German course

Lesson 112 of 240

New here? This is lesson 112 of a free 240-lesson German course.

Start hereHow this works

The doctor's questions in German

Priya is at Dr. Albrecht's Praxis above the pharmacy. A cold has lingered, and the doctor needs facts: allergies, tablets, and how the pain feels.

Anton keeps two chairs in the waiting room, still holding an unfinished thought about the bakery.

By the end, you'll name an allergy, say tablets did not help, describe pain, and ask what comes next.

Keep Sie with Dr. Albrecht. Friends wait outside.

By the end of this lesson

Tell the doctor about an allergy, failed tablets, and pain, then ask what to do next.

  • Ich bin allergisch gegen Penicillin.I'm allergic to penicillin.
  • Ich habe Tabletten genommen, aber es hat nicht geholfen.I took tablets, but they didn't help.
  • Es tut die ganze Zeit weh.It hurts all the time.
  • Wann soll ich wiederkommen?When should I come back?
  • Sind Untersuchungen nötig?Do I need any tests?
  • Ist das ansteckend?Is it contagious?

Scene — the Praxis

The Praxis sits above the Apotheke on Fliederstraße. Priya waits with a sore throat and a list of facts.

Anton has claimed two chairs in the waiting room, coat pockets full, Milchkaffee still waiting at the bakery.

Dr. Albrecht opens the door and looks at the next name.

Priya stands in the waiting room as Dr. Albrecht opens the exam-room door, while Anton occupies two chairs.

Learn — allergies and what next

Six lines cover an allergy, tablets that failed, constant pain, and three questions for the doctor.

You'll keep Sie in this room.

  1. Priya raises a hand beside an unmarked medicine bottle as she tells Dr. Albrecht about her allergy.

    Ich bin allergisch gegen Penicillin.

    I'm allergic to penicillin.

    When to use it: Tell the doctor about a drug allergy.

    Allergisch stays the same for every gender; gegen names the thing.

    Say it: The final sch in allergisch sounds like English 'sh'.

  2. Priya holds out an empty blister pack and a water glass to show what she has already taken.

    Ich habe Tabletten genommen, aber es hat nicht geholfen.

    I took tablets, but they didn't help.

    When to use it: Say you already took tablets and they failed.

    Aber joins two main clauses, and the verb stays second in each.

  3. Priya rests her hands at her throat while Dr. Albrecht listens to her describe the continuing pain.

    Es tut die ganze Zeit weh.

    It hurts all the time.

    When to use it: Say the pain does not stop.

    The weh of wehtun sits at the end of the clause.

  4. Priya turns an open palm toward a blank wall calendar as she asks when to return.

    Wann soll ich wiederkommen?

    When should I come back?

    When to use it: Ask the doctor when to return.

    The verb soll stays second after Wann.

    Say it: Wiederkommen puts the stress on the first syllable.

  5. Priya gestures toward the examination trolley as she asks whether she needs any tests.

    Sind Untersuchungen nötig?

    Do I need any tests?

    When to use it: Ask if you need tests.

    Untersuchungen is the tests; nötig asks if they are needed.

    Say it: The ch in Untersuchungen is the ach-sound, not ich.

  6. Priya asks whether her illness is contagious as Dr. Albrecht responds with a reassuring open hand.

    Ist das ansteckend?

    Is it contagious?

    When to use it: Ask if other people can catch it.

    Ask this when you worry about family or colleagues.

Story — five out of ten

Watch Priya answer Dr. Albrecht. Anton stays in the waiting room with two chairs.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Anton occupies two chairs in the waiting room. Priya stands when her name is called.
  2. Dr. Albrecht holds the Praxis door.
  3. Dr. AlbrechtKommen Sie rein.Come in.
  4. PriyaGuten Tag.Good afternoon.
  5. Dr. AlbrechtSetzen Sie sich. Haben Sie Allergien?Please sit down. Do you have any allergies?
  6. Priya sits. The doctor waits with a pen.
  7. PriyaIch bin allergisch gegen Penicillin.I'm allergic to penicillin.
  8. Dr. AlbrechtWas haben Sie schon genommen?What have you already taken?
  9. PriyaIch habe Tabletten genommen, aber es hat nicht geholfen.I took tablets, but they didn't help.
  10. Dr. AlbrechtTut es noch weh?Does it still hurt?
  11. PriyaEs tut die ganze Zeit weh.It hurts all the time.
  12. Dr. AlbrechtVon eins bis zehn?From one to ten?
  13. PriyaFünf.Five.
  14. The doctor writes a short note.
  15. PriyaWann soll ich wiederkommen?When should I come back?
  16. Dr. AlbrechtIn einer Woche.In a week.
  17. PriyaSind Untersuchungen nötig?Do I need any tests?
  18. Dr. AlbrechtHeute nicht.Not today.
  19. PriyaIst das ansteckend?Is it contagious?
  20. Dr. AlbrechtNein, keine Sorge.No, don't worry.

Practice — pain, tablets, questions

Eleven short tasks wait here. You'll listen, fill a gap, match, build, and pick a reply.

They stay close to the Praxis, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    Ich bin allergisch gegen Penicillin.

  3. What do you say?

    It is afternoon at the Praxis. Greet the doctor.

  4. Fill the gap

    I took tablets, but they didn't help.

    Ich habe Tabletten genommen, ____ es hat nicht geholfen.

  5. Pick the reply

    Dr. Albrecht says:

    Haben Sie Allergien?

    Do you have any allergies?

    And you reply with:

  6. Swap the word

    The pain is constant, not only at night.

    Es tut die ganze ____ weh.

  7. Build the line

    When should I come back?

    ?

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Match the pairs

    German

    Wann soll ich wiederkommen?Drop the English here
    Sind Untersuchungen nötig?Drop the English here
    Ist das ansteckend?Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its German, or tap one and then the other.

  9. What do you say?

    You want to know if any tests are needed.

  10. True or false?

    You are asking if someone else can catch this.

  11. Find the mistake

Say it — tell the doctor

Now you're Priya in the Praxis. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. Dr. AlbrechtHaben Sie Allergien?Do you have any allergies?
  2. Priya (you)Tell her about your antibiotic allergy.

    Ich bin allergisch gegen Penicillin.

    I'm allergic to penicillin.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Ich bin allergisch gegen Penicillin.I'm allergic to penicillin.
Ich habe Tabletten genommen, aber es hat nicht geholfen.I took tablets, but they didn't help.
Es tut die ganze Zeit weh.It hurts all the time.
Wann soll ich wiederkommen?When should I come back?
Sind Untersuchungen nötig?Do I need any tests?
Ist das ansteckend?Is it contagious?
Next: lesson 113At the pharmacy

Save your progress — it’s free

Keep your place in the course and see which lines you’ve learned.

Want the next lesson in your inbox?

Get the next lesson by email, one a day.

Where should we start?
Join the newsletter

Daily lesson emails are coming soon. Newsletter subscribers get them first.

Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these doctor lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps the Praxis questions ready.

Open Yak Cards