病院と手続きClinics and Procedures
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Make and confirm a clinic or pharmacy appointment, and state how long a symptom has continued using「前から」.
- Describe past health-related experience using expanded「ことがある」patterns.
- Give and understand advice using「ほうがいい」in a clinic or pharmacy context.
- Follow and describe a sequence of steps in a clinic or insurance procedure.
- Recognize instructions phrased with「ようにしてください」without being required to produce them independently.
- Read and write a short clinic or pharmacy form, and a short message describing symptoms and following instructions.
Communication Scenario
Emma has had a mild cough and a headache for the past few days. Before her trip with Yuki, she decides to see a doctor near her apartment. At the clinic, she has to fill out a form with her insurance information, explain when her symptoms started, and answer questions about past health experiences. After seeing the doctor, she has to understand the pharmacist's instructions about how to take her medicine and what to do if the symptoms continue.
- This chapter continues Unit II by moving from travel logistics (Chapter 8) to health-related procedures, which require sequencing steps and following written and spoken instructions.
- By the end of the chapter, you will be able to make an appointment, describe symptoms and experience, ask for and understand advice, and follow a clinic or insurance procedure from start to finish.
Core Vocabulary
This chapter introduces vocabulary for clinic and pharmacy forms, appointments, insurance and payment fields, and follow-up instructions. These words are new to Volume II and appear with furigana throughout this chapter and until a later chapter's matrix marks them as consolidated.
| Japanese | Reading | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 病院 | びょういん | hospital; clinic |
| 予約 | よやく | appointment; reservation (recycled from Chapter 7) |
| 症状 | しょうじょう | symptom |
| 保険証 | ほけんしょう | insurance card |
| 受付 | うけつけ | reception (desk) |
| 問診票 | もんしんひょう | medical questionnaire; intake form |
| 診察 | しんさつ | medical examination |
| 処方箋 | しょほうせん | prescription |
| 薬局 | やっきょく | pharmacy |
| 支払い | しはらい | payment |
| 次回 | じかい | next time |
| 続く | つづく | to continue |
| 熱 | ねつ | fever |
| 咳 | せき | cough |
診察 refers to the act of a doctor examining a patient, while a related word, 診断 (diagnosis), refers to the conclusion the doctor reaches. This chapter focuses on 診察 and the procedure surrounding it, such as filling out a 問診票 and receiving a 処方箋, rather than on medical diagnosis itself.
Script and Kanji Focus
This chapter introduces kanji for clinic, insurance, reception, symptom, payment, and instructions. These kanji are new and keep furigana in this chapter's texts and exercises.
Chapter 6's kanji (忘れ物, 故障, 遅れる, 問題, 確認, 注意, 案内, 手伝う) continue to develop further and are beginning to appear without furigana in familiar words, while remaining supported in less familiar combinations. Chapter 7's kanji (返品, 交換, 予約, 領収書, 期限, 条件, 変更, 空) and Chapter 8's kanji (宿泊, 荷物, 乗り換え, 経路, 目的地, 片道, 往復, 予定) continue to keep furigana, since they are still developing. This chapter's own new kanji (病院, 症状, 保険証, 受付, 診察, 処方箋, 支払い, 次回) are newly introduced and keep furigana throughout Unit II.
れんしゅう — Practice: Choose four kanji from this chapter's list. Write each one three times, then use each one once in a sentence about a clinic visit or a pharmacy.
Pronunciation Focus
Several words in this chapter contain long vowels or a moraic ん that is easy to blur when speaking quickly. Keep the following contrasts clear:
- the long vowel in びょういん (clinic) and しんさつ (examination);
- the moraic ん in ほけんしょう (insurance card) and しんさつ, each of which should keep its own timing rather than merging with the following sound;
- the double consonant in やっきょく (pharmacy), which needs a clear pause before きょく; and
- the seven morae in しょほうせん (prescription), which should not be shortened to five.
Practice reading the Core Vocabulary list aloud slowly, tapping out the mora count for each word before increasing your speed.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
This chapter authorizes「前から」, expanded experience with「ことがある」, 「ほうがいい」, procedure sequencing, and receptive recognition of「ようにしてください」.
1. 前から — stating how long something has continued
Purpose: to explain that a symptom or situation has continued since an earlier point in time.
