Everyday Situations
At the Doctor / Clinic — I have a headache, Doctor
Feeling sick? Need to see the doctor? These 5 dialogues teach you how to describe your symptoms, answer the doctor’s questions, and understand instructions in English.
Indian kids often feel shy at the doctor’s clinic. Practice these dialogues and feel confident next time!
💬 Dialogue 1: Priya has a cold and fever
📍 Priya has a cold and fever. Mummy takes her to the doctor.
👧 Priya:Good morning, Doctor. I am not feeling well.
सुप्रभात, डॉक्टर। मेरी तबियत ठीक नहीं है।
👨⚕️ Doctor:Good morning, Priya. What’s the problem? Tell me your symptoms.
सुप्रभात, प्रिया। क्या तकलीफ़ है? अपने लक्षण बताओ।
👧 Priya:I have a headache and a runny nose. I also feel cold.
मेरे सिर में दर्द है और नाक बह रही है। मुझे ठंड भी लग रही है।
👨⚕️ Doctor:Let me check your temperature. Hmm, you have a mild fever.
चलो तुम्हारा तापमान चेक करते हैं। हम्म, तुम्हें हल्का बुखार है।
👧 Priya:Is it serious, Doctor?
क्या ये गंभीर है, डॉक्टर?
👨⚕️ Doctor:No, don’t worry. It’s just a common cold. Take this medicine three times a day.
नहीं, चिंता मत करो। बस सामान्य सर्दी-ज़ुकाम है। ये दवाई दिन में तीन बार लेना।
👧 Priya:Okay, Doctor. Should I go to school tomorrow?
ठीक है, डॉक्टर। क्या मैं कल स्कूल जाऊँ?
👨⚕️ Doctor:Rest at home for two days. Drink warm water and eat healthy food. You will be fine!
दो दिन घर पर आराम करो। गर्म पानी पियो और स्वस्थ खाना खाओ। ठीक हो जाओगी!
✏️ Your Turn — Fill in the Blanks
I am not feeling .
I have a and a runny nose.
Take this medicine times a day.
💬 Dialogue 2: Aarav fell while playing cricket and hurt his knee
📍 Aarav fell while playing cricket and hurt his knee.
👦 Aarav:Ouch! Doctor, I fell down while playing cricket. My knee is bleeding!
आउच! डॉक्टर, मैं क्रिकेट खेलते हुए गिर गया। मेरे घुटने से खून आ रहा है!
👨⚕️ Doctor:Let me have a look. Don’t worry, it’s just a small cut.
मुझे देखने दो। चिंता मत करो, बस छोटा सा कट है।
👦 Aarav:It hurts a lot, Doctor!
बहुत दर्द हो रहा है, डॉक्टर!
👨⚕️ Doctor:I’ll clean it and put a bandage. You are a brave boy!
मैं इसे साफ़ करके पट्टी लगा दूँगा। तुम बहादुर लड़के हो!
👦 Aarav:Will I be able to play cricket again?
क्या मैं फिर से क्रिकेट खेल पाऊँगा?
👨⚕️ Doctor:Of course! But wait for three days. Keep the bandage clean and dry.
बिल्कुल! लेकिन तीन दिन रुको। पट्टी को साफ़ और सूखा रखो।
👦 Aarav:Thank you, Doctor! I will be more careful next time.
धन्यवाद, डॉक्टर! अगली बार और ध्यान रखूँगा।
💬 Dialogue 3: Mummy brings baby Riya for a vaccination
📍 Mummy brings baby Riya for a vaccination.
👩 Mummy:Good morning, Doctor. My daughter Riya needs her vaccination today.
सुप्रभात, डॉक्टर। मेरी बेटी रिया का आज टीकाकरण है।
👨⚕️ Doctor:Yes, she is due for her booster dose. How old is she now?
हाँ, उसकी बूस्टर डोज़ का समय है। अभी कितने साल की है?
