Dutch · B2 (Upper Intermediate)
Medical in Dutch: Words & Phrases
Quick answer: The most useful Dutch words for medical are de basisverzekering (basic health insurance (mandatory)), de aanvullende verzekering (supplementary insurance) and het eigen risico (compulsory annual deductible (€385 in 2024)). 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 B2 (Upper Intermediate) material — exactly the kind of practical language you need when you're learning Dutch to live, work, or settle abroad.
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Key medical vocabulary
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| de basisverzekering | basic health insurance (mandatory) |
| de aanvullende verzekering | supplementary insurance |
| het eigen risico | compulsory annual deductible (€385 in 2024) |
| chronisch | chronic |
| het medisch dossier | the medical record |
| de ziekenhuisopname | the hospital admission |
| de wachtlijst | the waiting list |
| de bijsluiter | the package insert |
| het verwijsbriefje | the referral letter |
| de poli | the outpatient clinic |
Example sentences
Mijn eigen risico is dit jaar vol.
My deductible is used up this year.
Iedereen in Nederland heeft een basisverzekering.
Everyone in the Netherlands has basic insurance.
Ik heb een chronische aandoening.
I have a chronic condition.
Ik sta op de wachtlijst voor de specialist.
I am on the waiting list for the specialist.
Er is een ziekenhuisopname van twee dagen nodig.
A two-day hospital admission is needed.
Ik heb een verwijsbriefje van mijn huisarts.
I have a referral letter from my GP.
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.
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