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Hungarian for a Doctor’s Appointment: Words and Phrases You May Need

Visiting a doctor can be stressful even in your own language. When you are living in Hungary and still learning Hungarian, explaining where it hurts, describing your symptoms or understanding a doctor’s questions can suddenly feel much more difficult.

The good news is that you do not need advanced Hungarian to handle many of the basic situations connected with a doctor’s appointment. A relatively small number of useful words, expressions and question patterns can make communication considerably easier.

In this guide, you will learn practical Hungarian vocabulary and phrases for arranging a doctor’s appointment, describing symptoms, answering basic questions and asking for clarification when you do not understand.

The aim is not to teach medical Hungarian. It is to give you practical language that can help you communicate more confidently during an everyday doctor’s visit in Hungary.

For information about finding a doctor, public and private care, and prescriptions, see our guide to healthcare in Hungary for foreign residents.

Going to the Doctor in Hungary: Essential Vocabulary

Before learning complete sentences, it is useful to know some of the words you are likely to hear.

Hungarian

English

orvos

doctor

háziorvos

GP / family doctor

orvosi rendelő

doctor’s surgery / medical practice

rendelés

consultation hours

időpont

appointment

beteg

patient / ill

betegség

illness

vizsgálat

examination

lelet

medical report / test result

recept

prescription

gyógyszer

medicine / medication

gyógyszertár / patika

pharmacy

beutaló

referral

vérvétel

blood test / blood draw

vérnyomás

blood pressure

láz

fever

fájdalom

pain

tünet

symptom

You may also see the word rendelő on signs. It refers to a consulting room, surgery or medical practice depending on the context.

Arranging a Doctor’s Appointment in Hungarian

One of the first challenges may come before you even meet the doctor: you need to arrange the appointment.

A very useful sentence is:

Szeretnék időpontot kérni.

I would like to make an appointment.

You can make it more specific:

Szeretnék időpontot kérni a háziorvoshoz.

I would like to make an appointment with the GP.

If you would like to know what appointments are available:

Mikor van szabad időpont?

When is there an available appointment?

Van szabad időpont ma?

Is there an available appointment today?

Van szabad időpont holnap?

Is there an available appointment tomorrow?

If the matter is urgent, you can say:

Sürgős lenne.

It is rather urgent.

Or:

Nagyon rosszul érzem magam.

I feel very unwell.

You may be asked:

Mikor lenne jó?

When would be convenient?

Délelőtt vagy délután?

Morning or afternoon?

Megfelel a tíz óra?

Is ten o’clock suitable?

A simple answer can be:

Igen, megfelel.

Yes, that is fine.

or:

Sajnos akkor nem jó.

Unfortunately, that time is not convenient.

When You Arrive at the Doctor’s Surgery

When you arrive, you may need to explain why you are there.

You can say:

Időpontra jöttem.

I have an appointment.

You may also be asked for your name or other information:

Mi a neve?

What is your name?

Mikor született?

When were you born?

Mi a születési dátuma?

What is your date of birth?

Mi a lakcíme?

What is your address?

Depending on your situation and the healthcare provider, you may also be asked for identification, health insurance information or your TAJ-szám, the Hungarian social security identification number.

How to Say “I’m Not Feeling Well” in Hungarian

One of the most useful general sentences is:

Nem érzem jól magam.

I don’t feel well.

If you feel particularly ill:

Nagyon rosszul érzem magam.

I feel very unwell.

Another common structure is:

Beteg vagyok.

I am ill.

However, the doctor will normally need more specific information. This is where a few basic symptom phrases become extremely useful.

Describing Pain in Hungarian

The verb fáj is one of the most important words to learn before visiting a doctor.

It means that something hurts.

Fáj a fejem.

My head hurts. / I have a headache.

Fáj a torkom.

My throat hurts.

Fáj a hasam.

My stomach hurts.

Fáj a hátam.

My back hurts.

Fáj a fülem.

My ear hurts.

Fáj a fogam.

My tooth hurts.

Fáj a nyakam.

My neck hurts.

If you simply want to indicate the painful area, you can also say:

Itt fáj.

It hurts here.

This can be particularly useful when you do not know the Hungarian word for the relevant body part.

If the pain is severe:

Nagyon fáj.

It hurts a lot.

If it only hurts a little:

Kicsit fáj.

It hurts a little.

Useful Hungarian Words for Common Symptoms

Here are some common symptoms you may need to describe:

Hungarian

English

Lázam van.

I have a fever.

Köhögök.

I am coughing.

Folyik az orrom.

I have a runny nose.

Fáj a torkom.

I have a sore throat.

Fáj a fejem.

