Gesundheit, Termine und Dienstleistungen
Chapter Objectives
Chapter 7 continues Unit II with a domain that comes up constantly in everyday independence: health, appointments, and services. Having activated the present perfect for work and study, adjective endings after definite articles, and developed weil clauses in Chapter 6, you are now ready to add dative pronouns and dative verbs in controlled contexts, modal-based advice with sollen and müssen, imperatives organized systematically by address level, and a review of dass clauses that lets you report what someone else says or wants.
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Use dative pronouns and common dative verbs to describe needs, symptoms, and reactions.
- Make and change an appointment using appropriate vocabulary and structures.
- Give and understand simple advice using sollen and müssen.
- Form imperatives correctly for du, ihr, and Sie in service contexts.
- Read basic service instructions and forms.
- Write a short, clear service request.
- Use dass clauses to report a need, a wish, or a piece of advice.
Opening Scenario
Anna has not felt well for a few days and needs to call a doctor's office to make an appointment. At the same time, her printer has stopped working, and she needs to contact a repair service before an important deadline. Mia, who has dealt with both situations before, gives Anna some advice about what to say and how formal to be. Meanwhile, Lukas needs to pick up a document from an administrative office in Leipzig and wants to know what he should bring.
- Read the appointment dialogue and the repair-service message below. Notice how dative pronouns appear with verbs like helfen, gefallen, and wehtun, and how imperatives shift depending on who is speaking to whom.
- As you move through the chapter, think about how you would describe a health concern, request a service, or explain what a form requires, using only the systems activated so far.
Core Vocabulary — Gesundheit, Termine, Dienstleistungen
This chapter's vocabulary covers appointments, offices, pharmacies, repair services, symptoms, and documents. All nouns are listed with article and plural; verbs that govern the dative are marked accordingly, since dative verbs become active in this chapter.
Termine (Appointments)
- der Termin, die Termine — the appointment
- die Praxis, die Praxen — the (medical) practice, office
- die Sprechstunde, die Sprechstunden — the office hours, consultation hours
- der Empfang, die Empfänge — the reception desk
- verschieben — to reschedule, postpone
Gesundheit (Health and Symptoms)
- der Schmerz, die Schmerzen — the pain
- das Symptom, die Symptome — the symptom
- die Apotheke, die Apotheken — the pharmacy
- das Rezept, die Rezepte — the prescription
- wehtun (+ Dativ) — to hurt (someone)
Dienstleistungen (Services and Repairs)
- die Reparatur, die Reparaturen — the repair
- der Kundendienst, die Kundendienste — the customer service department
- die Werkstatt, die Werkstätten — the repair shop, workshop
- helfen (+ Dativ) — to help (someone)
- gehören (+ Dativ) — to belong to (someone)
Dokumente (Documents and Offices)
- das Formular, die Formulare — the form
- das Amt, die Ämter — the (government) office
- die Unterlage, die Unterlagen — the document, record
- der Ausweis, die Ausweise — the ID card
- abholen — to pick up, collect
DACH label: office hours, appointment systems, and the offices responsible for administrative documents differ across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland; specific institutional names and procedures require verification.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
You have already used dative case in location phrases and a few set expressions. This chapter develops the dative pronoun system and introduces verbs that take a dative object directly, without a preposition. Common dative verbs in this domain include helfen (to help), gefallen (to please, be pleasing to), gehören (to belong to), and wehtun (to hurt).
| Nominative | Dative | Gloss |
|---|---|---|
| ich | mir | to/for me |
| du | dir | to/for you (informal) |
| er / es | ihm | to/for him/it |
| sie (sg.) | ihr | to/for her |
| wir | uns | to/for us |
| ihr | euch | to/for you (pl. informal) |
| sie (pl.) / Sie | ihnen / Ihnen | to/for them / you (formal) |
- Der Kopf tut mir weh. — My head hurts. (literally: The head hurts to me.)
- Können Sie mir helfen? — Can you help me?
- Das Formular gehört ihm. — The form belongs to him.
