In the Netherlands, almost every route into healthcare starts with your huisarts, the general practitioner. You do not book a specialist yourself, and you do not usually walk into a hospital unless it is an emergency. That makes the GP practice the single most important medical relationship you have here, and it is also where many expats first discover that their English, which works perfectly at the office, does not quite stretch to a phone call with a busy practice assistant at 8:05 in the morning.
This guide walks through the whole visit in order: registering, calling, describing what is wrong, the appointment itself, and the pharmacy afterwards, with the phrases for each step.
How the Dutch GP system works
The huisarts is the gatekeeper of Dutch healthcare. You register with one practice, normally close to where you live, and that practice handles most of your care: illnesses, check-ups, minor procedures, prescriptions and referrals (verwijzingen) to specialists. Without a referral, a hospital specialist visit is usually not covered.
GP care is part of the basic health insurance that everyone living and working in the Netherlands must take out, as the Dutch government’s health insurance pages explain. GP visits are also exempt from the eigen risico, the annual deductible, which is one reason the Dutch see their GP readily for things people elsewhere might leave.
The practice team usually includes the GP, a doktersassistente (practice assistant), and often a praktijkondersteuner (POH), a nurse who handles chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes or mental health support. The Amsterdam expat guide to healthcare covers registration from a newcomer’s point of view.
Registering with a practice
Register as soon as you have an address. Waiting until you are ill is the most common mistake, because some practices, especially in big cities, have waiting lists or only take patients living within a set area.
Useful phrases for the first call or visit:
- Ik ben net verhuisd en wil me graag inschrijven als nieuwe patiënt. I have just moved and would like to register as a new patient.
- Nemen jullie nog nieuwe patiënten aan? Are you still taking new patients?
- Wat heeft u van mij nodig? What do you need from me?
- Mijn vorige huisarts zit in het buitenland. My previous GP is abroad.
Expect to be asked for your BSN (citizen service number), which appears on your registration letter from the municipality (see reading a letter from the gemeente), your health insurance details and an ID. Some practices ask you to fill in a short health questionnaire or have an introductory appointment.
The phone call: getting past the assistant
Most practices have a telephone spreekuur in the morning, roughly 8:00 to 10:00, when you call for same-day appointments. Lines are busy, and you may hear a recorded menu first. Typical options are spoed (urgent, often option 1), afspraak maken (make an appointment), herhaalrecepten (repeat prescriptions) and uitslagen (test results).
The doktersassistente will ask what is wrong. This is triage, not curiosity: she decides whether you need the GP today, a phone consult, an appointment later in the week, or simply advice. Being clear and specific gets you to the right slot.
| Situation | What to say in Dutch | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Opening the call | Goedemorgen, ik wil graag een afspraak maken. | Good morning, I would like to make an appointment. |
| Saying it is urgent | Het is vrij dringend. | It is fairly urgent. |
| Saying it can wait | Het hoeft niet vandaag. | It does not have to be today. |
| Asking for a phone consult | Kan de huisarts mij terugbellen? | Can the GP call me back? |
| Asking for English | Spreekt de huisarts Engels? | Does the GP speak English? |
| Repeat prescription | Ik wil graag een herhaalrecept aanvragen. | I would like to request a repeat prescription. |
| Test results | Ik bel voor de uitslag van mijn bloedonderzoek. | I am calling for my blood test result. |
If your Dutch runs out, say so early and politely: Mijn Nederlands is niet zo goed, kunnen we Engels spreken? Most assistants will switch, and the effort of starting in Dutch tends to be appreciated.
Describing what is wrong
The core of the visit is describing your symptoms. Three pieces of information do most of the work: what hurts, since when, and how bad it is.
What hurts
The pattern Ik heb …pijn covers most complaints, with the body part glued to the word pijn (pain):
- hoofdpijn (headache), keelpijn (sore throat), buikpijn (stomach ache), rugpijn (back pain), oorpijn (earache), kiespijn (toothache, though that one goes to the tandarts).
Other common complaints:
- Ik ben verkouden. I have a cold.
- Ik heb koorts. I have a fever.
- Ik moet veel hoesten. I am coughing a lot.
- Ik ben duizelig. I am dizzy.
- Ik ben misselijk. I feel sick (nauseous).
- Ik slaap slecht. I am sleeping badly.
- Ik heb uitslag. I have a rash.
Since when
Sinds plus a time period: sinds gisteren (since yesterday), sinds drie dagen (for three days), sinds een week, sinds een paar maanden. Dutch uses sinds where English uses “for” with a duration, which is worth practising because it comes up every time.
How bad
- Het wordt steeds erger. It keeps getting worse.
- Het gaat een beetje beter. It is getting a bit better.
- Het doet veel pijn. It hurts a lot.
- Op een schaal van één tot tien is het een zeven. On a scale of one to ten it is a seven.
Dutch doctors often ask for that pain score, so having numbers ready in Dutch helps.
During the appointment
Dutch GP appointments are short, typically around ten minutes, and the style is direct. The doctor will listen, examine you if needed, and then explain what they think and what they propose. It can feel brisk if you are used to longer consultations, so come prepared with your main question first.
