Describing cough symptoms before calling a clinic | Learn Dutch in English

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Use Describing cough symptoms before calling a clinic to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Ik moet de kliniek bellen omdat mijn hoest niet beter wordt.

ik MOOT duh klee-NEEK BEL-uhn om-DAHT mine HOOST neet BAY-ter vurt I need to call the clinic because my cough is not getting better.

Vertel wat er veranderd is en waar je je het meeste zorgen over maakt.

ver-TELL waht ur vur-AHN-durt iss en vahr yuh yuh ut MAY-stuh ZOR-gun OH-vur mahkt Tell them what has changed and what worries you most.

Het is erger geworden en ik voel me koortsig en moe.

ut iss ERR-gur vur-GOH-dun en ik fool muh KOORT-sikh en moo It has gotten worse, and I feel feverish and tired.

Vertel wanneer het begon en of iets heeft geholpen.

ver-TELL vah-NAIR ut buh-GON en off eets hayft huh-HOL-pun Mention when it started and whether anything has helped.

Ik moet ook weten wat ik moet doen als het vanavond erger wordt.

ik MOOT ohk VAY-tun waht ik MOOT DOON ahls ut vah-NAH-vunt ERR-gur vurt I also need to know what to do if it gets worse tonight.

Vraag waar je heen moet als je snel hulp nodig hebt.

vrahk vahr yuh HAYN MOOT ahls yuh SNELL HULP NOH-dikh hept Ask where you should go if you need help quickly.

Ik schrijf de belangrijkste punten op voordat ik bel.

ik SKRIFE duh buh-LAHNG-rike-stuh POON-tun OP voo-DAHT ik BELL I will write the main points down before I call.

Dat zou het telefoongesprek voor jullie allebei duidelijker moeten maken.

daht zow ut tay-luh-FOHN-guh-SPRAYK fohr YOW-lee AH-luh-BYE DOY-duh-luh-kur MOOT-un MAH-kun That should make the call clearer for both of you.

Word by Word

Ik Ik means “I” and identifies the speaker in “Ik moet de kliniek bellen”. It is used when talking about your own action, need, or experience, such as when explaining your symptoms to a clinic.

moet Moet expresses that the speaker needs to do something in “Ik moet de kliniek bellen”. It is used before an action such as bellen to state a necessity, for example when urgent contact is needed.

de De means “the” before kliniek in “de kliniek”. Use it with this noun when referring to the specific clinic being contacted, especially while arranging medical help.

kliniek Kliniek means “clinic”, the medical place mentioned in “de kliniek”. Use it when naming the healthcare service or place you need to contact.

bellen Bellen means “to call” in “de kliniek bellen”. After moet, it names the action that is necessary; use it when saying that you need to contact a person or service by phone.

omdat Omdat means “because” and introduces the reason in “omdat mijn hoest niet beter wordt”. Use it to connect an action with its reason, such as explaining why you are calling a clinic.

mijn Mijn means “my” and shows that the cough belongs to or affects the speaker in “mijn hoest”. Use it before something connected with you when describing your own symptoms.

hoest Hoest means “cough” in “mijn hoest”. It names the symptom being discussed; use it when describing a cough to a healthcare professional.

niet Niet makes the statement negative in “niet beter wordt”, so the cough is not improving. Use it before the part of a sentence you want to deny, especially when reporting that a symptom has not changed positively.

beter Beter means “better” in “niet beter wordt”. Together with wordt, it describes improvement; use it when talking about whether a symptom or condition is improving.

wordt Wordt means “gets” or “becomes” in “niet beter wordt”, describing a change in the cough. It is used with a word such as beter or erger to report how a condition is changing.