👩 Mummy:She is two years old. She is a little scared of injections.
वो दो साल की है। उसे इंजेक्शन से थोड़ा डर लगता है।
👨⚕️ Doctor:Don’t worry! It will be over in a second. Come here, Riya!
चिंता मत कीजिए! एक सेकंड में हो जाएगा। इधर आओ, रिया!
👩 Mummy:Be brave, Riya! The doctor is very gentle.
बहादुर बनो, रिया! डॉक्टर बहुत अच्छे से लगाएँगे।
👨⚕️ Doctor:All done! She was very brave. Give her a toffee!
हो गया! वो बहुत बहादुर थी। उसे एक टॉफ़ी दो!
👩 Mummy:Thank you, Doctor! Say thank you, Riya!
धन्यवाद, डॉक्टर! बोलो थैंक यू, रिया!
💬 Dialogue 4: Rahul goes to the dentist because his tooth hurts
📍 Rahul goes to the dentist because his tooth hurts.
👦 Rahul:Doctor, my tooth hurts when I eat anything cold.
डॉक्टर, जब मैं कुछ ठंडा खाता हूँ तो मेरे दाँत में दर्द होता है।
👨⚕️ Dentist:Open your mouth. Let me check. Hmm, you have a small cavity.
मुँह खोलो। मुझे देखने दो। हम्म, तुम्हारे दाँत में छोटी कैविटी है।
👦 Rahul:A cavity? Is it because I eat too many sweets?
कैविटी? क्या ये इसलिए है क्योंकि मैं बहुत मिठाई खाता हूँ?
👨⚕️ Dentist:Yes, partly. And you need to brush your teeth twice a day. Do you?
हाँ, कुछ हद तक। और तुम्हें दिन में दो बार दाँत साफ़ करने चाहिए। करते हो?
👦 Rahul:I only brush in the morning… not at night.
मैं सिर्फ़ सुबह करता हूँ… रात को नहीं।
👨⚕️ Dentist:That’s the problem! Brush morning AND night. I’ll fill the cavity now.
यही समस्या है! सुबह और रात दोनों बार ब्रश करो। मैं अभी कैविटी भर देता हूँ।
👦 Rahul:Okay, Doctor. I promise I will brush twice from now on!
ठीक है, डॉक्टर। मैं वादा करता हूँ अब से दो बार ब्रश करूँगा!
✏️ Your Turn — Fill in the Blanks
My hurts.
You have a small .
Brush your teeth a day.
💬 Dialogue 5: Sneha can’t see the blackboard clearly
📍 Sneha can’t see the blackboard clearly. Mummy takes her to an eye doctor.
👧 Sneha:Doctor, I can’t see the blackboard from the last bench.
डॉक्टर, मुझे आखिरी बेंच से बोर्ड साफ़ नहीं दिखता।
👩⚕️ Eye Doctor:Since when is this happening?
ये कब से हो रहा है?
👧 Sneha:For about two months. I have to squint to read.
लगभग दो महीने से। मुझे पढ़ने के लिए आँखें सिकोड़नी पड़ती हैं।
👩⚕️ Eye Doctor:Let me test your eyes. Read the letters on this chart.
चलो तुम्हारी आँखें जाँचते हैं। इस चार्ट पर लिखे अक्षर पढ़ो।
👧 Sneha:E… F… P… I can’t see the small letters, Doctor.
E… F… P… मुझे छोटे अक्षर नहीं दिख रहे, डॉक्टर।
👩⚕️ Eye Doctor:You need glasses, Sneha. Don’t worry — many children wear glasses!
तुम्हें चश्मा चाहिए, स्नेहा। चिंता मत करो — बहुत से बच्चे चश्मा पहनते हैं!
👧 Sneha:Will I look funny with glasses?
क्या मैं चश्मे में अजीब दिखूँगी?
👩⚕️ Eye Doctor:Not at all! You will look smart! And you can choose a nice frame in any colour you like!
