Learn how to talk about illnesses in French and prepare for a doctor’s visit in France.
Getting sick is never fun, but being in a foreign country and not being able to communicate when you need medical help can definitely ruin your stay abroad. These resources will help you learn some important French vocabulary for illnesses and ailments so that you can communicate with French-speaking doctors, dentists, nurses, and pharmacists.
This blog post including sound bites will teach you the simple words and phrases along with the pronunciation you will need when asking for medical help.
Some basic French vocabulary to keep in mind can be seen below.
health
la santé
good health
en bonne santé
bad health
en mauvaise santé
an infection
une infection
a chill
un frisson
the flu
la grippe
a cold
un rhume
a throat infection
une angine
a sinus infection
une sinusite aiguë
an allergy
une allergie
a handkerchief
un mouchoir
a kleenex
un kleenex
to feel well
se sentir bien
to have a cold
être enrhumé
to cough
tousser
to sneeze
éternuer
to have a head ache
avoir mal à la tête
to have an ear ache
avoir mal aux oreilles
to have a stomach ache
avoir mal au ventre
to have a throat ache
avoir mal à la gorge
to have a fever
avoir de la fièvre
a runny nose
le nez qui coule
itchy eyes
les yeux qui piquent
to have a scratchy throat
la gorge qui gratte
sick
malade
viral
viral
bacterial
bactérien
allergic
allergique
le médecin
the doctor
the patient
le malade
a diagnosis
un diagnostic
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a prescription
une ordonnance
to suffer
souffrir
to open
ouvrir
to examine
examiner
to listen to the stethoscope
ausculter
to breath
respirer
to prescribe
prescrire
a pharmacist
un pharmacien
a pharmacy
une pharmacie
a medicine
un medicament
a pill
un comprimé
a antibiotic
un antibiotique
a syrup
un sirop
penicillin
de la pénicilline
aspirin
de l’aspirine
to swallow
avaler
Watch the video below to understand what a doctor’s visit is like in France and what you may be asked if you need to go to the doctor in France.
Some questions include:
1: Quel est votre problème?
2: C’est la 1ère fois que ça vous arrive?
3: Avez-vous eu un traitement?
4: Vous ne prenez pas d’aspirine?
5: un traitement local pendant 3 ou 4 jours.
6: la ordonnance (the prescription for the medicine you must get)
7: la feuille de soins (paper for your insurance)
8: la consultation est à 8 euros
9: vous pouvez régler par carte ou en liquide
Learn more French with a French language course at French in Normandy!