- 三日前から咳が続いています。I've had a cough continuing since three days ago.
- 先週から熱があります。I've had a fever since last week.
- 今朝から頭が痛いです。My head has hurt since this morning.
前から attaches to a time expression to mark the starting point of a continuing state. It commonly appears with 続いています or with a simple state such as あります or 痛いです.
2. Expanded ことがある — describing past experience
Purpose: to describe whether something has happened before, including health-related experiences relevant to a clinic visit.
- 前にも同じ症状が出たことがあります。I have had the same symptoms appear before, too.
- この薬を飲んだことがありますか。Have you ever taken this medicine?
- アレルギーで困ったことはありません。I have not had trouble with allergies.
ことがある attaches to the た-form of a verb. This chapter extends its Volume II use into health and medical experience, building on the general experience pattern introduced earlier in the volume.
3. ほうがいい — giving and understanding advice
Purpose: to recommend a course of action, often used by a doctor, pharmacist, or friend giving practical advice.
- 今日はゆっくり休んだほうがいいです。You should rest quietly today.
- 熱が下がらない場合は、もう一度病院に行ったほうがいいです。If your fever doesn't go down, you should go to the clinic again.
- この薬は食後に飲んだほうがいいです。You should take this medicine after meals.
ほうがいい attaches to the た-form for a recommendation and to the ない-form for advice against an action, as in 無理をしないほうがいいです (You shouldn't overdo it).
4. Sequencing a clinic or insurance procedure
Purpose: to describe the steps of a procedure in order, connecting earlier sequencing patterns to a clinic or insurance context.
- まず受付で保険証を出して、それから問診票に記入します。First you hand over your insurance card at reception, and then you fill out the intake form.
- 診察の後で、支払いをしてから薬局に行きます。After the examination, you make the payment and then go to the pharmacy.
This pattern recycles まず, それから, and 〜てから from earlier chapters, applying them to a new procedural context.
5. Recognizing ようにしてください
Purpose: to recognize a common instructional pattern used by clinic staff, without being required to produce it independently at this level.
- 症状が続く場合は、必ず連絡するようにしてください。If your symptoms continue, please be sure to contact us. (recognition only)
- 薬は決まった時間に飲むようにしてください。Please try to take your medicine at the set times. (recognition only)
ようにしてください softens an instruction into a gentle reminder. At this point in Volume II, learners should understand it when spoken or written by clinic staff, but are not required to produce it independently.
Grammar Practice
- Write one sentence using 前から to describe how long a symptom has continued.
- Write one sentence using ことがある to describe a past health-related experience.
- Write one sentence using ほうがいい to give advice.
- Write one sentence sequencing two steps of a clinic or insurance procedure.
- Read the two ようにしてください examples above and explain their meaning in your own words, without producing the pattern yourself.
Model Dialogue
Setting: Emma is at the reception desk of a clinic, and then speaking with the doctor.
ないようりかい — Comprehension questions:
- What time was Emma's appointment, and what does the receptionist ask her to fill out?
- Since when has Emma had a cough, and since when has she had a fever?
- Has Emma had these symptoms continue this long before?
- What does the doctor tell Emma to do, and where should she go after the examination?
Guided Practice
タスク１ — Describe symptoms and give advice. For each situation below, write one sentence with 前から, one sentence with ことがある, and one sentence with ほうがいい.
- A headache that started yesterday morning.
- A sore throat that started three days ago.
- A friend who has never taken a particular medicine before.
- A friend who should see a doctor if symptoms continue.
タスク２ — Sequence a procedure. Using まず, それから, and 最後に, describe the steps of a clinic visit from arriving at reception to leaving the pharmacy.
Listening Practice
Ask your instructor, a partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following passage aloud at a clear, moderate pace.
きくタスク — A patient describes a clinic visit to a friend
今日、病院に行きました。三日前から熱が続いていたので、心配でした。受付で保険証を出して、問診票に記入してから、診察を受けました。前にも同じ症状が出たことがあるか聞かれましたが、今回が初めてでした。医者に、今日はゆっくり休んだほうがいいと言われて、処方箋をもらいました。これから薬局に行くつもりです。
聞くタスク — Listening task: Note how long the speaker's fever had continued, what the speaker did at reception before the examination, whether this was the first time the symptoms appeared, and what the speaker plans to do next.
