Sickness and pain
Krankheit und Schmerz
- Express sickness and pain.
- Express your medical condition at the doctor's office.
- modal adverbs
This lesson introduces essential German vocabulary for describing symptoms like "das Fieber" (fever) and "die Bauchschmerzen" (stomach ache), and common phrases for talking to the doctor and pharmacist, helping you communicate effectively about sickness and pain.
Vocabulary (19) 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: Sort the following words into two categories: symptoms or people and things at the doctor.
Symptome
Personen und Dinge beim Arzt
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Husten
To cough
2
Der Schmerz
The pain
3
Das Medikament
The medicine
4
Gesund
Healthy
5
Schnell
Fast
Übung 5: Conversation exercise
Anleitung:
- Describe the symptoms of each person. (Describe the symptoms of each person.)
- Play a dialogue at the doctor's office. (Play a dialogue at the doctor's office.)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Er hat Schmerzen im Nacken. He has pain in the neck. |
|
Sie haben Fieber. You have a fever. |
|
Mein Rücken tut weh. My back hurts. |
|
Wo tut es weh? Where does it hurt? |
|
Ich habe Husten. I have a cough. |
|
Ich habe Kopfschmerzen. I have a headache. |
|
Ich habe Bauchschmerzen. I have a stomachache. |
|
Mir ist übel. 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. Ich ______ leider heute sehr viel.
(I ______ unfortunately a lot today.)2. Der Arzt sagt, dass ich Ruhe ______.
(The doctor says that I ______ need rest.)3. Vielleicht ______ ich das Medikament gegen die Halsschmerzen.
(Maybe ______ I will take the medicine for the sore throat.)4. Du solltest ______ heute zu Hause bleiben.
(You should ______ definitely stay at home today.)Exercise 8: At the Doctor's Because of Illness
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Husten - to cough
Präsens
- ich huste
- du hustest
- er/sie/es hustet
- wir husten
- ihr hustet
- sie/Sie husten
Anrufen - to call
Präsens
- ich rufe an
- du rufst an
- er/sie/es ruft an
- wir rufen an
- ihr ruft an
- sie/Sie rufen an
Kommen - to come
Präsens
- ich komme
- du kommst
- er/sie/es kommt
- wir kommen
- ihr kommt
- sie/Sie kommen
Haben - to have
Präsens
- ich habe
- du hast
- er/sie/es hat
- wir haben
- ihr habt
- sie/Sie haben
Werden - to become
Präsens
- ich werde
- du wirst
- er/sie/es wird
- wir werden
- ihr werdet
- sie/Sie werden
Exercise 9: Modaladverbien
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Modal adverbs
Show translation Show answersvorsichtig, Vielleicht, Wahrscheinlich, Leider, bestimmt, Bestimmt, schnell, sehr
Grammar Share Copied!
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Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Husten to cough Share Copied!
Präsens
| German | English |
|---|---|
| (ich) huste | I cough |
| (du) hustest | You cough |
| (er/sie/es) hustet | he/she/it coughs |
| (wir) husten | we cough |
| (ihr) hustet | you cough |
| (sie) husten | they cough |
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Lesson Overview: Sickness and Pain in German
This A1-level lesson focuses on vocabulary and expressions related to sickness, pain, and visits to the doctor in German. You'll learn how to describe symptoms, communicate with medical professionals, and discuss treatments confidently. The lesson also introduces modal adverbs and basic verb conjugations essential for everyday conversations about health.
Key Vocabulary
- Symptoms: das Fieber (fever), der Schmerz (pain), der Schnupfen (runny nose), die Halsschmerzen (sore throat), die Bauchschmerzen (stomach ache), die Kopfschmerzen (headache)
- People and Things at the Doctor's: der Doktor (doctor), das Medikament (medication)
Important Example Sentences
- Ich habe heute Bauchschmerzen und vielleicht Fieber.
- Der Doktor sagt, ich soll das Medikament zweimal am Tag nehmen.
- Kannst du mich bitte anrufen? Ich fühle mich sehr krank.
- Gute Besserung! Ruhe dich heute schnell aus.
Modal Adverbs and Their Use
Modaladverbien are used to express the speaker's attitude toward the statement or to clarify the manner in which something happens. For example, words like leider (unfortunately), bestimmt (certainly), and vielleicht (perhaps) are common when talking about health conditions:
- Ich habe leider heute Fieber und kann nicht zur Arbeit gehen.
- Der Doktor sagt bestimmt, dass ich das Medikament nehmen soll.
- Vielleicht habe ich die Grippe und muss zum Arzt gehen.
Practical Dialogues for Real-Life Situations
You'll practice conversations such as:
- Waiting room interactions: Explaining your symptoms briefly.
- Describing symptoms to the doctor: Discussing pain intensity and duration.
- Buying medicine at the pharmacy: Asking about painkillers and their usage.
Verb Practice
The lesson revises important verbs related to health and actions, including their present tense conjugations:
- husten (to cough): ich huste, du hustest, er/sie/es hustet...
- anrufen (to call): ich rufe an, du rufst an...
- kommen (to come): ich komme, du kommst...
- haben (to have): ich habe, du hast...
- werden (to become): ich werde, du wirst...
Differences between English and German in This Context
In German, symptoms and medical advice are often expressed with modal adverbs to indicate certainty (bestimmt), possibility (vielleicht), or regret (leider), which is less common in direct English statements. For example, the English "Maybe I have the flu" translates to "Vielleicht habe ich die Grippe," placing the modal adverb before the verb for effect. Additionally, verb placement and conjugation in dependent clauses use specific rules in German, such as the verb at the end in "Der Doktor sagt, dass ich das Medikament nehmen soll." Familiarizing yourself with these structures will improve your understanding of medical dialogue contexts.
Useful Phrases
- Ich habe seit gestern starke Kopfschmerzen. – I have had a strong headache since yesterday.
- Der Doktor sagt, ich soll viel Ruhe haben. – The doctor says I should have plenty of rest.
- Kann ich das Medikament auch vorbeugend nehmen? – Can I also take the medication preventively?
- Gute Besserung! – Get well soon!
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