看診時聽不懂怎麼辦？請醫師說慢一點、重複、寫下來

醫師走進診間，問了你三句話、給了五個指示、講了一個藥名，你只聽懂了一半。這不是你英文不好——醫師的工作是看病，不是當英文老師，他們的語速、術語密度、口音都跟一般生活英文不一樣。在這種情況下，主動求助 才是溝通的關鍵能力。沉默點頭等於放棄資訊，也是醫療上最危險的一件事。

本文僅教看診時的英文求助技巧，不取代醫療判斷；任何聽不懂的醫囑都應該當場確認到完全清楚為止。緊急症狀請立即聯絡當地急救單位。

這篇給你 7 個具體的英文求助策略，每個都附現成句子。下次看診時，至少用其中 3 個——你的看診品質會差很多。

為什麼會聽不懂？拆解成三種狀況

聽不懂通常不是「全部都聽不懂」，而是下面之一：

語速太快：每個字你都認識，但連起來來不及處理。
術語不熟：碰到 hypertension、ibuprofen、X-ray、ultrasound 這些字。
指示太多：藥要一天三次、飯後吃、不能配酒、五天後回診——一次塞太多。

這三種情況的求助句不太一樣，下面分別講。

核心單字表

English	中文	例句
say that again	再說一次	Could you say that again?
repeat	重複	Could you repeat the dosage?
slow down	放慢	Could you slow down a little?
in simpler words	用簡單一點的話	Could you say that in simpler words?
layman's terms	一般人聽得懂的話	Can you explain it in layman's terms?
write it down	寫下來	Could you write that down for me?
spell	拼出來	Could you spell the medication name?
draw / sketch	畫	Could you draw it for me?
translator / interpreter	翻譯	Do you have a Mandarin interpreter?
handout	衛教單張	Do you have a handout in Chinese?
recap / summarize	重新整理一遍	Let me recap to make sure I understood.

七個策略 + 必背英文

策略 1：請對方「放慢」

最常用、最不失禮、最有效。

"Could you slow down a little, please? English isn't my first language."
"Sorry, that was a bit fast for me. Could you go slower?"
"Could you take it one step at a time?"

小提示：說「English isn't my first language」不是示弱，是給對方一個清楚的訊號。多數醫師聽到後會立刻調整。

策略 2：請對方「再說一次」

"Sorry, I didn't catch that. Could you say that again?"
"Could you repeat the last part?"
"You said the medication name — could you say it again?"

策略 3：請對方「換一種說法 / 簡化」

當對方用了你不熟的術語：

"Could you say that in simpler words?"
"What does [hypertension] mean in everyday English?"
"Can you explain it in layman's terms?"
"Is that another way of saying [BLANK]?"

策略 4：請對方「寫下來」

對醫囑、藥名、劑量、回診時間最有用。

"Could you write that down for me, please?"
"Could you spell the medication name?"
"Could you write the dosage on a piece of paper?"
"Could you write the name of the test?"

策略 5：請對方「畫一下」或用圖

對解剖部位、骨折位置、結構性問題特別有用。

"Could you point to where the problem is on this diagram?"
"Could you draw it for me? I want to make sure I understand."
"Could you show me on this chart?"

策略 6：自己「複述一遍」確認

這是最強的一招——你自己整理一遍，醫師糾正你。

"Let me make sure I understood. You're saying [BLANK]?"
"So I should take one pill twice a day, after meals, for seven days. Is that right?"
"Just to recap — I have [BLANK], and the next step is [BLANK]?"

策略 7：要求翻譯資源 / 衛教單張

很多大型診所、醫院在當地有 Mandarin interpreter 或多語言衛教單張，主動問才會有。

"Do you have a Mandarin (Chinese) interpreter available?"
"Do you offer phone or video interpretation?"
"Do you have any handouts in Chinese?"
"Could I take a printed summary of today's visit home?"

錯誤說法 vs 自然說法

不自然	自然說法	為什麼
I don't understand.	Sorry, I didn't catch that. Could you repeat it?	「I don't understand」太籠統；用 didn't catch 比較精準。
You speak too fast.	Could you slow down a little?	「You speak too fast」帶指責語氣；改成請求。
Tell me again, please.	Could you say that again?	tell me 偏命令；用 could you 軟化。
I am bad English.	English isn't my first language.	直接、平靜、不貶低自己。
Write paper.	Could you write that down for me, please?	完整句。
What name?	Could you spell the name, please?	spell 比 what name 精準。
You say what?	Sorry, what did you say?	「You say what?」聽起來不耐煩。

情境對話：把七招混合用

Doctor: Based on your symptoms and the exam, I think this is acute pharyngitis. I'm going to prescribe amoxicillin, 500 mg three times a day for seven days, and I'd like you to come back in five days for a follow-up. You: Sorry, that was a lot. Could you slow down a little? Doctor: Of course, no problem. You: What does "acute pharyngitis" mean in simpler words? Doctor: It just means a sore throat caused by a bacterial infection. You: Got it. And could you spell the medication name? Doctor: Sure: A-M-O-X-I-C-I-L-L-I-N. Amoxicillin. You: Thank you. Could you write the dosage and the follow-up date down for me, please? Doctor: Yes, here you go. You: Let me make sure I understood — I take one 500 mg pill three times a day, with food, for seven days. And I come back next Tuesday for a follow-up. Is that right? Doctor: Almost — actually, you can take it with or without food. Otherwise yes, that's correct. You: Perfect. One last thing — do you have any handouts in Chinese about strep throat? Doctor: I'll check with the front desk; they may have one.

可替換句型模板

"Could you [BLANK], please? English isn't my first language."
- Could you slow down, please? English isn't my first language.
- Could you repeat the dosage, please? English isn't my first language.
"What does [BLANK] mean in simpler words?"
- What does "ultrasound" mean in simpler words?
"Could you write [BLANK] down for me?"
- Could you write the test name down for me?
"Let me make sure I understood — [BLANK]. Is that right?"
- Let me make sure I understood — I should fast for 12 hours before the blood test. Is that right?
"Do you have [BLANK] in Chinese?"
- Do you have any handouts in Chinese?

小練習

翻成自然英文：

抱歉，我沒聽清楚最後一句。
「inflammation」是什麼意思？可以用簡單一點的英文說嗎？
你可以把藥名拼出來嗎？
讓我重述一遍：我一天吃兩次，飯後吃，吃五天，對嗎？
你們有中文的衛教單嗎？

參考答案

Sorry, I didn't catch the last part.
What does "inflammation" mean? Could you say it in simpler words?
Could you spell the medication name, please?
Let me repeat — I take it twice a day, after meals, for five days. Is that right?
Do you have any handouts in Chinese?

看診前可複製的英文整理表

把這張小抄存進手機備忘錄。看診時開出來，看到狀況就唸對應句子。

"I didn't catch that" toolkit
- Pace: "Could you slow down a little, please?"
- Repeat: "Sorry, I didn't catch that. Could you say that again?"
- Simplify: "Could you say that in simpler words?"
- Spell: "Could you spell that, please?"
- Write: "Could you write that down for me, please?"
- Draw: "Could you point to where the issue is on a diagram?"
- Recap: "Let me make sure I understood — [BLANK]. Is that right?"
- Resources: "Do you have a Mandarin interpreter or any handouts in Chinese?"

Cheat phrase to start: "English isn't my first language, so I might ask you to repeat or slow down."