This script uses plain style, appropriate for a conversation between friends.
Speaking Practice
コントロールされた練習 — Controlled practice: Quick answers
- いつから頭が痛いですか。
- 前にこの薬を飲んだことがありますか。
- 熱がある時、どうしたほうがいいと思いますか。
コミュニケーションタスク — Doctor and patient role-play
With a partner, act out a short clinic visit. One person plays the patient, describing symptoms with 前から and past experience with ことがある; the other plays the doctor, giving advice with ほうがいい and explaining the next step.
ひとりでもできる練習 — Solo practice: Recorded symptom report
Record yourself describing an imagined set of symptoms, including when they started, whether you have experienced something similar before, and what advice a doctor might give. Listen back and check your mora timing and moraic ん.
Reading Practice
Read the following clinic notice, then answer the questions below.
受付でのお願い — A notice at the reception desk
はじめて来院される方は、受付で保険証をお見せください。それから、問診票に症状と、いつから症状が続いているかをご記入ください。診察の後で、受付にて支払いをお願いします。処方箋をお持ちの方は、近くの薬局でお薬をお受け取りください。症状が続く場合は、次回もご予約の上、ご来院ください。
ないようりかい — Comprehension questions:
- What should a first-time visitor show at reception?
- What two pieces of information should a patient write on the intake form?
- When should a patient make the payment?
- What should a patient do if their symptoms continue?
Writing Workshop
In this workshop you will write a short message describing symptoms and the steps you followed at a clinic, using the Building Block pattern from the Grammar section.
- State your symptom and when it began, using 前から.
- Mention relevant past experience, using ことがある.
- Describe the steps of your visit, using まず, それから, and the after/before sequencing from Chapter 8 if useful.
- Include the advice you received, using ほうがいい.
- Add one instruction you noticed or were given, referring to the ようにしてください pattern receptively if relevant.
- Revise and check using the checklist below before finalizing your text.
チェックリスト — Editing checklist:
- My text clearly states the symptom and when it began, using 前から.
- I used ことがある correctly to describe past experience.
- I used ほうがいい correctly to describe advice.
- I sequenced at least two steps of the clinic procedure clearly.
- I did not require myself to produce ようにしてください; I only recognized it if I included it in a quotation.
- I used at least three vocabulary items from this chapter's Core Vocabulary.
- I kept furigana on this chapter's new kanji and on developing Chapter 7 and Chapter 8 kanji.
- I ended each sentence with 。 and used consistent script and punctuation.
Culture and Communication
Clinics commonly ask first-time patients to complete an intake form and to present an insurance card at reception before the examination. Payment is typically handled at reception after the examination rather than during it. Procedures can vary between individual clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies, so reading posted notices and confirming with staff, as shown in this chapter's reading passage, remains more reliable than assuming one fixed procedure applies everywhere.
The availability of clinics, specialists, and pharmacies varies between larger cities and smaller towns or rural areas. In some areas, a patient may need to travel farther for certain kinds of care, while in others, a clinic and pharmacy may be within easy walking distance of each other. Checking current information for the specific area remains more reliable than assuming one pattern of access applies everywhere.
A doctor's advice, such as ほうがいいですね or ようにしてください, is typically phrased gently even when the advice is firm. A patient describing symptoms usually keeps the explanation brief and factual, focusing on when the symptom began and whether it has occurred before, rather than adding extensive detail. Both sides typically remain in polite です／ます style during a clinic visit, even between people who do not know each other well.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: *三日前に熱が続いています。 (using 前に, which sequences two actions, instead of marking a continuing starting point).
Correction: 三日前から熱が続いています。 — 前から marks the starting point of a continuing state, while 前に sequences one action before another, as taught in Chapter 8.
Error: *休むほうがいいです。 as the only form used for both recommending and warning against an action, without adjusting for the negative.
Correction: Use the た-form for a positive recommendation, as in 休んだほうがいいです, and the ない-form for advice against an action, as in 無理をしないほうがいいです.
Error: Attempting to freely produce new sentences with ようにしてください in speaking or writing tasks, beyond quoting or recognizing it in a reading or listening passage.
Correction: At this point in Volume II, ようにしてください is receptive only. Recognize its meaning when a doctor, pharmacist, or notice uses it, but rely on ほうがいい or a direct request pattern for your own productive advice or instructions.