Remember that dative verbs like helfen and gehören take a dative object even though the English equivalent looks like a direct object. Do not add zu or another preposition; the dative case alone carries the meaning.
Sollen expresses recommendation or a suggestion that comes from someone else's advice or a general expectation; müssen expresses necessity or obligation. Both are modal verbs and form a verb bracket with the infinitive at the end of the clause.
- Sie sollten zum Arzt gehen. — You should go to the doctor. (polite recommendation)
- Du musst das Formular ausfüllen. — You have to fill out the form. (necessity)
- Ich soll morgen zurückrufen. — I am supposed to call back tomorrow. (someone else's instruction)
Do not treat sollen and müssen as interchangeable. Müssen implies that there is no real alternative; sollen leaves more room for the listener's own judgment.
German imperatives change form depending on whether you are speaking to one person informally (du), several people informally (ihr), or anyone formally (Sie). Service contexts require careful attention to this choice.
| Address | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| du | stem (+ e) | Ruf(e) die Praxis an! — Call the office! |
| ihr | present-tense ihr-form | Ruft die Praxis an! — Call the office! (to a group) |
| Sie | infinitive + Sie | Rufen Sie die Praxis an! — Please call the office. |
Notice that separable prefixes, such as an- in anrufen, move to the end of the imperative clause, just as they do in statements.
You have used dass clauses before to report facts. This chapter reviews and expands the pattern so you can report needs, wishes, and advice — a common task in service and appointment contexts.
- Die Ärztin sagt, dass ich mehr Wasser trinken soll. — The doctor says that I should drink more water.
- Mia meint, dass Anna zuerst in der Apotheke fragen sollte. — Mia thinks that Anna should ask at the pharmacy first.
As with weil, the finite verb moves to the end of a dass clause. When the clause also contains a modal verb, the modal — not the infinitive — becomes the final, finite element.
Diagnostic Practice
- Complete with the correct dative pronoun: Der Rücken tut ___ (ich) weh.
- Complete with sollen or müssen: Sie ___ unbedingt einen Termin vereinbaren. (necessity)
- Form the Sie-imperative: (anrufen) die Praxis morgen früh.
- Complete with the correct dative verb form: Können Sie ___ (ich) bitte helfen?
- Combine with dass: Der Apotheker sagt etwas. Anna soll das Rezept mitbringen. →
Model Dialogue
Anna calls a doctor's office to make an appointment because she has not been feeling well.
Anna ruft in der Arztpraxis an.
Comprehension — Model Dialogue
1. Warum ruft Anna in der Praxis an?
2. Wann ist der Termin?
3. Was soll Anna zum Termin mitbringen?
4. Find one dative pronoun and the verb it belongs to in the dialogue.
Guided Practice
Practice A — Dative Pronouns and Dative Verbs
Complete each sentence with the correct dative pronoun.
- Der Termin passt ___ (ich) leider nicht.
- Können Sie ___ (wir) bitte helfen?
- Das Formular gehört ___ (er).
- Wie geht es ___ (du) heute?
Practice B — sollen and müssen
Choose the more appropriate modal verb and complete the sentence.
- Sie ___ (sollen/müssen) das Formular unbedingt bis Freitag abgeben. (strict deadline)
- Der Apotheker meint, Sie ___ (sollen/müssen) mehr Wasser trinken. (general advice)
- Ich ___ (sollen/müssen) morgen zur Arbeit gehen, auch wenn ich müde bin. (obligation)
Practice C — Imperatives by Address Level
Form the correct imperative for the address level given.
- (du, anrufen) ___ die Werkstatt heute noch!
- (Sie, mitbringen) ___ bitte Ihre Unterlagen!
- (ihr, ausfüllen) ___ das Formular zusammen!
Listening Practice
Ask a partner, instructor, or text-to-speech tool to read the following script at a natural pace. Listen once for the general picture, then again for the details.