Vertel Vertel is a direct request meaning “tell” in “Vertel wat er veranderd is”. Use it when asking someone to provide information, such as details about changed symptoms.

wat Wat means “what” in “wat er veranderd is” and introduces the information that should be told. Use it to ask or refer to the content of an answer, especially when identifying what has changed.

er Er helps introduce the impersonal wording in “wat er veranderd is”; it does not refer to a specific place here. Use this kind of form when describing what has changed without naming a separate subject at that point.

veranderd Veranderd means “changed” in “wat er veranderd is”. It describes a difference from an earlier situation; use it when telling a clinic about recent changes in symptoms or circumstances.

is Is helps express the completed change in “wat er veranderd is” and also appears in “Het is erger geworden”. Use it in these change descriptions when reporting the current result of something that happened.

en En means “and” and joins related information, as in “veranderd is en waar je je het meeste zorgen over maakt”. Use it to add another symptom, concern, or question to the same report.

waar Waar means “what” in “waar je je het meeste zorgen over maakt”, asking which matter causes the most concern rather than asking about a place. Use this construction when describing the issue that worries you.

je Je means “you” in “waar je je het meeste zorgen over maakt”. The first je identifies the person who is worried; use it when addressing someone about their own concerns.

het Het contributes to “het meeste”, meaning “the most”, and it is also the article in “het telefoongesprek”. Its meaning depends on the phrase: it marks the superlative expression in the first case and the specific conversation in the second.

meeste Meeste means “most” in “je je het meeste zorgen over maakt”. It indicates the greatest level of concern; use this expression when identifying the worry that matters most.

zorgen Zorgen refers to worries or concerns in “je je het meeste zorgen over maakt”. The whole expression means “to worry about”; use it when explaining what is causing emotional concern before a medical call.

over Over means “about” in “waar je je het meeste zorgen over maakt”. It links the worries to their subject; use it after this concern expression to name what someone is worried about.

maakt Maakt means “makes” or “causes” within “je je het meeste zorgen over maakt”. In this expression, it helps describe what causes someone’s worries; use the same construction when asking about a concern.

erger Erger means “worse” in “Het is erger geworden”. It describes a negative change in the condition; use it when reporting that a symptom has intensified.

geworden Geworden completes “erger geworden”, meaning “gotten worse”. Use “is ... geworden” to describe a change that has led to the current condition, such as a symptom becoming more severe.

voel Voel means “feel” in “ik voel me koortsig en moe”. With me, it introduces the speaker’s physical or personal state; use it when describing how you feel during a medical conversation.

me Me refers back to the speaker in “voel me”, so the phrase describes how the speaker feels. Use it with voel when reporting your own condition, such as feeling feverish or tired.

koortsig Koortsig means “feverish” in “ik voel me koortsig”. It describes the speaker’s felt condition; use it when reporting a possible fever or fever-like feeling to a healthcare professional.

moe Moe means “tired” in “ik voel me koortsig en moe”. It describes the speaker’s physical state; use it when adding tiredness to a symptom report.

wanneer Wanneer means “when” in “wanneer het begon”. It asks about the time an event started; use it when giving a clinic the beginning of a symptom.

begon Begon means “started” in “wanneer het begon”. It identifies the beginning of the symptom or problem; use it when explaining when something first appeared.

of Of means “whether” in “of iets heeft geholpen”, introducing a yes-or-no point inside the question. Use it when asking whether a treatment, action, or other factor had an effect.

iets Iets means “anything” or “something” in “of iets heeft geholpen”. It leaves the possible helpful action unspecified; use it when asking generally whether any measure has helped.

heeft Heeft helps ask whether something has helped in “iets heeft geholpen”. It connects the possible earlier help with the present assessment; use it when checking the result of an action or treatment.

geholpen Geholpen means “helped” in “iets heeft geholpen”. It describes a beneficial effect being checked; use it when telling a clinic whether something improved the symptoms.

ook Ook means “also” in “Ik moet ook weten wat ik moet doen”. It adds another need to the need already mentioned; use it when introducing an additional question or concern.

weten Weten means “to know” in “moet ook weten wat ik moet doen”. After moet, it names the knowledge the speaker needs; use it when asking for information about the next action.

doen Doen means “to do” in “wat ik moet doen”. It refers to the action that is required in the situation; use this wording when asking what steps to take if symptoms worsen.

als Als means “if” in “als het vanavond erger wordt”. It introduces the condition under which an action may be needed; use it when discussing what to do if a medical situation changes.

vanavond Vanavond means “tonight” and sets the time in “als het vanavond erger wordt”. Use it when discussing a possible change later on the same day, such as symptoms becoming worse at night.