Chapter Review
Section A — ごい (Vocabulary)
1. Give three vocabulary items from this chapter and use each one in a sentence.
Section B — もじ (Script)
1. Write 病院, 症状, 受付, and 診察 from memory, and explain why they still need furigana at this point in the volume.
Section C — ぶんぽう (Grammar)
1. Write one sentence using 前から correctly.
2. Write one sentence using ことがある correctly.
3. Write one sentence using ほうがいい correctly.
4. Write one sentence sequencing two steps of a procedure using words from this chapter or Chapter 8.
5. Explain, in your own words, what ようにしてください means when a doctor uses it, without producing a new sentence with the pattern.
Section D — どっかいりかい (Reading comprehension)
1. Look again at the clinic notice in the Reading Practice section. Write two sentences summarizing it in your own words.
Section E — かくこと (Writing)
1. Complete your own clinic message, following the Writing Workshop steps.
Section F — はなすこと (Speaking)
1. With a partner or instructor, act out a short clinic visit, describing symptoms and giving or receiving advice.
Practical Performance Task
パフォーマンスタスク
病院と手続き — A clinic visit
Complete all three components below.
- Written report: Write a short account of at least five sentences describing an imagined clinic visit, stating when a symptom began with 前から, mentioning past experience with ことがある, sequencing at least two procedural steps, and including advice with ほうがいい.
- Spoken exchange: With a partner, instructor, or recording, role-play the clinic visit as patient and doctor, or present your written account and respond to at least one follow-up question.
- Listening check: Listen to a partner's or instructor's clinic account and correctly identify when the symptom began, any past experience mentioned, and the advice given.
Assessment focus: accurate and natural use of 前から; a correctly formed ことがある statement; correct use of ほうがいい; clear sequencing of procedural steps; accurate recognition (not required production) of ようにしてください; correct furigana on this chapter's new kanji and on developing Chapter 7 and Chapter 8 kanji; consistent polite register; and comprehensible pronunciation with attention to mora timing and moraic ん.
Answer Key
Grammar Practice
1. Model: 三日前から咳が続いています。 2. Model: 前にも同じ症状が出たことがあります。 3. Model: 今日はゆっくり休んだほうがいいです。 4. Model: まず受付で保険証を出して、それから問診票に記入します。 5. Model answer: ようにしてください softens an instruction into a gentle but firm reminder, such as asking a patient to be sure to take medicine at set times or to contact the clinic if symptoms continue.
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- Emma's appointment was at ten o'clock, and the receptionist asks her to fill out the intake form.
- Emma has had a cough since three days ago and a fever since this morning.
- No, Emma says the symptoms have never continued like this before.
- The doctor tells her to rest quietly and gives her a prescription; she should go to reception after the examination to pay, and then to the pharmacy.
Listening task — Model summary
The speaker's fever had continued since three days before the clinic visit. At reception, the speaker presented an insurance card and filled out the intake form before the examination. This was the first time the symptoms had appeared. The speaker was told to rest quietly and plans to go to the pharmacy next.
Reading — Comprehension
- A first-time visitor should show their insurance card at reception.
- A patient should write their symptoms and how long the symptoms have continued on the intake form.
- A patient should make the payment after the examination, at reception.
- A patient whose symptoms continue should make another appointment and return to the clinic.
Chapter Review — Section A and B
Open-ended; check against the Core Vocabulary and Script and Kanji Focus sections above.
Chapter Review — Section C
Open-ended; models follow the patterns shown in the Grammar and Sentence Patterns section above.
Chapter Review — Section D
Model answer: はじめての患者は受付で保険証を見せて、問診票に記入します。支払いは診察の後で受付にします。 (Other accurate answers accepted.)
Chapter Review — Section E and F, and Practical Performance Task
These are open-ended production tasks. Evaluate written work against the Writing Workshop checklist above, and evaluate the spoken exchange and listening check against the assessment focus listed under the Practical Performance Task.
Looking Ahead
いまできること — What you can do now
You can make and confirm a clinic appointment, describe how long a symptom has continued, mention relevant past experience, give and understand simple health advice, sequence the steps of a clinic or insurance procedure, and recognize gentle instructions from clinic staff.