Book a GP appointment, explain what hurts and understand the doctor’s questions. In this short guide you learn how to describe how you feel and what hurts.
This article is the reading companion to the free Mondosol lesson 🇬🇧 English A2: At the Doctor (Talking About Health), part of the English course. Read it, watch the videos, or press play and listen first, then practise in the lesson.
Free: create your free Mondosol account to practise this lesson and track your progress.
In this article
At the doctor: the phrases you need
These are the phrases you need to describe a problem and understand the doctor.
| Phrase | What it means |
|---|---|
| I’d like to make an appointment | asking to see the doctor — in the UK you book with your GP (family doctor) |
| I’ve got a headache | explaining a pain in your head — also toothache, stomach ache, backache |
| I feel sick | I think I am going to vomit — in British English ill means not well in general |
| a temperature | a fever — British people say I’ve got a temperature when the body is too hot |
| How long have you had it? | the doctor asks since when — answer For three days or Since Monday |
| a cough | when air comes out of your chest with a noise — cough sounds like koff |
| prescription | the doctor’s order for medicine — take it to a pharmacy (the chemist’s in the UK) |
| Call 999 | the UK emergency number — for urgent help that is not an emergency, call NHS 111 |
Check yourself
Try each question before you open the answer.
In British English, ‘I feel sick’ usually means …
Options: I am bored / I want to vomit / I am tired. Answer: I want to vomit
Which number do you call in the UK for a medical emergency?
Options: 111 / 101 / 999. Answer: 999
The doctor asks: ‘How long have you had it?’ A good answer is …
Options: Since three days / For three days / From three days. Answer: For three days
Where do you take your prescription?
Options: to a pharmacy / to the post office / to the bank. Answer: to a pharmacy
Watch: at the doctor in English
Two short videos from other teachers show the same idea in a different voice. Watch one, then come back to the lesson.
Video: “At the Doctor’s Office: Health & Medicine Vocabulary”, on YouTube.
Video: “The Vocabulary Show: At the doctor’s”, on YouTube.
Take it further
Get well soon is what we say to someone who is ill. Take care! Practise describing a small health problem out loud, from how long it has lasted to where it hurts.
Frequently asked questions
What will I learn in this lesson?
You learn 8 key phrases, such as I’d like to make an appointment, I’ve got a headache, I feel sick, and how to use them in real sentences.
What level is this lesson?
It is an A2 (elementary) lesson in the Mondosol English course.
Is the lesson free?
Yes. Create a free Mondosol account to practise this lesson and track your progress.
How do I practise after reading?
Open the lesson and work through the exercises. Get well soon is what we say to someone who is ill. Take care!
Keep learning
- Practise it: 🇬🇧 English A2: At the Doctor (Talking About Health)
- Full course: Learn to speak English
- Related reading: The English verb “to be” and English likes and dislikes
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