病院に行く

You can use the dictionary form 病院に行く with friends. For a more polite version, use 病院に行きます. It is a simple subject-particle-verb structure. You can add a reason before it. For example, 風邪で病院に行く means "going to the hospital because of a cold." It is very flexible and easy to slot into conversations. Just don't forget the particle に to show your destination!

Use this when you have a fever or a cough. It is perfect for telling your boss why you are late. You can use it when checking on a sick friend. It also works for routine checkups or physicals. If you are texting a buddy to cancel plans, this is a valid excuse. It is a very practical, everyday expression.

Avoid using this for the dentist or the pharmacy. For the dentist, use 歯医者に行く. For the pharmacy, use 薬局に行く. Also, don't use it for mental health therapy usually. There are more specific terms for that like カウンセリング. If you are just visiting a friend who is hospitalized, use お見舞いに行く instead. Using the wrong phrase might make people think you are the sick one!

Japan has a national health insurance system. This makes visiting a doctor very affordable. Because of this, people go to the 病院 for minor things. A simple cold often warrants a professional opinion. Most neighborhoods have small, specialized clinics. These are still called 病院 in casual conversation. It is a big part of staying healthy in Japan. You will see clinics everywhere, from busy stations to quiet suburbs.

You might hear 病院へ行く which is slightly more formal. In casual speech, people often say 病院行かなきゃ. This means "I have to go to the hospital." If you are already there, you say 病院に来ている. If you want to sound more professional, use 受診する. This specifically means "to receive a medical examination." But for daily life, 病院に行く is king.