Learn Romanian for Medical Situations in Romania
Understanding healthcare terminology can be crucial when you’re living in a new country. Whether you’re settling in Romania long-term or you’re just getting started with your Romanian language journey, it’s important to learn Romanian vocabulary and expressions related to medical visits. Among the early topics in beginner courses, one important lesson covers how to navigate the Romanian medical system, communicate your symptoms, and interact with doctors or nurses. These are life-saving skills for any foreigner in Romania.
How the Romanian Healthcare System Works
In Romania, there are two main options when it comes to medical care: public hospitals (spital) and private clinics (cabinet medical). The public system offers accessible and widespread services, though appointments may take longer. Private clinics are faster and more comfortable, but they often require additional costs.
When you visit a medical center, you’ll need to check in at the reception (recepție) and then wait for your appointment (programare). You may interact with different staff: a medic (doctor), an asistentă (nurse), or even a farmacist (pharmacist) if you need medication (medicamente).
Common places include:
Spital – hospital
Cabinet medical – doctor’s office
Farmacie – pharmacy
Ambulanță – ambulance
Understanding these terms helps you get the right assistance faster.
Describing Symptoms in Romanian
When visiting a doctor, you’ll need to explain how you’re feeling. This includes expressing pain (durere) or discomfort and naming body parts (părți ale corpului) accurately.
Key phrases to practice:
Mă doare capul. – My head hurts.
Am febră. – I have a fever.
Tușesc. – I am coughing.
Mi-e rău. – I feel sick.
You’ll also learn how to answer basic questions:
Ce simțiți? – What do you feel?
Unde vă doare? – Where does it hurt?
De când aveți simptome? – Since when have you had symptoms?
Visiting a Hospital: What to Expect
One of the lessons focuses on understanding what happens during a hospital visit in Romania. You’ll learn how to:
Explain your condition or injury.
Ask for help politely using expressions like “Vă rog” (please) and “Am nevoie de ajutor” (I need help).
Understand instructions from medical personnel, such as “Luați loc” (Take a seat) or “Completați acest formular” (Fill in this form).
There’s also emphasis on recognizing visual and contextual clues, such as signs in hospitals or pharmacies, and how to behave during emergencies.
Practice with Real-Life Scenarios
During the course, students are invited to role-play hospital visits, simulate filling out a patient form, or match symptoms to the right treatment or doctor. This kind of practical approach builds both confidence and fluency in a meaningful, contextualized way.
Sample dialogues include:
Asking for a consultation: „Aș dori o consultație, vă rog.”
Describing pain: „Am o durere puternică de stomac.”
Understanding advice: „Trebuie să luați acest medicament de trei ori pe zi.”
These exercises ensure that learners not only memorize vocabulary but also use it naturally.
Take Your Romanian Further with Us
If you’re serious about becoming fluent in real-life Romanian, especially for vital scenarios like visiting a doctor or pharmacy, our structured and immersive courses are exactly what you need. With our guidance, you’ll confidently handle not just day-to-day conversations but also unexpected challenges. Explore more of our tailored Romanian lessons for practical topics that matter most to you.
Join Our Romanian Language Courses for Practical Communication Skills
From the doctor’s office to everyday shopping, mastering Romanian gives you the freedom and confidence to live fully in Romania. Our lessons are built around real-life contexts and practical use. Join our courses today and experience a language class designed with your needs in mind—clear, effective, and always rooted in real communication. Let’s learn Romanian together! 🇷🇴
Visit our resource page for grammar guides, dictionaries, and pronunciation support.
Disclaimer: This article was developed with the support of AI tools, based on original ideas created by our team. The content was carefully reviewed, edited, and adapted by a human to ensure accuracy, clarity, and relevance for learners of Romanian.
Learn more about how we write our content.