Questions worth having ready:
- Wat denkt u dat het is? What do you think it is?
- Is het ernstig? Is it serious?
- Moet ik medicijnen nemen? Do I need to take medication?
- Wanneer moet ik terugkomen? When should I come back?
- Wanneer moet ik terugbellen als het niet beter wordt? When should I call back if it does not improve?
- Kunt u dat opschrijven? Could you write that down?
Dutch GPs follow national guidelines from the Dutch College of General Practitioners (NHG), which favour watchful waiting for many common infections. Their patient site Thuisarts.nl explains the same advice in plain Dutch, and it is excellent reading practice for medical vocabulary, because the language is simple and the topics are the ones you will actually meet.
Referrals, tests and results
If the GP wants a specialist to see you, you get a verwijzing (referral). Blood tests are usually done at a prikpost (blood draw location) or a lab, and results come back to the practice. Useful words:
- bloedonderzoek (blood test), uitslag (result), specialist, ziekenhuis (hospital), wachtlijst (waiting list), röntgenfoto (X-ray).
Ask how you will hear the result: Krijg ik de uitslag te horen, of moet ik zelf bellen? Will I be told the result, or should I call myself? Many practices expect you to call.
At the pharmacy
Prescriptions go electronically to your pharmacy, the apotheek. When you collect, you may be asked your date of birth (geboortedatum) to confirm your identity. The leaflet in the box, the bijsluiter, is in Dutch, and the guide to reading a Dutch pill package walks through it line by line. Useful phrases:
- Ik kom een recept ophalen. I am here to pick up a prescription.
- Hoe vaak moet ik dit innemen? How often should I take this?
- Voor of na het eten? Before or after meals?
- Zijn er bijwerkingen? Are there side effects?
For many minor complaints, a drogist (drugstore) sells painkillers and cold remedies without a prescription, and pharmacists will give advice over the counter.
Out of hours and emergencies
Outside practice hours, call the huisartsenpost, the regional out-of-hours GP service. Your practice’s phone message and website give the number. It is for problems that cannot wait until the next working day. For life-threatening situations, call 112, as described on the government’s 112 page.
| Situation | Who to call |
|---|---|
| Ill, can wait until the practice opens | Your huisarts, next morning |
| Urgent, evening or weekend | Huisartsenpost |
| Life-threatening emergency | 112 |
| Tooth problem | Your tandarts, or the dental emergency service |
Calling in sick to work
A GP visit often comes with a day off work. Dutch employers usually do not ask for a doctor’s note for short absences; you report sick to your manager and the company doctor (bedrijfsarts) gets involved only for longer absences. For the message itself, the copy-and-paste templates in how to politely call in sick cover the standard wording.
Practising before you need it
Medical Dutch is easier to learn calm than ill. Pick the five phrases you are most likely to need, say them aloud a few times, and write your BSN, insurance number and any regular medicines on a card you keep with you. Learn Dutch For Expats, which is in early access, builds short spoken drills around exactly these everyday situations; you can join the waitlist if that helps. Even without an app, rehearsing the morning phone call once or twice removes most of the stress from the real one.
The bottom line
Register with a huisarts as soon as you move, call in the morning, and tell the assistant clearly what is wrong, since when and how bad it is. Use Ik heb …pijn and sinds for symptoms, ask what happens next and when to call back, and ask for written instructions. Keep the huisartsenpost for urgent evenings and weekends and 112 for emergencies. A handful of phrases makes the whole system much less intimidating.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make an appointment with a Dutch huisarts?
Call the practice in the morning, usually between 8:00 and 10:00, when the lines are busiest but appointment slots are released. The doktersassistente (practice assistant) asks why you are calling and decides whether you need an appointment, a phone consult or advice. Many practices also offer online booking or an e-consult through their website or app.
Can I speak English with my Dutch GP?
In most cities, yes: most huisartsen speak good English, and practices in expat-heavy areas expect it. The assistant on the phone may be less comfortable, which is where a few Dutch phrases help most. Bring key words written down, especially your symptoms and medicines, and ask the doctor to write down any instructions you need to follow.
What do I do if I need a doctor in the evening or at the weekend?
Call the huisartsenpost, the out-of-hours GP service for your region, which your own practice’s phone message and website list. It is for urgent problems that cannot wait until the practice opens. For life-threatening emergencies, call 112. Going straight to a hospital emergency department without a referral is usually not the way in.
Do I have to pay for a visit to the huisarts?
GP care is covered by the Dutch basic health insurance, and GP visits do not count toward your own-risk deductible, the eigen risico. Things the GP refers you on to, such as tests, specialists or some medicines, can count toward it. Check your policy, and make sure you are registered with a practice before you need one.
Why did my GP not prescribe antibiotics?
Dutch GPs follow national guidelines that favour waiting and watching for many infections that usually clear on their own, and they prescribe antibiotics less readily than doctors in some other countries. Ask what to watch for and when to call back: ‘Wanneer moet ik terugbellen?’ That turns a frustrating visit into a clear plan.
