Hebrew at the Doctor's Office: Phrases That Could Save You

Going to a doctor's office in another country is stressful under the best conditions. Doing it in Hebrew when you don't speak the language is worse. Good news: Israeli medical staff in major cities speak excellent English. Slightly better news: a handful of Hebrew phrases can make the whole experience smoother and faster. Here's what you need.

Where to go

In Israel, medical care is split between:

• Beit cholim, hospital. For emergencies and serious cases.
• Kupat cholim, health fund clinic. Most Israelis are members of one of four national health funds, which run local clinics.
• Mirpa'a pratit, private clinic. Faster service, you pay out of pocket.
• Beit mirqahat, pharmacy. Literally "house of medicines".

For minor issues as a tourist, a private clinic is often the fastest option. For emergencies, go to any hospital ER, which are called chadar miyun.

Basic phrases at the check-in desk

• Ani lo margish tov, I don't feel well (masc).
• Ani tzarich rofe, I need a doctor.
• Yesh li kev be-..., I have pain in... (followed by a body part).
• Ani mi-chutz la-aretz, I'm from abroad.
• Yesh li bituach, I have insurance.

Describing symptoms

When you see the doctor, you'll need to describe what's wrong:

• Ke'ev, pain. Yesh li ke'ev rosh, I have a headache.
• Chom, fever. Yesh li chom, I have a fever.
• Shi'ul, cough. Ani mishte'el, I'm coughing.
• Bchila, nausea. Yesh li bchila, I'm nauseous.
• Sachrchoret, dizziness.
• Shilshul, diarrhea.
• Atzirut, constipation.
• Poshet... or perichah, rash.
• Ani medamem, I'm bleeding.
• Shavarti, I broke (something). "Shavarti et ha-yad", I broke my hand.

Duration and intensity

• Me-etmol, since yesterday.
• Me-shavua, for a week.
• Choshevet she-ze chamur, I think it's serious.
• Lo nora, not terrible.
• Mamash ke'ev, real pain.
• Tzarich tipul dachuf, need urgent care.

Allergies and medications

• Yesh li alergiya le-..., I'm allergic to... (e.g., penicilin, penicillin).
• Ani lokeach (tavla), I take (pills). Masculine version.
• Tavla, pill. Antibiotika, antibiotics.
• Mirsham, prescription.

At the pharmacy

After seeing the doctor, you may need to pick up medicine:

• Yesh li mirsham, I have a prescription.
• Ma tzarich la'assot im ze?, what do I do with this?
• Shalosh pe'amim ba-yom, three times a day.
• Le-chamisha yamim, for five days.
• Acharei ochel, after eating.

Getting test results

• Yesh li tsuvot?, do I have results?
• Matai ha-tsuvot yihyu mochanot?, when will the results be ready?
• Zeh beseder, it's fine.
• Yesh problema, there's a problem.

Insurance and paying

Tourists usually pay out of pocket and claim back on their travel insurance later. Key phrases:

• Kama ze oleh?, how much does this cost?
• Efshar lekabel kabalah?, can I get a receipt?
• Ani tayar ve-ein li kupat cholim, I'm a tourist and don't have Israeli health insurance.

Get a receipt and a written summary of your visit. Travel insurance companies will want both.

A word about Israeli doctors

Israeli doctors are known for being direct, confident, and fast. They'll get to the point quickly and may skip the bedside manner you're used to. Don't take it personally, it's the culture. If you want more explanation, just ask: Efshar lehasbir li od? (can you explain more?).

Most Israeli doctors under 50 speak strong English, and many speak multiple languages. Don't be shy to ask if they speak English.

Save this post

If you're traveling to Israel and don't know when you might need medical help, save or print this page. Having these phrases ready for the first 30 seconds of a medical interaction can dramatically speed things up.

For more vocabulary and phrases in context, our topics pages include body parts and health, and our phrases section has emergency-related sentences.

I hope you never need this post. If you do, these phrases will help.