German · Zahnarzt / Labor
The dentist says you need a filling and asks about pain relief: what to say in German
The dentist says you need a filling and asks about anaesthetic.
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How it's done. After a filling under local anaesthetic do not eat for at least two hours and do not bite your lip or tongue; Füllung is a filling, Betäubung is anaesthetic.Prepared by the Movko team, November 2026. This is language help, not legal or medical advice: check the rules with the office itself.
Cheat sheet for your visit
The first phrase is open: tap ▶ to listen, or “Show” to show it to the other person. The rest of the dialogue is in the course in the app.
1
THEY SPEAK FIRST
THEY SAY
Sie haben ein Loch im Zahn. Ich mache eine Füllung. Möchten Sie eine Betäubung?Zee KHAH-bayn ighn lokh eem tsahn. Eekh MAH-kheh IGH-neh FYOO-loong. MYOKH-tayn zee IGH-neh beh-TOY-boong?
You have a hole in a tooth. I'll do a filling. Would you like an anaesthetic?
They might also say:
Der Zahn hat Karies. Ich möchte ihn füllen. Soll ich eine Spritze geben?
Dehr tsahn khaht KAH-ree-es. Eekh MYOKH-teh een FYOO-layn. Zol eekh IGH-neh SHPREE-tseh GEH-bayn?
The tooth has decay. I'd like to fill it. Shall I give an injection?
YOU REPLY
Ja, bitte, eine Betäubung. Tut es weh?
Yah, BEE-teh, IGH-neh beh-TOY-boong. Toot es veh?
Yes, please, an anaesthetic. Does it hurt?
THEY SAY
Die Spritze ist kurz unangenehm. Danach spüren Sie nichts.Dee SHPREE-tseh eest koorts OO-nahn-geh-nem. Duh-NAHKH SHPYOO-rayn zee neekhts.
The injection is unpleasant for a moment. After that you feel nothing.
2
YOU REPLY
Wie lange dauert das?
Vee LAHN-geh DOW-ehrt dahs?
How long does it take?
THEY SAY
Etwa eine halbe Stunde. Danach dürfen Sie zwei Stunden nichts essen.EH-tvuh IGH-neh KHAHL-beh SHTOON-deh. Duh-NAHKH DYOOR-fayn zee tsvigh SHTOON-dayn neekhts EH-sayn.
About half an hour. Afterwards you must not eat anything for two hours.
3
YOU REPLY
Und wann geht die Betäubung weg?
Oont vahn get dee beh-TOY-boong vek?
And when does the anaesthetic wear off?
THEY SAY
In ein bis zwei Stunden. Bitte beißen Sie nicht auf die Lippe.Een ighn bees tsvigh SHTOON-dayn. BEE-teh BIGH-sayn zee neekht owf dee LEE-peh.
In one to two hours. Please don't bite your lip.
4
YOU FINISH
Danke, ich passe auf.
DAHN-keh, eekh PAH-seh owf.
Thanks, I'll be careful.
The course is in the app
This dialogue is part of the course “German for life in Germany”: 416 situations with audio, a pronunciation guide and spaced review.
On the website the first dialogue, the 112 category, the rescue phrases and the “Basics” are fully open.
Words worth knowing
haben
KHAH-bayn
verb
to have
Loch
lokh
noun
hole
Zahn
tsahn
noun
tooth
mache
MAH-kheh
verb
I do, I make
Füllung
FYOO-loong
noun
filling
Möchten
MYOKH-tayn
verb
would like
42 more words, with explanations, base forms and tap-a-word help, are in the app.
If you did not understand
Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?
KYOH-nayn zee dahs BEE-teh vee-dehr-KHOH-layn?
Can you repeat that, please?
Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen?
KYOH-nayn zee BEE-teh LAHNG-zuh-muh SHPREH-khayn?
Can you speak more slowly, please?
Was bedeutet das?
Vahs beh-DOY-tet dahs?
What does this mean?
Similar situations
You phone the dentist because of a toothacheZahnarzt / Labor · A2 in the app
→You give blood for a test at the labZahnarzt / Labor · A2 in the app
→You go to the dentist for a check-up and a cleanZahnarzt / Labor · A2 in the app
→You phone the doctor's surgery to book an appointmentHausarztpraxis · A2✓ Fully open
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