Ein Anruf beim Kundendienst (Listening Script)
Kundendienst: Kundendienst, guten Tag. Anna: Guten Tag. Mein Drucker funktioniert nicht mehr, und ich brauche ihn bald für die Arbeit. Können Sie mir helfen? Kundendienst: Das tut mir leid. Bringen Sie den Drucker bitte zur Werkstatt in der Hauptstraße. Sie sollten vorher aber online einen Termin buchen. Anna: Gut, das mache ich. Muss ich sonst noch etwas beachten? Kundendienst: Nein, aber bringen Sie bitte den Kaufbeleg mit.
Verständnisfragen
1. Was ist Annas Problem?
2. Was soll Anna tun, bevor sie zur Werkstatt geht?
3. Was muss Anna zur Werkstatt mitbringen?
Speaking Practice
Aktivität 1: Einen Termin vereinbaren (Making an Appointment)
Work with a partner. Partner A calls to make an appointment (medical office, repair shop, or administrative office); Partner B works at the reception desk. Then switch roles.
Partner A — Anrufer(in)
- explain the reason for the call using a dative verb where natural
- ask for an appointment
- ask what you need to bring
Partner B — Empfang
- offer an appointment time
- give at least one instruction using an imperative
- use sollen or müssen to explain a requirement
Solo alternative: Record a short phone message describing a health concern or a broken item, requesting an appointment, and asking what you should bring, using only the forms activated so far.
Bewertungshinweise — Speaking Criteria
- Comprehensible request for an appointment or service.
- Correct dative pronoun with at least one dative verb.
- At least one correctly formed imperative matching the address level.
- Correct use of sollen or müssen to express advice or necessity.
Reading Practice
Read Lukas's short note about picking up a document and answer the questions that follow.
Notiz — Unterlagen abholen
Lukas muss heute zum Amt gehen, weil er ein wichtiges Formular abholen soll. Am Empfang sagt man ihm, dass er zuerst seinen Ausweis zeigen muss. Danach soll er ein kurzes Formular ausfüllen. Die Mitarbeiterin sagt: "Füllen Sie bitte alle Felder aus, und unterschreiben Sie am Ende." Das gehört zu den Aufgaben, die ihm nicht besonders gefallen, aber es hilft ihm, dass die Mitarbeiterin freundlich erklärt, was er tun muss.
Verständnisfragen
1. Warum geht Lukas zum Amt?
2. Was muss Lukas zuerst zeigen?
3. Was sagt die Mitarbeiterin zu Lukas? Nenne einen Imperativ aus dem Text.
Writing Workshop — A Short Service Request
This workshop asks you to write a short message requesting a service (a medical appointment, a repair, or an administrative task), drawing on dative pronouns and verbs, sollen/müssen, imperatives, and a dass clause.
- Choose a situation. Use the appointment or repair-service scenario above, or invent a similarly simple service situation.
- State the problem or need. Write one or two sentences describing the issue, using a dative pronoun or dative verb where natural.
- Request the service. Ask for an appointment or a specific action.
- Report advice or a requirement. Write at least one dass clause reporting something you were told (for example, what you should or must do).
- Revise using the checklist below.
Checkliste — Editing Checklist:
- Dative pronouns and dative verbs are used correctly.
- sollen and müssen are used with the correct sense of advice versus necessity.
- Any imperative matches the intended address level (du, ihr, or Sie).
- At least one dass clause has correct verb-final order.
- All nouns are capitalized; umlauts and ß are used correctly.
- The register is formal, matching a written message to an office, practice, or service provider (formal Sie, appropriate greeting and closing).
Culture and Communication
Health-care systems, insurance procedures, and administrative offices differ across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and even within regions of the same country. This chapter's dialogues model general, practical communication patterns rather than describing any single country's specific procedures. Do not assume that appointment systems, required documents, or office hours are the same everywhere.
Service encounters with unfamiliar medical practices, repair shops, and administrative offices typically call for formal Sie, regardless of region. Some smaller, informal businesses may use du with regular customers, but this should not be assumed as a default in an unfamiliar setting.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: *Können Sie mich helfen?
Correction: Können Sie mir helfen? Helfen takes a dative object, not an accusative object, even though English "help me" uses an object pronoun that looks like a direct object.
