Language/Afrikaans/Vocabulary/Health

Afrikaans Vocabulary - Health

Hi Afrikaans learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will be focusing on health-related vocabulary in Afrikaans. It's essential to know the words and phrases used when discussing health, whether it be with a doctor or expressing how you're feeling to a friend. So let's get started!

Finish this lesson and explore these related pages: Verbs & Basic phrases.

Basic Health Vocabulary

Let's start with the basics. Here are some commonly used health-related words and phrases:

Afrikaans	Pronunciation	English
gesondheid	[ɣəˈsʊnt.ˌɦeit]	health
siek	[siə̯k]	sick
medisyne	[mɛˈdisiːnə]	medicine
siekbed	[siə̯k.bɛt]	sickbed
koors	[koːrs]	fever
pyn	[ˈpəin]	pain
dokter	[ˈdɔktər]	doctor
hospitaal	[hɔspiˈtaːl]	hospital

To put these words into context, here's a short dialogue:

• Person 1: Ek voel nie goed nie. (I don't feel good.)
• Person 2: Het jy pyn? (Do you have pain?)
• Person 1: Ja, my keel is seer. (Yes, my throat hurts.)
• Person 2: Jy moet dalk 'n dokter sien. (You may need to see a doctor.)

Symptoms and Conditions

Now, let's move on to discussing specific symptoms and conditions. Here are some words and phrases related to common symptoms:

Afrikaans	Pronunciation	English
hoofpyn	[ˈhuəf.pəin]	headache
maagpyn	[maˈɑχ.pəin]	stomach ache
koorsig	[ˈkoː.r.siχ]	feverish
hoestig	[ˈhuəs.tiχ]	coughing
verkoue	[fərˈkou.ə]	cold
gebarste lippe	[ərˈbart.stə ˈlɪp.ə]	chapped lips

Here's an example of how to use these words in a dialogue:

• Person 1: Ek het hoofpyn en maagpyn. (I have a headache and a stomach ache.)
• Person 2: Het jy koorsig of hoestig? (Do you have a fever or cough?)
• Person 1: Nee, net 'n verkoue. (No, just a cold.)

Now let's move on to more specific conditions:

Afrikaans	Pronunciation	English
diabetes	[diə̯ˈbiː.tis]	diabetes
astma	[ˈas.tma]	asthma
hartkloppings	[ˈhɑːrt.klɔp.pɪŋs]	palpitations
allergie	[ˈal.ər.χi]	allergy
breuk	[brœk]	fracture
beroerte	[bəˈruər.tə]	stroke

And a dialogue:

• Person 1: My pa het diabetes. (My dad has diabetes.)
• Person 2: Ek het 'n allergie vir katte. (I'm allergic to cats.)
• Person 1: My suster het 'n beenbreuk. (My sister has a broken leg.)

Medical Personnel

When it comes to healthcare, it's important to know who is who. Here are some words related to medical personnel:

Afrikaans	Pronunciation	English
dokter	[ˈdɔktər]	doctor
verpleegster	[vər.ˈpliχ.stər]	nurse
tandarts	[ˈtɐnt.ɑχtst]	dentist
oogarts	[ˈoəx.ɑxtst]	eye doctor

Here's a dialogue featuring medical personnel:

• Person 1: Ek gaan 'n afspraak maak by die tandarts. (I'm going to make an appointment with the dentist.)
• Person 2: Gaan jy alleen? (Are you going alone?)
• Person 1: Nee, my vriendin gaan saam as my ondersteuning. (No, my friend is going with me for support.)

Conclusion

That's it for this health-related Afrikaans lesson! Remember, you can always check out native speakers of Afrikaans on Polyglot Club and ask them any questions you may have. 😊 Be sure to also check out the Vocabulary page on our wiki for even more words and phrases in Afrikaans!

---

➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Now that you've completed this lesson, don't stop learning! Check out these related topics: Drinks & Food.

Other Lessons

• Animals
• Colors
• Problems
• Days of the Week
• Clothes
• Family
• Feelings and Emotions
• Basic phrases
• Verbs
• Idiomatic Expressions

Sources

• The translation of the Vertigo Symptom Scale into Afrikaans: a pilot ...
• The core vocabulary of South African Afrikaans-speaking Grade R ...
• Afrikaans Vocabulary - Health