Languages › German German Medical and Dental Vocabulary Share Flipboard Email Print Judith Haeusler/Getty Images German Vocabulary History & Culture Pronunciation & Conversation Grammar By Hyde Flippo Hyde Flippo German Expert Hyde Flippo taught the German language for 28 years at high school and college levels and published several books on the German language and culture. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on February 28, 2020 When you are traveling through or living in a German-speaking area, it is wise to know how to talk about medical problems in German. To help you out, explore and study some of the most common German words and phrases related to health care. In this glossary, you will find words for medical treatments, ailments, diseases, and injuries. There is even a glossary of dental vocabulary in case you find yourself in need of a dentist and need to talk about your treatment in German. The German Medical Glossary Below you will find many of the German words you will need when speaking with doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. It includes many common medical conditions and ailments and should cover the majority of your basic needs when seeking healthcare in a German-speaking country. Use it as a quick reference or study it ahead of time so you're prepared when you need to seek help. To use the glossary, you'll find it helpful to know what a few common abbreviations mean: Noun Genders: r (der, masc.), e (die, fem.), s (das, neu.) Abbreviations: adj. (adjective), adv. (adverb), Br. (British), n. (noun), v. (verb), pl. (plural) Also, you'll find a few annotations throughout the glossary. Quite often these point out a relationship to German doctors and researchers who discovered a medical condition or treatment option. A English Deutsch abscess r Abszess acnepimples e AknePickel (pl.) ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) ADS (Aufmerksamkeits-Defizit-Störung) ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) ADHS (Aufmerksamkeits-Defizit und Hyperaktivitäts-Störung) addictbecome addicted/an addictdrug addict r/e Süchtigesüchtig werdenr/e Drogensüchtige addiction e Sucht AIDSAIDS victim s AIDSe/r AIDS-Kranke(r) allergic (to) allergisch (gegen) allergy e Allergie ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) e ALS (e Amyotrophe Lateralsklerose, Amyotrophische Lateralsklerose) Lou Gehrig's disease s Lou-Gehrig-Syndrom Alzheimer's (disease) e Alzheimer Krankheit anesthesia/anesthesia e Betäubung/e Narkose anesthetic/anestheticgeneral anestheticlocal anesthetic s Betäubungsmittel/s Narkosemittele Vollnarkoseörtliche Betäubung anthrax r Milzbrand, r Anthrax antidote (to) s Gegengift, s Gegenmittel (gegen) appendicitis e Blinddarmentzündung arteriosclerosis e Arteriosklerose, e Arterienverkalkung arthritis e Arthritis, e Gelenkentzündung aspirin s Aspirin asthma s Asthma asthmatic asthmatisch B bacterium (bacteria) e Bakterie (-n), s Bakterium (Bakteria) bandage s Pflaster (-) bandage Band-Aid ® r Verband (Verbände)s Hansaplast ® benign benigne (med.), gutartig benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, enlarging prostate) BPH, Benigne Prostatahyperplasie blood blood count blood poisoning blood pressure high blood pressure blood sugar blood test blood type/group blood transfusion s Bluts Blutbilde Blutvergiftungr Blutdruckr Bluthochdruckr Blutzuckere Blutprobee Blutgruppee Bluttransfusion bloody blutig botulism r Botulismus bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) die Bovine Spongiforme Enzephalopathie, die BSE breast cancer r Brustkrebs BSE, “mad cow” diseasethe BSE crisis e BSE, r Rinderwahne BSE-Krise C Caesarean, C sectionShe had a (baby by) Caesarean. r KaiserschnittSie hatte einen Kaiserschnitt. cancer r Krebs cancerous adj. bösartig, krebsartig carcinogen n. r Krebserreger, s Karzinogen carcinogenic adj. krebsauslösend, krebserregend, krebserzeugend cardiac Herz- (prefix) cardiac arrest r Herzstillstand cardiac disease e Herzkrankheit cardiac infarction r Herzinfarkt cardiologist r Kardiologe, e Kardiologin cardiology e Kardiologie cardiopulmonary