At the doctor: how to explain what is wrong
In everyday life, it is important to be able to say briefly and clearly what hurts, how long you have been feeling unwell, and whether you need help. At A2 level, you do not need to speak in a complicated way. It is enough to know a few common words and simple phrase patterns that help you book an appointment, describe symptoms, and answer typical questions from a doctor.
When you need to book an appointment
If you need to see a doctor, it is useful to know how to say that you want to book an appointment and briefly mention the reason. Often one simple phrase is enough:
Jeg vil gjerne bestille time. — Я хотел(а) бы записаться на приём.
After that, you can add the reason:
Jeg er syk. — Я болею.
Jeg har feber. — У меня температура.
Jeg har vondt i halsen. — У меня болит горло.
Jeg hoster. — Я кашляю.
Jeg har vondt i hodet. — У меня болит голова.
If you are speaking on the phone or at reception, it is important to be brief. Long explanations are not necessary. First say the main problem, and then answer follow-up questions if needed.
How to say what hurts
One of the most useful patterns is the construction Jeg har vondt i .... It helps you say where it hurts.
Jeg har vondt i hodet. — У меня болит голова.
Jeg har vondt i halsen. — У меня болит горло.
Jeg har vondt i magen. — У меня болит живот.
Jeg har vondt i ryggen. — У меня болит спина.
Jeg har vondt i øret. — У меня болит ухо.
Another useful pattern is Jeg har ... when you talk about a symptom:
Jeg har feber. — У меня температура.
Jeg har hoste. — У меня кашель.
Jeg er forkjølet. — Я простужен(а).
Jeg er svimmel. — У меня кружится голова.
Jeg er kvalm. — Меня тошнит.
For basic communication, these patterns are enough. The main thing is not to translate word for word from Russian, but to remember ready-made Norwegian phrases as whole units.
Common symptoms
Below are basic words and expressions that are especially often needed at the doctor’s:
feber — температура, жар
hoste — кашель
forkjølet — простуженный
vondt — больно, болит
hode — голова
hals — горло
mage — живот
rygg — спина
svimmel — с головокружением
kvalm — с тошнотой
sliten — уставший
Notice that in speech, short combinations are used very often rather than long medical descriptions. At this stage, being understandable is more important than being perfectly precise.
How to say how long it has lasted
The doctor or receptionist may ask when the symptoms started. For this, simple time expressions are useful:
siden i går — со вчерашнего дня
i dag — сегодня
i to dager — два дня
i tre dager — три дня
i en uke — неделю
Examples:
Jeg har hatt feber siden i går. — У меня температура со вчерашнего дня.
Jeg har hostet i tre dager. — Я кашляю три дня.
Jeg har vært forkjølet i en uke. — Я простужен(а) уже неделю.
Even if the verb forms still seem unusual, it is useful to remember these phrases as ready-made patterns for real situations.
Questions you may hear at the doctor’s
During the appointment, the doctor usually asks short and direct questions. It is important to learn to recognize them and answer simply.
Hva er problemet? — В чём проблема?
Hva føler du? — Что вы чувствуете?
Hvor har du vondt? — Где у вас болит?
Hvor lenge har du vært syk? — Как долго вы болеете?
Har du feber? — У вас есть температура?
Hoster du? — Вы кашляете?
Er du forkjølet? — Вы простужены?
Examples of short answers:
Jeg har vondt i halsen.
Jeg har feber og hoste.
Jeg har vært syk i to dager.
Ja, litt. — Да, немного.
Nei, ikke mye. — Нет, не сильно.
At A2 level, it is completely normal to answer briefly. You do not have to build long sentences if you are understood anyway.
Useful phrases during the appointment
Sometimes you need not only to name a symptom, but also to politely ask someone to repeat or say that you did not understand everything.
Kan du gjenta? — Можете повторить?
Kan du snakke saktere? — Можете говорить медленнее?
Jeg forstår ikke alt. — Я не всё понимаю.
Kan du hjelpe meg? — Можете мне помочь?
Such phrases are especially useful if you are nervous. In a real situation, simple and polite speech works better than trying to say too much.
A short dialogue example
Below is a short example of how a simple conversation at the doctor’s may sound:
Pasient: Jeg vil gjerne bestille time. Jeg har feber og vondt i halsen.
Lege: Hvor lenge har du vært syk?
Pasient: I to dager.
Lege: Hoster du også?
Pasient: Ja, litt.
Lege: Har du vondt i hodet?
Pasient: Ja, jeg har vondt i hodet også.
This dialogue uses very simple structures, but they are already enough for basic communication in a medical situation.
What is important to remember from this lesson
For a doctor’s visit at this level, it is especially useful to remember three types of phrases: how to book an appointment, how to name a symptom, and how to say how long it has lasted. The most useful patterns are: Jeg vil gjerne bestille time, Jeg har vondt i ..., Jeg har ..., Jeg har vært syk i ....
If you use these constructions confidently, you can already explain the main problem, understand simple questions from the doctor, and keep a short conversation in a clear way.