I have a headache.

Szédülök.

I feel dizzy.

Hányingerem van.

I feel nauseous.

Hányok.

I am vomiting.

Hasmenésem van.

I have diarrhoea.

Nehezen kapok levegőt.

I have difficulty breathing.

Fáradt vagyok.

I am tired.

Gyenge vagyok.

I feel weak.

Nem tudok aludni.

I cannot sleep.

Nincs étvágyam.

I have no appetite.

For severe breathing difficulty or another life-threatening emergency, call 112 rather than waiting for a routine appointment.

You do not necessarily need to construct complicated sentences. Short, accurate information is often much more useful.

For example:

Két napja lázam van és köhögök.

I have had a fever for two days and I am coughing.

That already gives the doctor several important pieces of information.

How Long Have You Had the Symptoms?

The doctor is very likely to ask when the problem started.

You may hear:

Mióta fáj?

How long has it been hurting?

Mióta érzi ezt?

How long have you been feeling this?

Mióta vannak tünetei?

How long have you had symptoms?

Some useful answers are:

Hungarian

English

Tegnap óta.

Since yesterday.

Ma reggel óta.

Since this morning.

Két napja.

For two days.

Három napja.

For three days.

Egy hete.

For a week.

Már több hete.

For several weeks.

The difference between expressions such as tegnap óta and két napja is worth learning because both structures occur frequently in everyday Hungarian.

Understanding Basic Questions from the Doctor

During the examination, you may hear questions such as:

Hungarian

English

Hol fáj?

Where does it hurt?

Mióta fáj?

How long has it been hurting?

Nagyon fáj?

Does it hurt a lot?

Van láza?

Do you have a fever?

Köhög?

Are you coughing?

Szed valamilyen gyógyszert?

Are you taking any medication?

Van valamilyen allergiája?

Do you have any allergies?

Allergiás valamire?

Are you allergic to anything?

Volt már ilyen panasza?

Have you had this problem before?

Van valamilyen krónikus betegsége?

Do you have any chronic illnesses?

You do not have to give a long answer to every question.

For example:

Hungarian

English

Igen.

Yes.

Nem.

No.

Nem tudom.

I don’t know.

Nem hiszem.

I don’t think so.

Talking About Medication

Medication is another important topic during a medical consultation.

The doctor may ask:

Szed valamilyen gyógyszert?

Are you taking any medication?

You can answer:

Igen, szedek gyógyszert.

Yes, I take medication.

Nem szedek gyógyszert.

I don’t take any medication.

If you know the name of your medication, it is often easiest simply to show the doctor the packaging, prescription or a written list.

You might also need:

Ezt a gyógyszert szedem.

I take this medication.

Naponta egyszer.

Once a day.

Naponta kétszer.

Twice a day.

Reggel és este.

In the morning and in the evening.

Talking About Allergies

Being able to communicate allergies clearly can be particularly important.

Allergiás vagyok a penicillinre.

I am allergic to penicillin.

Gyógyszerallergiám van.

I have a medication allergy.

If you do not have any known allergies:

Nincs ismert allergiám.

I have no known allergies.

If you are unsure:

Nem tudok róla.

Not that I know of.

During the Examination

You may hear short instructions from the doctor.

For example:

Hungarian

English

Kérem, üljön le.

Please sit down.

Kérem, feküdjön le.

Please lie down.

Nyissa ki a száját.

Open your mouth.

Vegyen egy nagy levegőt.

Take a deep breath.

Ne lélegezzen.

Hold your breath.

Lélegezzen normálisan.

Breathe normally.

Forduljon meg.

Turn around.

Mutassa meg, hol fáj.

Show me where it hurts.

You may notice that doctors and other healthcare professionals often use formal Hungarian with adult patients, particularly when they do not know them personally. This is why forms such as üljön, feküdjön, nyissa ki and forduljon meg are useful to recognise even if you are not yet ready to use these grammatical forms yourself.

How to Ask for Clarification in Hungarian

You should never feel that you have to pretend to understand something important, especially when discussing your health.

One of the most useful sentences you can learn is:

Elnézést, nem értem.

Excuse me, I don’t understand.

You can also say:

Megismételné, kérem?

Could you repeat that, please?

Beszélne egy kicsit lassabban, kérem?

Could you speak a little more slowly, please?

Mit jelent ez?

What does this mean?

Le tudná írni, kérem?

Could you write it down, please?

If you understand only part of what was said:

Ezt a szót nem értem.

I don’t understand this word.

If you want to make sure you have understood the instructions correctly:

Jól értem, hogy…?

Have I understood correctly that…?