Herz-Lungen- (prefix) cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) e Herz-Lungen-Wiederbelebung (HLW) carpal tunnel syndrome s Karpaltunnelsyndrom CAT scan, CT scan e Computertomografie cataract r Katarakt, grauer Star catheter r Katheter catheterize (v.) katheterisieren chemist, pharmacist r Apotheker (-), e Apothekerin (-innen) chemist's shop, pharmacy e Apotheke (-n) chemotherapy e Chemotherapie chicken pox Windpocken (pl.) chills r Schüttelfrost chlamydia e Chlamydieninfektion, e Chlamydien-Infektion cholera e Cholera chronic (adj.)a chronic disease chronischeine chronische Krankheit circulatory problem e Kreislaufstörung CJD (Creuzfeldt-Jakob disease) e CJK (die Creuzfeldt-Jakob-Krankheit) clinic e Klinik (-en) clone n.clone v.cloning r Klonklonens Klonen (a) cold, head coldto have a cold eine Erkältung, r Schnupfeneinen Schnupfen haben colon cancer r Darmkrebs colonoscopy e Darmspiegelung, e Koloskopie concussion e Gehirnerschütterung congenital (adj.) angeboren, kongenital congenital defect r Geburtsfehler congenital disease e kongenitale Krankheit (-en) conjunctivitis e Bindehautentzündung constipation e Verstopfung contagioncontactdisease s Contagiume Ansteckunge Ansteckungskrankheit contagious (adj.) ansteckend, direkt übertragbar convulsion(s) r Krampf (Krämpfe) COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) COPD (Chronisch obstruktive Lungenerkrankung) cough r Husten cough syrup r Hustensaft CPR (see "cardiopulmonary resuscitation") e HLW cramp(s)stomach cramp r Krampf (Krämpfe)r Magenkrampf cure (for a disease) s Heilmittel (gegen eine Krankheit) cure (back to health) e Heilung cure (at spa)take a cure e Kureine Kur machen cure (treatment for) e Behandlung (für) cure (of) (v.)cure s.o. of a disease heilen (von)jmdn. von einer Krankheit heilen cure-all s Allheilmittel cut n. e Schnittwunde (-n) D dandruff, flaking skin Schuppen (pl.) dead tot death r Tod dental, by a dentist (see dental glossary below) zahnärztlich dentist r Zahnarzt/e Zahnärztin diabetes e Zuckerkrankheit, r Diabetes diabetic n. r/e Zuckerkranke, r Diabetiker/e Diabetikerin diabetic adj. zuckerkrank, diabetisch diagnosis e Diagnose dialysis e Dialyse diarrhea, diarrhoea r Durchfall, e Diarrhöe die v.he died of cancershe died of heart failuremany people died/lost their lives sterben, ums Leben kommener starb an Krebssie ist an Herzversagen gestorbenviele Menschen kamen ums Leben disease, illnesscontagious disease e Krankheit (-en)ansteckende Krankheit doctor, physician r Arzt/e Ärztin (Ärzte/Ärztinnen) E ENT (ear, nose, and throat) HNO (Hals, Nase, Ohren)pronounced HAH-EN-OH ENT doctor/physician r HNO-Arzt, e HNO-Ärztin emergencyin an emergency r Notfallim Notfall emergency room/ward e Unfallstation emergency services Hilfsdienste (pl.) environment e Umwelt F fever s Fieber first aid administer/give first aid erste Hilfeerste Hilfe leisten first-aid kit e Erste-Hilfe-Ausrüstung first-aid kit r Verbandkasten/r Verbandskasten flu, influenza e Grippe G gall bladder e Galle, e Gallenblase gall stone(s) r Gallenstein (-e) gastrointestinal Magen-Darm- (in compounds) gastrointestinal tract r Magen-Darm-Trakt gastroscopy e Magenspiegelung German measles Röteln (pl.) glucose r Traubenzucker, e Glucose glycerin(e) s Glyzerin gonorrhea e Gonorrhöe, r Tripper H hematoma (Br.) s Hämatom haemorrhoid (Br.) e Hämorrhoide hay fever r Heuschnupfen headacheheadache tablet/pill, aspirinI have a headache. Kopfschmerzen (pl.)e KopfschmerztabletteIch habe Kopfschmerzen. head nurse, senior nurse e Oberschwester heart attack r Herzanfall, r Herzinfarkt heart failure s Herzversagen heart pacemaker r Herzschrittmacher heartburn s Sodbrennen health e Gesundheit health care e Gesundheitsfürsorge hematoma, haematoma (Br.) s Hämatom hemorrhage e Blutung hemorrhoidhemorrhoidal ointment e Hämorrhoidee Hämorrhoidensalbe hepatitis e Leberentzündung, e Hepatitis high blood pressure r Bluthochdruck (med. arterielle Hypertonie) Hippocratic Oath r hippokratische Eid, r Eid des Hippokrates HIVHIV positive/negative s HIVHIV-positiv/-negativ hospital s Krankenhaus, e Klinik, s Spital (Austria) I ICU (intensive care unit) e Intensivstation illness, disease e