· 10 min read
Polish Phrases for the Doctor and the Pharmacy: What to Say and What You'll Hear
By Language Lab editorial team
The Polish you need at the doctor and the pharmacy: booking, describing symptoms, body parts, questions you'll be asked, and buying medicine at the apteka.
At a Polish doctor's (lekarz) or pharmacy (apteka), a small set of phrases covers most visits. To book: Chciałbym / Chciałabym umówić się na wizytę (I'd like to make an appointment — man/woman speaking). To describe what's wrong: Boli mnie… (… hurts me) plus the body part — Boli mnie głowa (my head hurts), Boli mnie gardło (my throat hurts). Mam gorączkę means "I have a fever", Mam kaszel "I have a cough". At the pharmacy: Poproszę coś na ból głowy (Something for a headache, please). In an emergency in the EU, call 112.
Booking an appointment
Whether you phone a clinic (przychodnia) or walk up to the reception (rejestracja), the first exchange is usually about the appointment itself. Polish verbs in the past and conditional change with the speaker's gender, so men say chciałbym and women chciałabym.
| Polish | English |
|---|---|
| Dzień dobry, chciałbym / chciałabym umówić się na wizytę. | Hello, I'd like to make an appointment. |
| Do lekarza rodzinnego. | With a GP (family doctor). |
| Czy jest wolny termin dzisiaj / jutro? | Is there a free slot today / tomorrow? |
| Na którą godzinę? | At what time? |
| Mam skierowanie. | I have a referral. |
| Czy lekarz mówi po angielsku? | Does the doctor speak English? |
Describing symptoms
The most useful structure in Polish medical conversation is Boli mnie… — literally "… hurts me". The body part goes in the nominative, the dictionary form, so you don't need to worry about cases: Boli mnie brzuch (my stomach hurts). For plural body parts use bolą: Bolą mnie plecy (my back hurts — plecy is plural in Polish).
| Polish | English |
|---|---|
| Boli mnie głowa. | I have a headache. |
| Boli mnie gardło. | I have a sore throat. |
| Boli mnie brzuch. | I have a stomach ache. |
| Bolą mnie plecy. | My back hurts. |
| Mam gorączkę. | I have a fever. |
| Mam kaszel / katar. | I have a cough / a runny nose. |
| Kręci mi się w głowie. | I feel dizzy. |
| Jest mi niedobrze. | I feel sick (nauseous). |
| Od trzech dni. | For three days. |
| Jestem uczulony / uczulona na… | I'm allergic to… (man/woman) |
Questions the doctor may ask
You'll understand the visit much better if you recognise the questions coming at you. These are the ones you'll hear most often:
- Co pani / panu dolega? — What's the matter? (formal, to a woman / man)
- Od kiedy? — Since when?
- Gdzie boli? — Where does it hurt?
- Czy bierze pan / pani jakieś leki? — Are you taking any medication?
- Czy jest pan / pani na coś uczulony / uczulona? — Are you allergic to anything?
- Proszę się rozebrać do pasa. — Please undress to the waist.
- Proszę głęboko oddychać. — Please breathe deeply.
At the pharmacy (apteka)
Polish pharmacists are a good first stop for minor problems. You'll hear na receptę (on prescription) and bez recepty (over the counter). Many pharmacies also display a notice with the nearest pharmacy open at night or on holidays.
| Polish | English |
|---|---|
| Poproszę coś na ból głowy. | Something for a headache, please. |
| Poproszę coś na przeziębienie. | Something for a cold, please. |
| Mam receptę. | I have a prescription. |
| Czy to jest bez recepty? | Is this available without a prescription? |
| Ile razy dziennie? | How many times a day? |
| Przed jedzeniem czy po jedzeniu? | Before or after meals? |
| Czy jest zamiennik? | Is there a cheaper equivalent (generic)? |
Emergencies
In an emergency anywhere in the EU, including Poland, call 112. Useful phrases: Pomocy! (Help!), Proszę wezwać karetkę (Please call an ambulance), To pilne (It's urgent), Gdzie jest najbliższy szpital? (Where is the nearest hospital?). Learn to say your address clearly in Polish in advance — street names change case in speech, and dispatchers need them precisely.
Practise before you need it
Medical Polish is stressful precisely because you need it when you're unwell. Rehearse the key phrases while you're healthy: book an imaginary appointment, describe a headache, ask the pharmacist about dosage. Language Lab includes voiced doctor and pharmacy scenarios in Polish where you speak with an AI receptionist, doctor and pharmacist, so the words come out when you actually need them.
Frequently asked
How do you say "I'm sick" in Polish?
Jestem chory (man) or Jestem chora (woman). To say what hurts, use Boli mnie… plus the body part, for example Boli mnie głowa.
What is a pharmacy called in Poland?
Apteka. Over-the-counter medicine is bez recepty; prescription medicine is na receptę.
How do I make a doctor's appointment in Polish?
Say Chciałbym (man) or Chciałabym (woman) umówić się na wizytę, then add who you want to see, for example do lekarza rodzinnego for a GP.
What number do I call in an emergency in Poland?
112, the EU-wide emergency number.
Photo: Cefarm pharmacy on Lipowa Street, Białystok — Henryk Borawski / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
