbs Often Used with Health Expressions
The lesson also covers useful adverbs like graag (gladly, please), zo (so), heel (very), and anders (differently), which help to make your sentences more natural and clear when discussing sickness.
Verb Conjugations and Mini Story
You will practice conjugating common verbs related to illness and help, including helpen (to help), schrijven (to write), hoesten (to cough), and vragen (to ask). A short story about making a doctor's appointment and receiving treatment puts these verbs into daily context.
Organizing Vocabulary by Topic
The lesson encourages sorting words into two groups: one about sickness and symptoms, and another about help and recovery. This helps you structure your learning and remember related vocabulary better.
Instruction Language vs. Dutch
Since the instruction language is English and the learning language is Dutch, this lesson provides translations and explanations to bridge the gap. Dutch sentence structure and word order may differ from English, for example, verbs are often placed differently, especially in subordinate clauses. Phrases like Mag ik graag een afspraak maken literally translate to "May I gladly make an appointment," where graag adds politeness similar to "please." Also, Dutch uses separable verbs such as voorschrijven (to prescribe), which split depending on the sentence.
Useful Dutch phrases include:
- Ik voel me niet goed. – I don't feel well.
- Heeft u iets tegen misselijkheid? – Do you have something for nausea?
- Beterschap! – Get well soon!
- Mag ik graag een afspraak maken? – I would like to make an appointment, please.
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