When you are ill, the last thing you want is to grope for vocabulary. In the Dutch system you usually have to describe your symptoms twice: first to a doktersassistente on the phone, then to the huisarts. That first step means knowing how to make a phone call in Dutch; here are the words that get you understood and seen.
The phone call: triage first
Calling your GP practice, you typically reach a doktersassistente (doctor’s assistant) who does triage: they ask what is wrong, how long, and how severe, then decide how urgently to book you. This is normal and not a brush-off. Being clear and specific helps them help you, which builds on making yourself heard at the huisarts.
The core symptom words
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| de koorts | fever |
| misselijk | nauseous |
| overgeven | to vomit |
| duizelig | dizzy |
| benauwd | short of breath |
| hoesten | to cough |
| de keelpijn | sore throat |
| de hoofdpijn | headache |
| de buikpijn | stomach ache |
| pijn op de borst | chest pain |
| de uitslag | a rash |
| moe / uitgeput | tired / exhausted |
The patient site Thuisarts.nl lists symptoms and self-care advice in the same words, so it is worth a read before you call.
Building a sentence
You do not need complex grammar. Combine a feeling verb with a symptom:
- Ik heb koorts. (I have a fever.)
- Ik ben misselijk. (I feel sick.)
- Ik voel me duizelig. (I feel dizzy.)
- Ik voel me niet lekker. (I don’t feel well.)
- Het doet pijn hier. (It hurts here.)
Note that Ik heb het koud and feelings like it follow the hebben-for-states pattern.
How long, and how bad
Two small words sharpen your description:
- How long: al (already). Ik heb al drie dagen koorts. (I’ve had a fever for three days.)
- How bad: erg (very) or een beetje (a bit). Ik ben erg misselijk. / Ik heb een beetje hoofdpijn.
And if it is urgent: Het is dringend (it’s urgent) or Ik maak me zorgen (I’m worried).
After hours and medicines
Outside opening times you reach the huisartsenpost (out-of-hours GP), and prescriptions go to the apotheek, with repeats via a herhaalrecept. Medicine information lives at Apotheek.nl, and the government’s healthcare pages explain how the GP gateway works.
Where it connects
Symptom Dutch supports the rest of healthcare: explaining exactly where it hurts to the fysiotherapeut, reading a screening invite, and the hebben-for-feelings pattern behind describing how you feel.
The bottom line
Describe illness with plain symptom words, koorts, misselijk, duizelig, benauwd, keelpijn, hoofdpijn, buikpijn, and frame them with Ik heb…, Ik voel me… and Het doet pijn. Add al for duration and erg for severity. The doktersassistente triages your call, so be clear and say if it is dringend. Get these words ready before you are sick, and the system works for you.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches symptom Dutch for the phone and the visit, koorts, misselijk, duizelig, benauwd, al drie dagen, in five-minute lessons built on real appointments, so the doktersassistente understands you and you get seen.
Frequently asked questions
How do I describe my symptoms to a Dutch doctor?
Lead with your main complaint (de klacht) and use plain symptom words: Ik heb koorts (I have a fever), Ik ben misselijk (I feel sick), Ik voel me duizelig (I feel dizzy), Ik heb keelpijn (sore throat). Add how long with al (Ik heb al drie dagen hoofdpijn = I’ve had a headache for three days) and how severe with erg (erg moe = very tired). Being specific helps the doktersassistente decide how urgently to see you.
What are the most useful Dutch symptom words?
The core set: koorts (fever), misselijk (nauseous), overgeven (to vomit), duizelig (dizzy), benauwd (short of breath), hoesten (to cough), keelpijn (sore throat), hoofdpijn (headache), buikpijn (stomach ache), pijn op de borst (chest pain), uitslag (a rash), and moe or uitgeput (tired or exhausted). Pair them with het doet pijn (it hurts) and ik voel me niet lekker (I don’t feel well) and you can describe most illnesses.
Who answers when I call the Dutch doctor about being ill?
Usually a doktersassistente (the doctor’s assistant), who does triage: they ask what is wrong, how long you have had it, and how bad it is, then decide whether you need a same-day appointment, a later one, or advice. It is not the GP screening you; it is a trained assistant. Answer clearly with your symptoms and their duration, and say if it feels urgent (Het is dringend).
What is the best app to learn Dutch for the doctor?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the symptom and appointment vocabulary you need under pressure, koorts, misselijk, duizelig, benauwd, ik voel me niet lekker, in five-minute real-situation lessons, so you can describe how you feel and get the right care without fumbling for words.
