Making a Doctor's Appointment in German: The Arztbesuch Conversation

This is the conversation people most dread having in a foreign language, and the one where being understood matters most.

The reassuring part: it is also one of the most predictable. The receptionist asks what's wrong, how urgent it is, and since when. The doctor asks the same three things again. Learn those three answers and you can get through a Swiss doctor's visit in German.

Gesundheit is one of the eleven official FIDE topics, and describing a problem over the phone is a classic exam task — so this doubles as exam preparation and as something you may genuinely need next week.

Key phrases to know

• Ich brauche einen Termin beim Arzt. – I need an appointment with the doctor.
• Was sind Ihre Beschwerden? – What are your symptoms?
• Ich habe seit drei Tagen Kopfschmerzen. – I've had a headache for three days.
• Ist es dringend? – Is it urgent?
• Die Tabletten helfen nicht mehr. – The tablets aren't helping anymore.
• Das würde gut passen. – That would suit me well.
• Bringen Sie Ihre Versicherungskarte mit. – Bring your insurance card.
• Was führt Sie zu mir? – What brings you to me?
• Seit wann haben Sie die Beschwerden? – Since when have you had the symptoms?
• Wie lange muss ich die Medikamente nehmen? – How long do I have to take the medication?

How it sounds in practice

On the phone, between a Patient (P) and the Sprechstundenhilfe (S — the receptionist):

P: Guten Tag, ich brauche einen Termin beim Arzt. 
S: Was sind Ihre Beschwerden? 
P: Ich habe seit drei Tagen starke Kopfschmerzen. 
S: Ist es dringend? 
P: Ja, die Schmerztabletten helfen nicht mehr. 
S: Wir hätten heute um 15 Uhr einen Notfalltermin. 
P: Das würde gut passen. 
S: Bringen Sie bitte Ihre Versicherungskarte mit.

The whole call turns on one sentence pattern: Ich habe seit [time] [symptom]. It gives the two facts every medical receptionist needs — what and how long — in one short, correct sentence. Build yours now and keep it: Ich habe seit zwei Tagen Bauchschmerzen. Ich habe seit einer Woche Husten.

Then notice how the patient answers "is it urgent?" He doesn't say ja, sehr dringend — he gives a reason: "die Schmerztabletten helfen nicht mehr." A reason is far more persuasive than an adjective, in German as in English, and it's what actually gets you the appointment.

"Das würde gut passen" is your polite yes to any proposed time. Its opposite is just as useful: "Das passt mir leider nicht — haben Sie etwas später?"

In the consulting room

The second conversation, between an Arzt (A — doctor) and a Patient (P):

A: Was führt Sie zu mir? 
P: Ich habe starke Kopfschmerzen und mir ist schwindelig. 
A: Seit wann haben Sie die Beschwerden? 
P: Seit drei Tagen. Es wird immer schlimmer. 
A: Lassen Sie mich Sie untersuchen. 
[Nach der Untersuchung] 
A: Sie haben eine Migräne. Ich verschreibe Ihnen etwas Stärkeres. 
P: Wie lange muss ich die Medikamente nehmen? 
A: Zunächst für 5 Tage. Kommen Sie dann zur Kontrolle.

Two structures here are worth more than any list of body parts.

The first is "mir ist schwindelig" — literally "to me is dizzy". German uses this dative pattern for a whole family of physical states: mir ist kalt, mir ist heiss, mir ist schlecht (I feel sick). It looks strange and it is very common. Learn the four and you'll cover most of what you need.

The second is "Es wird immer schlimmer." ("It's getting worse and worse.") Immer + comparative is how German expresses a trend: immer besser, immer teurer, immer schwieriger. Telling a doctor whether something is getting better or worse is often the single most useful thing you can say.

And keep the patient's closing question. After any prescription, ask "Wie lange muss ich die Medikamente nehmen?" — then you leave knowing what to do.

Swiss culture note

Switzerland runs on the Hausarzt (family doctor). For most insurance models, your Hausarzt is the first stop for everything, and you need an Überweisung (referral) before seeing a specialist — go direct and the bill may not be covered. Find and register with one before you're ill; good practices in cities regularly turn away new patients.

Common mistake to avoid: not cancelling in time. Swiss practices routinely charge for appointments missed without at least 24 hours' notice, and your insurance will not pay it — that bill is yours. If you can't come, phone: "Ich muss meinen Termin leider absagen."

Two more practical things. The bill normally goes to you first and you claim it back, with your Franchise (the yearly excess you chose) coming out of your own pocket before the insurer contributes. And if you're too ill to work, ask for an Arztzeugnis — the medical certificate Swiss employers ask for, usually from the third day of absence.

Finally: pharmacists here are trained to give real advice for minor complaints, and a pharmacy visit is free. For a sore throat or a cold, that's often the right first stop rather than a doctor.

Try it yourself

You've had stomach pain for two days, it's getting worse, and you'd like an appointment this week — mornings don't work for you. Practise saying out loud:

• Hello, I need an appointment with the doctor.
• I've had stomach pain for two days.
• It's getting worse and worse.
• That doesn't suit me, unfortunately — do you have anything in the afternoon?

Then the consulting room: say what hurts, say since when, and ask how long you have to take the medication.

What's next

Most Swiss health problems never reach a doctor at all — they're solved at the counter of a pharmacy. The next lesson is the Apotheke: handing over a prescription, understanding the instructions, and asking for something without a prescription at all.

This lesson is part of Module 5 (Gesundheit) of the FIDE A1/A2 Exam Prep. The full book covers all 11 FIDE topics with dialogues, vocabulary, and cultural notes. It's available here and as an interactive app with audio practice at app.fide-prep.ch.