Depression is one of the most frequently encountered mental health disorders in primary care. The health and financial burden caused by this disorder emphasise the clinical importance of depressive disorders. Research shows that these conditions often remain unrecognised and untreated. The aim of this study is to analyse if and how primary care physicians identify this condition in comparison to the patients' self-evaluation. A total of 1,233 cases in 32 primary care physicians' offices were examined to see if symptoms of depression were recognised. The assessment procedures were evaluated, too. In this study, the prevalence of depressive disorders was 10%, and the recognition rate of primary care physicians 45%. These results underscore the importance of improving physicians' recognition of depression and use of ICD-10 criteria for differential diagnosis. Conclusions must be drawn for a specific training of primary care physicians that focuses on the improvement of diagnosis and treatment of depressed patients.