Asking What Happens Next

At the end of the consultation, you may want to know what you should do.

Useful questions include:

Mit kell tennem?

What do I need to do?

Kell gyógyszert szednem?

Do I need to take medication?

Mikor vegyem be?

When should I take it?

Naponta hányszor?

How many times a day?

Meddig kell szednem?

How long do I need to take it?

Vissza kell jönnöm?

Do I need to come back?

Mikor jöjjek vissza?

When should I come back?

Szükség van vérvételre?

Is a blood test necessary?

Szükségem van beutalóra?

Do I need a referral?

Hol tudom kiváltani a receptet?

Where can I get the prescription filled?

At the Pharmacy

After seeing the doctor, your next stop may be the gyógyszertár, commonly also called a patika.

You can say:

Szeretném kiváltani ezt a receptet.

I would like to get this prescription filled.

If you need something without a prescription:

Szeretnék valamit köhögésre.

I would like something for a cough.

Szeretnék valamit torokfájásra.

I would like something for a sore throat.

Szeretnék valamit fejfájásra.

I would like something for a headache.

A pharmacist may explain how often you should take the medicine, so the expressions naponta egyszer (once a day), naponta kétszer (twice a day) and naponta háromszor (three times a day) are useful to recognise.

A Short Example Conversation at the Doctor

Here is a simple example of how a consultation might sound:

Orvos:

Jó napot kívánok. Mi a panasza?

Good morning/afternoon. What seems to be the problem?

Beteg:

Jó napot kívánok. Két napja fáj a torkom és köhögök.

Good morning/afternoon. I have had a sore throat for two days and I am coughing.

Orvos:

Van láza?

Do you have a fever?

Beteg:

Tegnap volt, de ma nincs.

I had a fever yesterday, but I don’t today.

Orvos:

Szed valamilyen gyógyszert?

Are you taking any medication?

Beteg:

Nem.

No.

Orvos:

Allergiás valamire?

Are you allergic to anything?

Beteg:

Nem tudok róla.

Not that I know of.

Even this relatively short exchange contains some of the most useful structures you are likely to need.

You Do Not Need Perfect Hungarian

Many Hungarian learners worry that they need to produce grammatically perfect sentences before speaking. In a doctor’s surgery, however, clear communication is much more important than perfect grammar.

If you cannot remember a complete sentence, use the words you know.

For example:

fejfájás – két napja – láz nincs

is not an elegant Hungarian sentence, but it communicates important information: headache, two days, no fever.

You can then build more complete sentences as your Hungarian improves.

What matters is that you speak rather than remain silent because you are worried about making a mistake.

Prepare Before Your Appointment

If you are still a beginner in Hungarian, a few minutes of preparation before your appointment can make an enormous difference.

Write down the Hungarian words for your main symptoms. Check how to say when the symptoms started. Make a list of any medication you take and any allergies you have. Keep important medical information available on your phone or on paper.

You can also prepare two or three sentences in advance, for example:

Három napja fáj a fejem.

I have had a headache for three days.

Tegnap óta lázam van.

I have had a fever since yesterday.

Ezt a gyógyszert szedem minden nap.

I take this medication every day.

Learning these sentences before the appointment is much easier than trying to construct them while you are nervous and sitting in front of the doctor.

Learning Hungarian for Real-Life Situations

Learning Hungarian is not only about grammar exercises and vocabulary lists. If you live in Hungary, the language becomes part of everyday life: making appointments, going to the doctor, visiting a pharmacy, dealing with administration, shopping, speaking to neighbours and solving unexpected problems.

This is why practical, situation-based Hungarian can be so valuable.

You may not understand every word a doctor says. You may need to ask someone to repeat a sentence. You may make grammatical mistakes. None of this means that your Hungarian has failed.

Every successful interaction gives you experience and makes the next one easier.

Start with the expressions you are most likely to need, practise them aloud and gradually add new vocabulary. Even a small amount of Hungarian can make everyday situations feel much more manageable.

And remember one particularly useful sentence:

Megismételné, kérem?

Could you repeat that, please?

Sometimes knowing how to say “I don’t understand yet” is just as important as knowing the answer.

Learn Practical Hungarian with Connecting Hungary

At Connecting Hungary, Hungarian lessons focus on helping learners communicate in situations they may actually encounter.

Whether you are learning Hungarian for everyday life, work, family connections or preparing for the Hungarian Simplified Naturalization process, practical communication can help you become more confident using the language outside the classroom.

Hungarian may look difficult at first, but you do not need to learn everything at once. Start with the language that is most useful to you, practise it regularly and build from there.

Learn Hungarian for the life you want to live in Hungary.