Error: *Sie müssen zum Arzt gehen, wenn Sie möchten. (used where only a suggestion is meant)
Correction: Sie sollten zum Arzt gehen, wenn Sie möchten. Müssen implies a firm obligation; use sollen when the choice remains with the listener.
Error: *Ruf die Praxis an! (said to an unfamiliar office employee)
Correction: Rufen Sie die Praxis an! In an unfamiliar formal setting, the Sie-imperative is required; the du-imperative is only appropriate among people who already use du with each other.
Chapter Summary
Chapter 7 continued Unit II with the domain of health, appointments, and services. You developed dative pronouns and common dative verbs, learned to give and understand advice with sollen and müssen, formed imperatives correctly across du, ihr, and Sie, and reviewed dass clauses to report needs and advice. Chapter 8 continues Unit II with shopping, returns, and complaints.
Practical Performance Task
Kapitel 7 — Practical Performance Task
Einen Termin oder eine Dienstleistung anfragen — Requesting an Appointment or Service
Schedule or request a service and summarize the need, demonstrating this chapter's systems.
Component 1 — Reading: Read the office note in the Reading Practice section (or a similar text your instructor provides) and identify the required steps.
Component 2 — Written request: Complete the Writing Workshop task, producing a short, formally appropriate service request.
Component 3 — Spoken summary: Deliver a short oral summary of your need and what you were told to do, either to a partner or as a recorded solo message.
| Criterion | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Task completion | Response clearly states the need and requests an appointment or service |
| Dative pronouns and verbs | Correct case and word order with dative verbs |
| sollen/müssen | Correct choice between advice and necessity |
| Imperatives | Correct form for the address level used |
| dass clauses | Correct verb-final order in at least one complete clause |
| Register | Consistent formal Sie appropriate to an unfamiliar office or service provider |
Answer Key
Diagnostic Practice
- Der Rücken tut mir weh.
- Sie müssen unbedingt einen Termin vereinbaren.
- Rufen Sie die Praxis morgen früh an.
- Können Sie mir bitte helfen?
- Der Apotheker sagt, dass Anna das Rezept mitbringen soll.
Guided Practice A — Dative Pronouns and Dative Verbs
- Der Termin passt mir leider nicht.
- Können Sie uns bitte helfen?
- Das Formular gehört ihm.
- Wie geht es dir heute?
Guided Practice B — sollen and müssen
- Sie müssen das Formular unbedingt bis Freitag abgeben.
- Der Apotheker meint, Sie sollten mehr Wasser trinken.
- Ich muss morgen zur Arbeit gehen, auch wenn ich müde bin.
Guided Practice C — Imperatives by Address Level
- Ruf die Werkstatt heute noch an!
- Bringen Sie bitte Ihre Unterlagen mit!
- Füllt das Formular zusammen aus!
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- Anna ruft an, weil es ihr seit ein paar Tagen nicht gut geht und der Kopf ihr oft wehtut.
- Der Termin ist morgen um neun Uhr.
- Anna soll ihre Versichertenkarte mitbringen.
- Sample: mir with geht es/tut ... weh, or Ihnen with helfen.
Listening — Comprehension Questions
- Annas Drucker funktioniert nicht mehr.
- Anna soll vorher online einen Termin buchen.
- Anna muss den Kaufbeleg mitbringen.
Reading — Comprehension Questions (Notiz)
- Lukas geht zum Amt, weil er ein wichtiges Formular abholen soll.
- Lukas muss zuerst seinen Ausweis zeigen.
- Sample: Füllen Sie bitte alle Felder aus or unterschreiben Sie am Ende.
Looking Ahead
Was Sie nach Kapitel 7 können — What you can do after Chapter 7
You can now use dative pronouns and dative verbs to describe needs and reactions, make and adjust an appointment, give and understand advice with sollen and müssen, form imperatives correctly across all three address levels, and report needs and advice using dass clauses. You have read office instructions, listened to a service call, and written and spoken about your own service needs in an appropriately formal register.