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B1Swedish·47 cards

Healthcare Words on the Phone

The nouns you need to describe a problem and understand the answer.

The words you need before dialling 1177, sorted as the call uses them: the system (vårdcentral, akut, jour), the people, the symptom inventory from feber to andnöd, the everyday illnesses, the medicine shelf, and the process words (remiss, provsvar, tillfrisknande). Bare nouns — the building blocks the other 1177 decks assemble.

Photo emphasizing support for hospital workers with 'Wash Your Hands' message on phone.
Photo: Polina Zimmerman on Pexels
  1. 1

    telefonrådgivning

    telephone advice

    Tip: what 1177 formally is

  2. 2

    vårdcentral

    health centre

    Tip: your first stop for anything non-urgent

  3. 3

    akutmottagning

    emergency department

    Tip: often just called 'akuten'

  4. 4

    jourmottagning

    out-of-hours clinic

    Tip: evenings and weekends

  5. 5

    drop-in

    drop-in

    Tip: English loan, used exactly as in English

  6. 6

    ambulans

    ambulance

    Tip: call 112, not 1177, for emergencies

  7. 7

    sjuksköterska

    nurse

    Tip: who answers when you call 1177

  8. 8

    läkare

    doctor

    Tip: 'doktor' exists but 'läkare' is standard

  9. 9

    specialist

    specialist

    Tip: needs a referral

  10. 10

    remiss

    referral

    Tip: you need one for most specialists

  11. 11

    remissvar

    referral letter

    Tip: the specialist's reply

  12. 12

    journal

    medical record

    Tip: readable online at 1177.se

  13. 13

    personnummer

    personal identity number

    Tip: asked for at every single visit

  14. 14

    legitimation

    ID

    Tip: usually shortened to 'leg'

  15. 15

    kölapp

    queue ticket

    Tip: the paper number at drop-in clinics

  16. 16

    väntetid

    waiting time

    Tip: announced when you call

  17. 17

    symtom

    symptom

    Tip: note the Swedish spelling without the second 'p'

  18. 18

    feber

    fever

    Tip: 'ha feber' = to have a fever

  19. 19

    utslag

    rash

    Tip: also means 'outcome' in other contexts

  20. 20

    illamående

    nausea

    Tip: lit. 'ill-feeling'

  21. 21

    yrsel

    dizziness

    Tip: 'jag känner yrsel' or 'det snurrar'

  22. 22

    andnöd

    shortness of breath

    Tip: lit. 'breath-need' — a red-flag symptom

  23. 23

    smärta

    pain

    Tip: 'ont' is the everyday word: 'jag har ont'

  24. 24

    sår

    wound

    Tip: 'ett sår' — also used figuratively

  25. 25

    hosta

    cough

    Tip: noun and verb both

  26. 26

    förkylning

    cold

    Tip: the illness, not the temperature

  27. 27

    influensa

    flu

    Tip: 'ha influensa'

  28. 28

    halsont

    sore throat

    Tip: lit. 'throat pain'

  29. 29

    huvudvärk

    headache

    Tip: lit. 'head ache'

  30. 30

    magont

    stomach ache

    Tip: lit. 'stomach pain'

  31. 31

    diarré

    diarrhoea

    Tip: French-looking, Swedish-pronounced

  32. 32

    kräkning

    vomiting

    Tip: 'kräkas' is the verb

  33. 33

    infektion

    infection

    Tip: 'en infektion'

  34. 34

    inflammation

    inflammation

    Tip: 'inflammation i halsen'

  35. 35

    recept

    prescription

    Tip: same word as a cooking recipe

  36. 36

    antibiotika

    antibiotics

    Tip: prescribed sparingly in Sweden

  37. 37

    smärtstillande

    painkiller

    Tip: lit. 'pain-stilling'

  38. 38

    paracetamol

    paracetamol

    Tip: sold as Alvedon

  39. 39

    tablett

    tablet

    Tip: 'en tablett'

  40. 40

    dos

    dose

    Tip: 'rätt dos'

  41. 41

    dosering

    dosage

    Tip: printed on the pharmacy label

  42. 42

    biverkning

    side effect

    Tip: lit. 'by-effect'

  43. 43

    vaccination

    vaccination

    Tip: the jab itself is 'sprutan'

  44. 44

    besök

    appointment

    Tip: lit. 'visit'

  45. 45

    provsvar

    test result

    Tip: lit. 'sample answer'

  46. 46

    behandling

    treatment

    Tip: 'påbörja behandling'

  47. 47

    tillfrisknande

    recovery

    Tip: the formal word for getting better