Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ziekenhuis | /ˈzi.kə(n)ˌɦœy̯s/ | neuter |
| hospitaal | /ˈɦɔs.piˌtaːl/ | neuter |
| gasthuis | /ˈɣɑst.ɦœy̯s/ | neuter |
| kliniek | /kliˈnik/ | neuter |
All provided terms refer to a large medical facility or specialized medical center. In a medical setting, you might also encounter related terms such as Dokter (doctor), Verpleegkundige (nurse), Patiënt (patient), Spoedeisende Hulp (emergency room), Apotheek (pharmacy) and Ambulance (ambulance).
What does it mean word for word?
The word ziekenhuis is a compound made of zieken, meaning sick people and huis, meaning house.
Which one should you use?
Ziekenhuis is the standard and most common word for a hospital. Kliniek is typically used for a smaller, more specialized medical facility rather than a large general hospital.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Gasthuis is an archaic, old-fashioned term for a hospital. It is rarely used in modern daily speech unless one is referring to historical contexts or specific proper names.
How does it change in a sentence?
All the provided forms are neuter nouns. Because ziekenhuis is neuter, it uses the definite article het (e.g., het ziekenhuis) instead of de.
How do you pronounce it?
The word ziekenhuis has three syllables and the stress is on the first syllable. The IPA is /ˈzi.kə(n)ˌɦœy̯s/.
Did you know?
- The archaic term gasthuis is a cognate of the modern German 'Gasthaus', though the German word now refers to an inn or restaurant.
- The word hospitaal comes from Old French and Latin, while ziekenhuis is a purely Germanic construction.
Examples in context
- Dit is een ziekenhuis.This is a hospital.This sentence demonstrates how to identify a hospital using ziekenhuis.Tatoeba #8470337 by MarijnKp, translation #61614 by adjusting
- Hier is het ziekenhuis.Here is the hospital.This sentence shows how to indicate the location of the hospital using ziekenhuis.Tatoeba #6736463 by martinod, translation #6744594 by Micsmithel
- Ga naar het ziekenhuis.Go to the hospital.This sentence provides a direction to go to the hospital using ziekenhuis.Tatoeba #12947762 by MarijnKp, translation #20096 by yifen238
- Ik moet naar het ziekenhuis voor een afspraak met de dokter.I have to go to the hospital for an appointment with the doctor.
- 247 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Sophie are talking about a relative in the car.
- LucasIs hij al in het ziekenhuis?Is he in the hospital already?
- SophieJa, hij is zojuist gearriveerd.Yes, he just arrived.
- LucasMoeten we naar het ziekenhuis rijden?Do we need to drive to the hospital?
- SophieNee, we kunnen later gaan.No, we can go later.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hospital” translations and entries ziekenhuis, hospitaal, gasthuis, kliniek, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gasthuis, hospitaal, kliniek, ziekenhuis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
