# Doctor X



## Mieka

Hello,

When I want to say something like "*Dr *Jones gave him some medicine" what is the prefix? Still Dr?

*Dr *Jones heeft hem de medecine gegeven....


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## Peterdg

It's "Dr.", with a point.

And the correct sentence is: Dr. Jones heeft hem *het medicijn* gegeven.


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## YellowOnline

Still "dr.", but not with a capital and with a dot. It does get a capital here only because it is at the start of a sentence. The whole corrected, in two different tenses (the original and the one you used in translation):

Simple Past
"Dr. Jones gaf hem het geneesmiddel."

Present Perfect
"Dr. Jones heeft hem het geneesmiddel gegeven."

Note that I used _het geneesmiddel_, although _het medicijn_ and _het medicament_ are accepted too.


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## Peterdg

Now that I read it again, the original says "some medicine": this can mean two things: 1) a little bit of some medicine or 2) a further undetermined medicine.

1) would then be: "een beetje medicijn/geneesmiddel" and 2) would be "een medicijn/geneesmiddel".


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## YellowOnline

Peterdg said:


> Now that I read it again, the original says "some medicine": this can mean two things: 1) a little bit of some medicine or 2) a further undetermined medicine.
> 
> 1) would then be: "een beetje medicijn/geneesmiddel" and 2) would be "een medicijn/geneesmiddel".



Ah, we seem to have posted at the same moment.

I didn't note that either. Meaning 2 I would rather translate as "een of ander geneesmiddel", as "een geneesmiddel" would be the equivalent of "a medicine", ie. with an indefinite article.


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## Mieka

Ah interesting, my teacher marked me wrong even though I put Dr., and it was at the start.

Thanks for the overall correction as well, can't spell to save my life in any language...


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## YellowOnline

Mieka said:


> Ah interesting, my teacher marked me wrong even though I put Dr., and it was at the start.
> 
> Thanks for the overall correction as well, can't spell to save my life in any language...



Well, show him or her this.


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## Timidinho

Two things.

1. _Doctor_ and _dokter_ are not the same thing. _Dr_. means _doctor_ (PhD) and NOT _dokter_ (practioner of medicine). So the use of _dr_. is wrong in your example.

2. I think the use of _medicijn_ is more common than _geneesmiddel_ in the Netherlands. As far as I know _medicament_ is not (almost never) used.


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## Timidinho

So it should be "Dokter Jones ..."


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## YellowOnline

Timidinho said:


> Two things.
> 
> 1. _Doctor_ and _dokter_ are not the same thing. _Dr_. means _doctor_ (PhD) and NOT _dokter_ (practioner of medicine). So the use of _dr_. is wrong in your example.
> 
> 2. I think the use of _medicijn_ is more common than _geneesmiddel_ in the Netherlands. As far as I know _medicament_ is not (almost never) used.



The usual differences between Dutch Dutch and Belgian Dutch. In Belgium, _dr._ can also be used by a general doctor. Cf. VRT Taalnet.


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## Peterdg

Timidinho said:


> Two things.
> 
> 1. _Doctor_ and _dokter_ are not the same thing. _Dr_. means _doctor_ (PhD) and NOT _dokter_ (practioner of medicine). So the use of _dr_. is wrong in your example.


Ad YO has already pointed out, dr. is a correct abbreviation for dokter (physician) in Belgium.



> 2. I think the use of _medicijn_ is more common than _geneesmiddel_ in the Netherlands. As far as I know _medicament_ is not (almost never) used.


_Medicament_ is pretty common in Belgium.


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## Timidinho

YellowOnline said:


> The usual differences between Dutch Dutch and Belgian Dutch. In Belgium, _dr._ can also be used by a general doctor. Cf. VRT Taalnet.


Ah, funny.


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