Japanese Doctor Visit Phrases: Symptoms, Pain and Questions

For a Japanese doctor visit, start with the symptom, the timing, and your request: say what hurts, how long it has been going on, and whether you need an appointment or emergency care. If you have severe chest pain, trouble breathing, sudden weakness, or other stroke-like symptoms, do not focus on perfect phrasing - call 119 or seek urgent help first. (jnto.go.jp)

Key takeaways

• The most useful pattern is: [body part] + ga itai desu / [symptom] + ga arimasu + itsu kara + onegaishimasu. (jnto.go.jp)
• For urgent symptoms, Japan's official guidance says to call an ambulance rather than trying to manage it as a routine clinic visit. (kakarikata.mhlw.go.jp)
• At reception, it is reasonable to ask for a rough treatment-cost estimate, and JNTO notes that many clinics accept cash only. (jnto.go.jp)
• If you are unsure which department to visit, JNTO maps common symptoms to departments such as internal medicine, orthopedics, ENT, or general diagnosis. (jnto.go.jp)

In this guide: Start with the exact phrases | Say pain and symptoms naturally | Ask doctor questions clearly | Know when it is urgent | What reception may ask | How we researched

Start with the exact phrases

If you only memorize a few lines, use these.

These forms stay polite and simple. Japanese medical guides for visitors also use a point-and-say approach, where you describe the symptom and severity directly. (jnto.go.jp)

Say pain and symptoms naturally

A doctor visit in Japan is easier if you speak in short chunks. A natural pattern is: symptom + location + timing + severity.

Examples:

• 頭が痛いです。 - Atama ga itai desu. - I have a headache. (jnto.go.jp)
• 喉が痛いです。 - Nodo ga itai desu. - My throat hurts. (jnto.go.jp)
• お腹が痛いです。 - Onaka ga itai desu. - My stomach hurts. (jnto.go.jp)
• 胸が苦しいです。 - Mune ga kurushii desu. - I feel chest tightness or breathing discomfort. This can be urgent if severe. (kakarikata.mhlw.go.jp)
• めまいがします。 - Memai ga shimasu. - I feel dizzy. (jnto.go.jp)

For pain, add a simple intensity word if you need it:

• 少し - sukoshi - a little
• かなり - kanari - quite a lot
• とても - totemo - very
• すごく - sugoku - extremely, casual but common

If the doctor needs more detail, say whether the pain is sharp, dull, constant, or comes and goes. JNTO's symptom sheet is designed exactly for this kind of description. (jnto.go.jp)

Ask doctor questions clearly

These questions help you move from symptoms to action.

• どうしましたか。 - Dou shimashita ka? - What seems to be the problem? You may hear this from staff or a doctor.
• どこが悪いですか。 - Doko ga warui desu ka? - Where is the problem?
• いつからですか。 - Itsu kara desu ka? - Since when?
• 薬は必要ですか。 - Kusuri wa hitsuyou desu ka? - Do I need medicine?
• 検査が必要ですか。 - Kensa ga hitsuyou desu ka? - Do I need tests?
• 何科ですか。 - Nanika desu ka? - Which department should I go to?
• 次はどうすればいいですか。 - Tsugi wa dou sureba ii desu ka? - What should I do next?

If you are not sure which department to choose, JNTO's guide links common symptoms to departments: for example, fever and sore throat often go to internal medicine, joint pain to orthopedics, and toothache to oral health. (jnto.go.jp)

Know when it is urgent

Some symptoms should move you out of phrasebook mode and into emergency mode. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare says to call an ambulance for sudden severe headache, sudden high fever, sudden trouble speaking, chest tightness or severe pain, sudden shortness of breath, and sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body. (kakarikata.mhlw.go.jp)

Useful emergency phrases:

• 救急車を呼んでください。 - Kyuukyuusha o yonde kudasai. - Please call an ambulance. (jnto.go.jp)
• 胸が痛いです。 - Mune ga itai desu. - My chest hurts.
• 息が苦しいです。 - Iki ga kurushii desu. - I am having trouble breathing.
• 片方の腕に力が入りません。 - Katahou no ude ni chikara ga hairimasen. - I cannot move one arm well.

Do not try to self-diagnose if the symptoms are severe. The official advice is to prioritize emergency care, and Japan's guidance also notes that ambulance and emergency resources are limited, so use them for serious symptoms. (kakarikata.mhlw.go.jp)

What reception may ask

Reception usually wants practical details, not a long story. JNTO advises visitors to ask for a general estimate of treatment cost at reception, and notes that payment by credit card is generally limited to major hospitals while clinics usually take cash only. (jnto.go.jp)

Here are the likely questions and your answers:

If you need to explain medication history or allergies, keep it brief and accurate. That is more useful than trying to speak in full sentences. (jnto.go.jp)

A simple doctor-visit script

Use this as a ready-made sequence.

1. こんにちは。日本語があまり分かりません。 - Hello. I do not understand Japanese well.
2. 頭が痛いです。昨日からです。 - I have a headache. It started yesterday.
3. かなり痛いです。 - It hurts a lot.
4. 検査は必要ですか。 - Do I need tests?
5. 薬は必要ですか。 - Do I need medicine?
6. 次はどうすればいいですか。 - What should I do next?

This works because it gives the doctor the essential medical facts in the order they need them. JNTO's materials also emphasize showing symptoms and their severity directly, which is especially helpful if you are anxious or in pain. (jnto.go.jp)

How to make your Japanese sound polite

For clinics, short polite Japanese is usually better than trying to sound sophisticated. Use -desu / -masu forms, avoid slang, and add onegaishimasu when asking for help. If you need to interrupt or correct yourself, sumimasen is the safest all-purpose opener. For more on softening requests, see Japanese Apology Phrases: Sumimasen, Gomen and Moushiwake and, for workplace-style politeness patterns, How to Disagree Politely in Japanese at Work and With Friends.

If you want to practice the wording out loud before a real visit, Start free Japanese speaking practice lets you rehearse spoken phrases in a low-pressure format. SoraSpeak currently offers 3 free spoken sessions per day with no credit card, which can be useful if you want to drill the same medical lines until they feel natural.

A quick checklist before you go

1. Write down your main symptom in one sentence.
2. Add when it started.
3. Add how severe it is.
4. Bring your medication list and allergy list.
5. If you may need to pay out of pocket, bring cash unless the clinic confirms another method. (jnto.go.jp)
6. If symptoms are severe or sudden, call 119 instead of waiting. (kakarikata.mhlw.go.jp)

How we researched

We used current official Japanese sources for emergency guidance, symptom-to-department mapping, and visitor-facing hospital communication. The main references were JNTO's emergency medical guide and symptom sheet, plus Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare guidance on when to call an ambulance and how to seek medical care in Japan. This article is a public-language phrasing guide, not medical advice. If symptoms are severe or worsening, contact emergency services or a medical professional immediately. (jnto.go.jp)

Sources

• JNTO - Guide for when you are feeling ill
• JNTO - How to use medical institutions and important points (PDF)
• MHLW - When to call 119
• MHLW - How to seek medical care
• Government Public Relations Office - How to use an ambulance

About SoraSpeak: SoraSpeak is an AI Japanese speaking-practice web app at https://soraspeak.com. It offers 3 free spoken sessions a day with no credit card. Support: soraspeaksupport@gmail.com.

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