Dutch healthcare vocabulary: huisarts, apotheek and symptoms
Key Dutch words for healthcare in the Netherlands, from huisarts and verwijzing to eigen risico and huisartsenpost, plus phrases to describe your symptoms.
When you're ill, the last thing you want is to struggle with words. Even if your doctor speaks English, you'll meet Dutch on the phone, in letters from your insurer, on medicine boxes and at the pharmacy counter. This post gives you the key healthcare words, explains roughly how they fit together, and gives you phrases to describe how you feel.
This is a language guide, not medical or legal advice. How the Dutch healthcare system works — what's covered, what you pay and how to register — can change. For official information, check rijksoverheid.nl, your health insurer and your GP practice. In an emergency, always call 112.
The huisarts and the practice
In the Netherlands, your first point of contact for most health problems is usually de huisarts, the GP (general practitioner). You normally register with a GP near where you live.
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| de huisarts | GP, family doctor |
| de praktijk / de huisartsenpraktijk | the (GP) practice |
| de doktersassistent | doctor's assistant (often answers the phone) |
| de praktijkondersteuner | practice nurse |
| het spreekuur | consultation hours |
| de afspraak | appointment |
| de patiënt | patient |
When you call, the doktersassistent will usually ask about your symptoms first. That's normal: they decide how urgent it is and whether you need an appointment, a phone call with the doctor or just advice.
- Ik wil me graag inschrijven bij deze praktijk. — I'd like to register with this practice.
- Neemt u nog nieuwe patiënten aan? — Are you still taking new patients?
- Ik wil graag een afspraak maken met de huisarts. — I'd like to make an appointment with the GP.
- Kan het vandaag nog? — Is it possible today?
- Is er een telefonisch spreekuur? — Is there a telephone consultation hour?
Specialists, hospitals and the verwijzing
If you need a specialist, the GP will usually refer you: you get een verwijzing (a referral), sometimes called een verwijsbrief. Your insurer may require one before they cover specialist care, so check before you book anything yourself.
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| de verwijzing | referral |
| de specialist | specialist |
| het ziekenhuis | hospital |
| de polikliniek | outpatient clinic |
| de spoedeisende hulp (SEH) | accident and emergency |
| de fysiotherapeut | physiotherapist |
| de tandarts | dentist |
- Heb ik een verwijzing nodig? — Do I need a referral?
- Kunt u mij doorverwijzen naar een specialist? — Could you refer me to a specialist?
- Ik heb een afspraak op de poli. — I have an appointment at the outpatient clinic.
De poli is the everyday short form of de polikliniek.
Out of hours and emergencies
What to do depends on how urgent it is:
| Situation | Who to contact |
|---|---|
| Not urgent, during the day | de huisarts |
| Urgent, can't wait until the GP is open (evenings, nights, weekends) | de huisartsenpost (HAP) — call first |
| Life-threatening emergency | 112 |
De huisartsenpost is the out-of-hours GP service. You usually call before you go, and the person on the phone will decide what happens next. Look up the number for your area now, before you need it — your GP's website or voicemail usually gives it.
112 is the emergency number for ambulance, police and fire service.
- Ik moet dringend een arts spreken. — I urgently need to speak to a doctor.
- Het is een noodgeval. — It's an emergency.
- Bel 112! — Call 112!
- Hij is bewusteloos. — He's unconscious.
- Zij krijgt geen lucht. — She can't breathe.
Pharmacy and prescriptions
De apotheek is the pharmacy, where you collect prescription medicines. Careful with het recept: it means "prescription" here — and also "recipe" in the kitchen.
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| de apotheek | pharmacy |
| de apotheker | pharmacist |
| het recept | prescription |
| het medicijn / het geneesmiddel | medicine |
| de bijsluiter | patient information leaflet |
| de drogist | drugstore (non-prescription products) |
| de pijnstiller | painkiller |
Simple medicines like painkillers are often sold at de drogist as well as the pharmacy.
- Ik kom een recept ophalen. — I've come to collect a prescription.
- Hoe vaak moet ik dit innemen? — How often should I take this?
- Moet ik het voor of na het eten innemen? — Should I take it before or after meals?
- Heeft dit bijwerkingen? — Does this have side effects?
Insurance and eigen risico
De zorgverzekering is health insurance. In the Netherlands, residents are generally required to have basic health insurance, de basisverzekering. Many people add een aanvullende verzekering, extra insurance for things like dental care or physiotherapy. Whether the rule applies to you, and from when, depends on your situation — check the government's information.
Het eigen risico (literally "own risk") is the annual compulsory excess: an amount you pay yourself for certain covered care before your insurer starts paying. Not all care counts towards it; for example, GP visits have long been exempt. The amount is set each year by the government and has been a subject of political debate, so look up the current figure on rijksoverheid.nl or your insurer's website.
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| de zorgverzekeraar | health insurer |
| de premie | premium |
| het eigen risico | compulsory excess (deductible) |
| de vergoeding | reimbursement, coverage |
| vergoed worden | to be covered |
- Wordt dit vergoed? — Is this covered?
- Valt dit onder het eigen risico? — Does this count towards the excess?
- Wat is mijn polisnummer? — What is my policy number?
Describing your symptoms
The doctor or assistant will often start with one of these questions:
- Waar heeft u last van? — What's bothering you?
- Hoe lang heeft u dit al? — How long have you had this?
- Waar doet het pijn? — Where does it hurt?
- Gebruikt u medicijnen? — Do you take any medicine?
- Bent u ergens allergisch voor? — Are you allergic to anything?
And here's how you answer. Many complaints are simply body part + pijn:
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| Ik heb hoofdpijn. | I have a headache. |
| Ik heb buikpijn. | I have stomach ache. |
| Ik heb keelpijn. | I have a sore throat. |
| Ik heb koorts. | I have a fever. |
| Ik ben verkouden. | I have a cold. |
| Ik moet veel hoesten. | I'm coughing a lot. |
| Ik ben misselijk. | I feel sick (nauseous). |
| Ik ben duizelig. | I feel dizzy. |
| Mijn knie doet pijn. | My knee hurts. |
| Ik heb uitslag en het jeukt. | I have a rash and it itches. |
To say how long, use al + time + present tense — Dutch doesn't use the perfect here like English does:
- Ik heb al drie dagen koorts. — I've had a fever for three days.
- Ik ben sinds maandag verkouden. — I've had a cold since Monday.
- Het wordt steeds erger. — It's getting worse and worse.
- Ik ben allergisch voor penicilline. — I'm allergic to penicillin.
Our post on al, nog and pas explains al in more detail.
Quick summary
- De huisarts (GP) is usually your first stop; the doktersassistent asks about symptoms on the phone.
- A verwijzing (referral) is usually needed for a specialist.
- Out of hours and urgent: de huisartsenpost; life-threatening: 112.
- Het recept = prescription; collect it at de apotheek.
- Het eigen risico = the yearly excess you pay yourself for certain care; check the current amount officially.
- Symptoms: Ik heb hoofdpijn / koorts, Ik ben misselijk, Ik heb al drie dagen…
Practise it
Practise the conversation in At the doctor's, collect your medicine in At the pharmacy, and learn what to say when it's serious in Emergencies.