बिल्कुल नहीं! तुम स्मार्ट दिखोगी! और तुम अपनी पसंद के रंग का अच्छा फ़्रेम चुन सकती हो!
📖 Key Vocabulary
Symptoms
लक्षण — Signs of illness
Fever
बुखार — High body temperature
Headache
सिरदर्द — Pain in the head
Medicine
दवाई — Treatment for illness
Bandage
पट्टी — Cloth to cover a wound
Injection
इंजेक्शन/सुई — Medicine given with needle
Cavity
कैविटी — Hole in a tooth
Prescription
पर्चा — Doctor’s written medicine order
Appointment
अपॉइंटमेंट — Scheduled visit time
Temperature
तापमान — Body heat measurement
🗣️ Key Phrases to Remember
- “I am not feeling well.” — Tell the doctor you’re sick मेरी तबियत ठीक नहीं है।
- “I have a headache / stomach ache.” — Describe your pain मेरे सिर/पेट में दर्द है।
- “It hurts here.” — Point to where it hurts यहाँ दर्द हो रहा है।
- “Take this medicine three times a day.” — Doctor’s instruction ये दवाई दिन में तीन बार लो।
- “Get well soon!” — Wish someone who is sick जल्दी ठीक हो जाओ!
📐 Grammar Spotlight: Describing Symptoms: "I have a…"
Use ‘I have a’ + symptom to tell the doctor what’s wrong
‘I have a headache’ (not ‘my head is paining’). ‘I have a fever’ (not ‘I have fever’ — use ‘a’!). ‘I have a cold’ (common cold). ‘I have a stomach ache’ (tummy pain).
✅ I have a headache.
✅ I have a fever.
✅ I have a cold and runny nose.
✅ I have a stomach ache.
✅ My knee hurts. / It hurts here.
✅ I have a fever.
✅ I have a cold and runny nose.
✅ I have a stomach ache.
✅ My knee hurts. / It hurts here.
❌ My head is paining. ❌ (Say: I have a headache.) | I have fever. ❌ (Say: I have A fever.)
🎭 Doctor Visit Role Play!
- One is ‘Patient’, other is ‘Doctor’.
- Patient enters: ‘Good morning, Doctor. I am not feeling well.’
- Doctor asks: ‘What’s the problem? Tell me your symptoms.’
- Patient describes: headache, fever, cold, tooth pain, etc.
- Doctor gives advice: ‘Take medicine, rest, drink water.’
- Switch roles! Try different illnesses: cold, injury, eye check, dental.
❓ Quiz — Test Yourself!
1. How to tell the doctor you’re sick?
2. ‘I have a headache’ means:
3. Doctor says ‘Take medicine 3 times a day.’ This means:
4. What should you do for a cold?
5. How often should you brush teeth?
6. ‘I have ___ fever.’
7. To wish a sick friend, say:
8. ‘My tooth hurts’ = correct. ‘My tooth is paining’ =
❓ FAQ
How to describe illness in English?
Use ‘I have a…’ + symptom: I have a headache, fever, cold, stomach ache, cough, sore throat. Point and say ‘It hurts here’ for pain locations.
Common mistake: ‘My head is paining’?
This is Indian English. Standard English says ‘I have a headache’ or ‘My head hurts.’ Similarly: ‘My stomach hurts’ not ‘My stomach is paining.’
How to talk to the dentist?
‘My tooth hurts.’ ‘It hurts when I eat cold things.’ ‘I have a cavity.’ ‘I brush once/twice a day.’ ‘I eat too many sweets.’
Health vocabulary for kids?
Fever, cold, cough, headache, stomach ache, sore throat, runny nose, sneeze, vomit, allergy, medicine, tablet, syrup, injection, bandage, plaster.
How to book a doctor’s appointment?
Call and say: ‘I would like to book an appointment with Dr. ___.’ Give your name, describe the problem briefly, and confirm the date and time.