French vocabulary for visiting the doctor, including common phrases, body parts, symptoms, medical conditions, and essential questions to help you communicate effectively during a medical appointment.
Going to the doctor in a French-speaking country can be much easier if you know the right vocabulary. This guide covers essential words and phrases for describing symptoms, understanding medical conditions, and answering common questions. Plus, you’ll learn how to ask for help and explain what’s wrong—all in French.
Common Questions at the Doctor
When you visit the doctor, you’ll need to answer and ask some basic questions about your health. These common questions help you describe your situation clearly.
| French Question | English Question | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Où avez-vous mal ? | Where do you have pain? | Docteur, où avez-vous mal ? | Doctor, where do you have pain? |
| Depuis quand avez-vous ces symptômes ? | How long have you had these symptoms? | Depuis quand avez-vous ces symptômes ? | How long have you had these symptoms? |
| Avez-vous de la fièvre ? | Do you have a fever? | Avez-vous de la fièvre ? | Do you have a fever? |
| Est-ce que ça fait mal ? | Does it hurt? | Est-ce que ça fait mal ? | Does it hurt? |
| Prenez-vous des médicaments ? | Are you taking any medication? | Prenez-vous des médicaments ? | Are you taking any medication? |
| Avez-vous des allergies ? | Do you have any allergies? | Avez-vous des allergies ? | Do you have any allergies? |
| Est-ce que vous toussez ? | Are you coughing? | Est-ce que vous toussez ? | Are you coughing? |
| Pouvez-vous décrire la douleur ? | Can you describe the pain? | Pouvez-vous décrire la douleur ? | Can you describe the pain? |
| Avez-vous des problèmes de santé ? | Do you have any health problems? | Avez-vous des problèmes de santé ? | Do you have any health problems? |
| Est-ce que vous vous sentez fatigué(e) ? | Do you feel tired? | Est-ce que vous vous sentez fatigué(e) ? | Do you feel tired? |
¿Tienes ___? (fiebre)
What is the French question for 'Do you have a fever?'
Avez-vous de la fièvre ?
'Avez-vous de la fièvre ?' translates to 'Do you have a fever?'. The other options ask about cough, pain, or medication, not fever.
¿Cuánto tiempo ___ estos síntomas? (has tenido)
How do you say 'How long have you had these symptoms?' in French?
Depuis quand avez-vous ces symptômes ?
'Depuis quand avez-vous ces symptômes ?' means 'How long have you had these symptoms?'. It asks about the duration, while the other options ask if you have them, when, or why.
Body Parts
Knowing the names of body parts in French will help you point to where you’re hurting and understand the doctor’s questions more easily.
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| la tête | les têtes | head | heads | J’ai mal à la tête. | I have a headache. |
| la gorge | les gorges | throat | throats | J’ai mal à la gorge. | I have a sore throat. |
| le bras | les bras | arm | arms | Mon bras fait mal. | My arm hurts. |
| la jambe | les jambes | leg | legs | J’ai une blessure à la jambe. | I have an injury on my leg. |
| le dos | — | back | — | J’ai mal au dos. | I have back pain. |
| le ventre | — | stomach | — | J’ai mal au ventre. | I have a stomachache. |
| l’oreille (f) | les oreilles | ear | ears | J’ai mal à l’oreille. | I have an earache. |
| l’œil (m) | les yeux | eye | eyes | J’ai mal à l’œil. | My eye hurts. |
| la main | les mains | hand | hands | J’ai une coupure à la main. | I have a cut on my hand. |
| le cou | — | neck | — | J’ai une douleur au cou. | I have neck pain. |
Symptoms
Describing your symptoms accurately helps the doctor understand what’s wrong. Use these words to explain how you’re feeling in French.
| French Symptom | English Symptom | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| la douleur | pain | J’ai une douleur intense. | I have intense pain. |
| la fièvre | fever | J’ai de la fièvre. | I have a fever. |
| la toux | cough | J’ai une toux persistante. | I have a persistent cough. |
| le mal de tête | headache | J’ai un mal de tête terrible. | I have a terrible headache. |
| les nausées | nausea | J’ai des nausées. | I feel nauseous. |
| la fatigue | fatigue | Je me sens très fatigué(e). | I feel very tired. |
| les frissons | chills | J’ai des frissons. | I have chills. |
| les étourdissements | dizziness | J’ai des étourdissements. | I feel dizzy. |
| le mal de ventre | stomachache | J’ai mal au ventre. | I have a stomachache. |
| l’essoufflement (m) | shortness of breath | J’ai de l’essoufflement. | I have shortness of breath. |
Medical Conditions
These are some common medical conditions you might need to mention during a doctor’s visit. Recognizing these terms can help you understand diagnoses and instructions.
| French Condition | English Condition | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| le rhume | cold | J’ai attrapé un rhume. | I caught a cold. |
| la grippe | flu | J’ai la grippe. | I have the flu. |
| l’allergie (f) | allergy | J’ai une allergie aux noix. | I’m allergic to nuts. |
| l’infection (f) | infection | J’ai une infection à l’oreille. | I have an ear infection. |
| l’asthme (m) | asthma | J’ai de l’asthme. | I have asthma. |
| la bronchite | bronchitis | J’ai une bronchite. | I have bronchitis. |
| la sinusite | sinusitis | J’ai une sinusite. | I have sinusitis. |
| la migraine | migraine | Je souffre de migraines. | I suffer from migraines. |
| la gastro-entérite | gastroenteritis | J’ai une gastro-entérite. | I have gastroenteritis. |
| la pneumonie | pneumonia | On m’a diagnostiqué une pneumonie. | I was diagnosed with pneumonia. |
Useful Phrases
These phrases are common during medical appointments and can help you communicate more naturally with healthcare professionals in French.
| French Phrase | English Phrase | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| J’ai besoin d’un rendez-vous. | I need an appointment. | J’ai besoin d’un rendez-vous avec un médecin. | I need an appointment with a doctor. |
| Je me sens malade. | I feel sick. | Je me sens malade depuis ce matin. | I’ve felt sick since this morning. |
| Pouvez-vous m’aider ? | Can you help me? | Pouvez-vous m’aider avec cette douleur ? | Can you help me with this pain? |
| Je prends ce médicament. | I’m taking this medication. | Je prends ce médicament deux fois par jour. | I’m taking this medication twice a day. |
| Faut-il faire une prise de sang ? | Do I need a blood test? | Faut-il faire une prise de sang ? | Do I need a blood test? |
| Est-ce que c’est grave ? | Is it serious? | Est-ce que c’est grave, docteur ? | Is it serious, doctor? |
| Je suis allergique à… | I’m allergic to… | Je suis allergique à la pénicilline. | I’m allergic to penicillin. |
| Combien de temps ça va durer ? | How long will it last? | Combien de temps ça va durer ? | How long will it last? |
| Je ne me sens pas mieux. | I don’t feel better. | Je ne me sens pas mieux après le traitement. | I don’t feel better after the treatment. |
| Merci pour votre aide. | Thank you for your help. | Merci pour votre aide, docteur. | Thank you for your help, doctor. |
Conclusion
Having the right vocabulary can make a trip to the French doctor much less stressful. Practice these words and phrases to feel more confident explaining your symptoms and understanding medical advice. Remember, it’s okay to ask the doctor to speak slowly or repeat if you don’t understand—your health is the most important thing!
Flashcards (1 of 50)
- English Question: Where do you have pain?
- English Example: Doctor, where do you have pain?
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
