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 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. our editorial process Hyde Flippo Updated 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 acne pimples e Akne Pickel (pl.) ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) ADS (Aufmerksamkeits-Defizit-Störung) ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) ADHS (Aufmerksamkeits-Defizit und Hyperaktivitäts-Störung) addict become addicted/an addict drug addict r/e Süchtige süchtig werden r/e Drogensüchtige addiction e Sucht AIDS AIDS victim s AIDS e/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/anesthetic general anesthetic local anesthetic s Betäubungsmittel/s Narkosemittel e Vollnarkose örtliche 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 Blut s Blutbild e Blutvergiftung r Blutdruck r Bluthochdruck r Blutzucker e Blutprobe e Blutgruppe e Bluttransfusion bloody blutig botulism r Botulismus bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) die Bovine Spongiforme Enzephalopathie, die BSE breast cancer r Brustkrebs BSE, “mad cow” disease the BSE crisis e BSE, r Rinderwahn e BSE-Krise C Caesarean, C section She had a (baby by) Caesarean. r Kaiserschnitt Sie 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 chronisch eine 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 Klon klonen s Klonen (a) cold, head cold to have a cold eine Erkältung, r Schnupfen einen 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 contagion contact disease s Contagium e 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 Kur eine 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 cancer she died of heart failure many people died/lost their lives sterben, ums Leben kommen er starb an Krebs sie ist an Herzversagen gestorben viele Menschen kamen ums Leben disease, illness contagious 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 emergency in an emergency r Notfall im Notfall emergency room/ward e Unfallstation emergency services Hilfsdienste (pl.) environment e Umwelt F fever s Fieber first aid administer/give first aid erste Hilfe erste 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 headache headache tablet/pill, aspirin I have a headache. Kopfschmerzen (pl.) e Kopfschmerztablette Ich 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 hemorrhoid hemorrhoidal ointment e Hämorrhoide e Hämorrhoidensalbe hepatitis e Leberentzündung, e Hepatitis high blood pressure r Bluthochdruck (med. arterielle Hypertonie) Hippocratic Oath r hippokratische Eid, r Eid des Hippokrates HIV HIV positive/negative s HIV HIV-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 disease transmitted by ticks e Lyme-Borreliose (also see TBE) von Zecken übertragen M "mad cow" disease, BSE r Rinderwahn, e BSE malaria e Malaria measles German 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 nurse head nurse male 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) temperature he has a temperature e Temperatur (-en) er hat Fieber thermal imaging e Thermografie thermometer s Thermometer (-) tissue (skin, etc.) s Gewebe (-) tomography CAT/CT scan, computer tomography e Tomografie e 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/anesthetic general anesthetic local anesthetic s Betäubungsmittel/s Narkosemittel e Vollnarkose örtliche 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 Krone e 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 set false teeth r Zahnersatz e Zahnprothese falsche Zähne, künstliche Zähne (to) drill (v.) drill bohren r Bohrer (-), e Bohrmaschine (-n) fee(s) sum total of fees (on dental bill) service provided itemization of services s Honorar (-e) Summe Honorare e Leistung e 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, calculus plaque, tartar, calculus tartar, calculus (hard coating) plaque (soft coating) r Belag (Beläge) r Zahnbelag harter Zahnbelag weicher 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.