Dutch · B1 (Intermediate)
Medical in Dutch: Words & Phrases
Quick answer: The most useful Dutch words for medical are de zorgverzekering (health insurance), de huisarts (the GP / family doctor) and voorschrijven (to prescribe). The full Dutch medical phrase list with example sentences is below.
The essential Dutch vocabulary for medical, with example sentences and English translations. This is B1 (Intermediate) material — exactly the kind of practical language you need when you're learning Dutch to live, work, or settle abroad.
Source: Language Lab's Dutch curriculum (vocabulary & example sentences). · Join the beta →
Key medical vocabulary
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| de zorgverzekering | health insurance |
| de huisarts | the GP / family doctor |
| voorschrijven | to prescribe |
| het recept | the prescription |
| de verwijzing | the referral |
| de specialist | the specialist |
| de zorgverzekeraar | the health insurer |
| de zorgpas | the health insurance card |
| de spoedeisende hulp | A&E |
| allergisch | allergic |
Example sentences
Ik heb een zorgverzekering bij CZ.
I have health insurance with CZ.
Ik heb een afspraak bij de huisarts.
I have an appointment with my GP.
De dokter heeft me antibiotica voorgeschreven.
The doctor prescribed me antibiotics.
Ik haal het recept op bij de apotheek.
I collect the prescription at the pharmacy.
Ik heb een verwijzing naar de specialist nodig.
I need a referral to the specialist.
Ik ben allergisch voor penicilline.
I am allergic to penicillin.
How to actually learn these
Reading a vocabulary list is not the same as being able to use the words when it counts. Research on adult language acquisition consistently shows that vocabulary retained through contextual use — hearing a word, producing it under mild pressure, and being corrected when you get it wrong — transfers to real speech far more effectively than passive list review. The fastest way to make vocabulary like this stick is to practise it in the actual conversations where it comes up: not drills, but a real back-and-forth where you have to retrieve the word and say it aloud. Language Lab turns vocabulary like this into voiced, real-life scenarios with Sonia, a live AI language tutor who holds real conversations, corrects you in context, and remembers the specific words you keep getting wrong across sessions. The vocabulary stops being something you read and becomes something you say — automatically, under pressure, when you actually need it.
Practice Dutch that actually sticks.
Language Lab teaches the Dutch you need to live abroad — with a live AI tutor. Coming soon.
Join the beta →