Vraag Vraag is a direct request meaning “ask” in “Vraag waar je heen moet”. Use it when telling someone to seek specific information, such as where to go for quick medical help.

heen Heen adds direction in “waar je heen moet”, referring to the destination someone should go to. Use it with a destination question when asking where help can be found.

snel Snel means “quickly” in “snel hulp nodig hebt”. It describes the need for prompt help; use it when explaining that assistance is needed without delay.

hulp Hulp means “help” in “snel hulp nodig hebt”. It names the assistance that may be required; use it when telling a clinic or emergency service that support is needed.

nodig Nodig marks something as needed in “hulp nodig hebt”. Together with the surrounding expression, it says that someone needs help; use it when describing the assistance required in a situation.

hebt Hebt contributes to the expression “hulp nodig hebt”, which means that you need help. Use this form when addressing someone about what assistance they require, for example while discussing whether quick help is necessary.

schrijf Schrijf means “write” in “Ik schrijf de belangrijkste punten op”. Here it states the speaker’s plan to record information before calling; use it when organizing notes for a conversation.

bel Bel means “call” in “voordat ik bel”. It refers to making the phone call that will follow the preparation; use it when explaining that you will contact a person or service.

belangrijkste Belangrijkste means “main” or “most important” in “de belangrijkste punten”. It selects the information that matters most; use it when deciding what details to mention during a clinic call.

punten Punten means “points” in “de belangrijkste punten”. Here it refers to the main items or details to discuss; use it when making a short list for a conversation.

op Op is the particle in “schrijf de belangrijkste punten op”, giving the writing action the meaning “write down”. Use this particle with the writing-down construction when recording important information before a call.

voordat Voordat means “before” in “voordat ik bel”. It places the note-taking earlier than the phone call; use it to organize two actions in time.

Dat Dat means “that” and refers to the preceding plan in “Dat zou het telefoongesprek ... moeten maken”. Use it to comment on an action or situation that has just been mentioned.

zou Zou presents an expected or suggested result in “Dat zou ... moeten maken”, rather than stating it as a direct certainty. Use it when explaining what an action is expected to achieve.

telefoongesprek Telefoongesprek means “telephone conversation” in “het telefoongesprek”. It names the call as an exchange between people; use it when discussing the quality or purpose of a planned phone conversation.

voor Voor means “for” in “voor jullie allebei”. It shows who benefits from the clearer conversation; use it before the person or people for whom something is useful.

jullie Jullie means “you” for the two people addressed in “jullie allebei”. Use it when speaking to more than one person, such as two adults organizing a medical call together.

allebei Allebei means “both” in “jullie allebei”. It emphasizes that the statement applies to each of the two people; use it when referring to two people together.

duidelijker Duidelijker means “clearer” in “duidelijker moeten maken”. It describes an improvement in how understandable the phone conversation will be; use it when an action makes information easier to follow.

moeten Moeten expresses “should” in “zou ... moeten maken”, presenting the expected effect of the preparation. Use “zou ... moeten” when saying that something is expected to produce a result.

maken Maken means “make” or “cause to become” in “duidelijker moeten maken”. With an object and a result such as duidelijker, it describes producing a change; use it when explaining what an action will improve.

Grammar Points

opschrijven → schrijf ... op

Schrijf punten op.

SKRIFE POON-tun OP

Write down points.

In Dutch, a separable verb splits in the sentence: the prefix op moves to the end.

belangrijk → belangrijkste

het belangrijkste punt

ut buh-LAHNG-rike-stuh POONT

the most important point

The superlative uses -ste. With a definite noun, use the article and adjective together.

Dutch Vocabulary

bellen verb

BEL-uhn to call

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beter adj

BAY-ter better

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erger adj

ERR-gur worse

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hoest noun

HOOST cough

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kliniek noun

klee-NEEK clinic

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koortsig adj

KOORT-sikh feverish

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moe adj

MOO tired

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omdat conj

om-DAHT because

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veranderen verb

vur-AHN-dur-un to change veranderd

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vertellen verb

vur-TELL-un to tell Vertel

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worden verb

VOR-dun to become; to get wordt

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zich zorgen maken phrase

zikh ZOR-gun MAH-kun to worry je je het meeste zorgen over maakt

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Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to tell

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Vertel

to change

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veranderd

to call

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bellen

better

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beter