Krankheit (-en) incubator r Brutkasten (-kästen) infection e Entzündung (-en), e Infektion (-en) influenza, flu e Grippe injection, shot e Spritze (-n) innoculate, vaccinate (v.) impfen insulin s Insulin insulin shock r Insulinschock interaction (drugs) e Wechselwirkung (-en), e Interaktion (-en) J jaundice e Gelbsucht Jakob-Creutzfeld disease e Jakob-Creutzfeld-Krankheit K kidney(s) e Niere (-en) kidney failure, renal failure s Nierenversagen kidney machine e künstliche Niere kidney stone(s) r Nierenstein (-e) L laxative s Abführmittel leukemia r Blutkrebs, e Leukämie life s Leben to lose your life, to die ums Leben kommen many people died/lost their lives viele Menschen kamen ums Leben Lou Gehrig's disease s Lou-Gehrig-Syndrom (see "ALS") Lyme diseasetransmitted by ticks e Lyme-Borreliose (also see TBE)von Zecken übertragen M "mad cow" disease, BSE r Rinderwahn, e BSE malaria e Malaria measlesGerman measles, rubella e Masern (pl.)Röteln (pl.) medical(ly) (adj., adv.) medizinisch, ärztlich, Sanitäts- (in compounds) medical corps (mil.) e Sanitätstruppe medical insurance e Krankenversicherung/e Krankenkasse medical school medizinische Fakultät medical student r Medizinstudent/-studentin medicinal (adj., adv.) heilend, medizinisch medicinal power(s) e Heilkraft medicine (in general) e Medizin medicine, medication e Arznei, s Arzneimittel, s Medikament (-e) metabolism r Metabolismus mono, mononucleosis s Drüsenfieber, e Mononukleose (Pfeiffersches Drüsenfieber) multiple sclerosis (MS) multiple Sklerose (die) mumps r Mumps muscular dystrophy e Muskeldystrophie, r Muskelschwund N nursehead nursemale nurse, orderly e Krankenschwester (-n)e Oberschwester (-n)r Krankenpfleger (-) nursing e Krankenpflege O ointment, salve e Salbe (-n) operate (v.) operieren operation e Operation (-en) have an operation sich einer Operation unterziehen, operiert werden organ s Organ organ bank e Organbank organ donation e Organspende organ donor r Organspender, e Organspenderin organ recipient r Organempfänger, e Organempfängerin P pacemaker r Herzschrittmacher paralysis (n.) e Lähmung, e Paralyse paralytic (n.) r Paralytiker, e Paralytikerin paralyzed, paralytic (adj.) gelähmt, paralysiert parasite r Parasit (-en) Parkinson's disease e Parkinson-Krankheit patient r Patient (-en), e Patientin (-nen) pharmacy, chemist's shop e Apotheke (-n) pharmacist, chemist r Apotheker (-), e Apothekerin (-nen) physician, doctor r Arzt/e Ärztin (Ärzte/Ärztinnen) pill, tablet e Pille (-n), e Tablette (-n) pimple(s)acne r Pickel (-)e Akne plague e Pest pneumonia e Lungenentzündung poison (n.)antidote (to) s Gift/s Gegengift, s Gegenmittel (gegen) poison (v.) vergiften poisoning e Vergiftung prescription s Rezept prostate (gland) e Prostata prostate cancer r Prostatakrebs psoriasis e Schuppenflechte Q quack (doctor) r Quacksalber quack remedy s Mittelchen, e Quacksalberkur/e Quacksalberpille quinine s Chinin R rabies e Tollwut rash (n.) r Ausschlag rehab e Reha, e Rehabilitierung rehab center s Reha-Zentrum (-Zentren) rheumatism s Rheuma rubella Röteln (pl.) S salivary gland e Speicheldrüse (-n) salve, ointment e Salbe (-n) SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) s SARS (Schweres akutes Atemnotsyndrom) scurvy r Skorbut sedative, tranquilizer s Beruhigungsmittel shot, injection e Spritze (-n) side effects Nebenwirkungen (pl.) smallpox e Pocken (pl.) smallpox vaccination e Pockenimpfung sonography e Sonografie sonogram s Sonogramm (-e) sprain e Verstauchung STD (sexually transmitted disease) e Geschlechtskrankheit (-en) stomach r Magen stomach ache s Bauchweh, Magenbeschwerden (pl.) stomach cancer r Magenkrebs stomach ulcer s Magengeschwür surgeon r Chirurg (-en), e Chirurgin (-innen) syphilis e Syphilis T tablet, pill e Tablette (-n), e Pille (-n) TBE (tick-borne encephalitis) Frühsommer-Meningoenzephalitis (FSME) temperaturehe has a temperature e Temperatur (-en)er hat Fieber thermal imaging e Thermografie thermometer s Thermometer (-) tissue (skin, etc.) s Gewebe (-) tomographyCAT/CT scan, computer tomography e Tomografiee Computertomografie tonsilitis e Mandelentzündung tranquilizer, sedative s Beruhigungsmittel triglyceride s Triglyzerid (Triglyzeride, pl.) tuberculosis e Tuberkulose tuberculin s Tuberkulin typhoid fever, typhus r Typhus U ulcer s Geschwür ulcerous (adj.) geschwürig urologist r Urologe, e Urologin urology e Urologie V vaccinate (v.) impfen vaccination (n.)smallpox vaccination e Impfung (-en)e Pockenimpfung vaccine (n.) r Impfstoff varicose vein e Krampfader vasectomy e Vasektomie vascular vaskulär, Gefäß- (in compounds) vascular disease e Gefäßkrankheit vein e Vene (-n), e Ader (-n) venereal disease, VD e Geschlechtskrankheit (-en) virus s Virus virus/viral infection e Virusinfektion vitamin s Vitamin vitamin deficiency r Vitaminmangel W wart e Warze (-n) wound (n.) e Wunde (-n) X X-ray (n.) e Röntgenaufnahme, s Röntgenbild X-ray (v.) durchleuchten, eine Röntgenaufnahme machen Y yellow fever - s Gelbfieber German Dental Vocabulary When you have a dental emergency, it can be difficult to discuss your issue when you don't know the language. If you're in a German-speaking country, you will find it very useful to rely on this small glossary to help you explain to the dentist what is bothering you. It's also useful as he explains your treatment options. Be ready to expand you "Z" vocabulary in German. The word "tooth" is der Zahn in German, so you will use it often in the dentist office. As a reminder, here is the glossary's key to help you understand some of the abbreviations. Noun Genders: r (der, masc.), e (die, fem.), s (das, neu.)Abbreviations: adj. (adjective), adv. (adverb), Br. (British), n. (noun), v. (verb), pl. (plural) English Deutsch amalgam (dental filling) s Amalgam anaesthesia/anesthesia e Betäubung/e Narkose anaesthetic/anestheticgeneral anestheticlocal anesthetic s Betäubungsmittel/s Narkosemittele Vollnarkoseörtliche Betäubung (to) bleach, whiten (v.) bleichen brace(s) e Klammer (-n), e Spange (-n), e Zahnspange (-n), e Zahnklammer (-n) crown, cap (tooth)tooth crown e Kronee Zahnkrone dentist (m.) r Zahnarzt (-ärzte) (m.), e Zahnärztin (-ärztinnen) (f.) dental assistant, dental nurse r Zahnarzthelfer (-, m.), e Zahnarzthelferin (-nen) (f.) dental (adj.) zahnärztlich dental floss e Zahnseide dental hygiene, dental care e Zahnpflege dental technician r Zahntechniker denture(s)denture setfalse teeth r Zahnersatze Zahnprothesefalsche Zähne, künstliche Zähne (to) drill (v.)drill bohrenr Bohrer (-), e Bohrmaschine (-n) fee(s)sum total of fees (on dental bill)service provideditemization of services s Honorar (-e)Summe Honoraree Leistunge Leistungsgliederung filling(s)(tooth) filling(s)to fill (tooth) e Füllung (-en), e Zahnfüllung (-)e Plombe (-n)plombieren fluoridation, fluoride treatment e Fluoridierung gum, gums s Zahnfleisch gingivitis, gum infection e Zahnfleischentzündung periodontology (gum treatment/care) e Parodontologie periodontosis (shrinking gums) e Parodontose plaque, tartar, calculusplaque, tartar, calculustartar, calculus (hard coating)plaque (soft coating) r Belag (Beläge)r Zahnbelagharter Zahnbelagweicher Zahnbelag prophylaxis (teeth cleaning) e Prophylaxe removal (of plaque, tooth, etc.) e Entfernung root r Wurzel root-canal work e Wurzelkanalbehandlung, e Zahnwurzelbehandlung sensitive (gums, teeth, etc.) (adj.) empfindlich tooth (teeth)tooth surface(s) r Zahn (Zähne)e Zahnfläche (-n) toothache r Zahnweh, e Zahnschmerzen (pl.) tooth enamel r Zahnschmelz treatment(s) e Behandlung (-en) Disclaimer: This glossary is not intended to offer any medical or dental advice. It is for general information and vocabulary reference only. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Flippo, Hyde. "German Medical and Dental Vocabulary." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/german-medical-and-dental-vocabulary-4070966. Flippo, Hyde. (2021, July 31). German Medical and Dental Vocabulary. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/german-medical-and-dental-vocabulary-4070966 Flippo, Hyde. "German Medical and Dental Vocabulary." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/german-medical-and-dental-vocabulary-4070966 (accessed March 23, 2023). copy citation Featured Video By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies