This page lists common illnesses in French with English translations, example sentences, and grammar tips to help you discuss health issues confidently.
Common Illnesses
Here are some common illnesses in French with example sentences and grammar notes:
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Example Sentence (French) | Example Sentence (English) | Grammar Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| le rhume | les rhumes | cold | colds | J’ai un rhume depuis deux jours. | I’ve had a cold for two days. | “Rhume” is masculine singular; use “un” and singular verb forms. |
| la grippe | les grippes | flu | flus | Elle a attrapé la grippe la semaine dernière. | She caught the flu last week. | “Grippe” is feminine singular; use “la” and singular verb forms. |
| la fièvre | les fièvres | fever | fevers | Il a de la fièvre ce matin. | He has a fever this morning. | “Fièvre” is feminine singular. Use “avoir de la fièvre” to say “have a fever.” |
| la toux | — | cough | — | J’ai une toux sèche. | I have a dry cough. | “Toux” is feminine singular, but has no plural form. Use “une toux.” |
| la migraine | les migraines | migraine | migraines | Elle souffre de migraines chroniques. | She suffers from chronic migraines. | Use “souffrir de” + plural noun for ongoing conditions. |
| l’allergie (f.) | les allergies | allergy | allergies | Il a une allergie aux noix. | He has a nut allergy. | “Allergie” is feminine. Use “avoir une allergie à/aux...” |
| l’infection (f.) | les infections | infection | infections | J’ai une infection de la gorge. | I have a throat infection. | “Infection” is feminine. Use “avoir une infection de...” |
| la bronchite | les bronchites | bronchitis | bronchitis cases | Elle a une bronchite depuis une semaine. | She has bronchitis for a week. | “Bronchite” is feminine singular. |
| la constipation | — | constipation | — | Il souffre de constipation. | He suffers from constipation. | “Constipation” is feminine and uncountable in French. |
| la diarrhée | — | diarrhea | — | J’ai la diarrhée depuis hier. | I’ve had diarrhea since yesterday. | “Diarrhée” is feminine and uncountable. |
Symptoms
These are common symptoms that can help you describe illnesses:
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Example Sentence (French) | Example Sentence (English) | Grammar Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| la douleur | les douleurs | pain | pains | J’ai des douleurs au ventre. | I have stomach pains. | Use “des douleurs” (plural) for unspecified pains. |
| la fatigue | — | tiredness / fatigue | — | Je ressens beaucoup de fatigue. | I feel very tired. | “Fatigue” is feminine and uncountable. |
| le mal de tête | les maux de tête | headache | headaches | J’ai un mal de tête terrible. | I have a terrible headache. | Plural is irregular: “maux de tête.” Use “avoir un mal de tête.” |
| le vertige | les vertiges | dizziness | dizzinesses | Elle a des vertiges quand elle se lève. | She feels dizzy when she stands up. | “Vertige” is masculine. Use plural “des vertiges” for multiple episodes. |
| la nausée | les nausées | nausea | nausea (plural) | Il a des nausées ce matin. | He feels nauseous this morning. | “Nausée” is feminine. Use plural “des nausées” for repeated feelings. |
| le vomissement | les vomissements | vomiting | vomitings | Elle a eu des vomissements hier soir. | She vomited last night. | “Vomissement” is masculine plural in this context. |
| la toux | — | cough | — | La toux ne passe pas. | The cough won’t go away. | “Toux” is feminine singular with no plural. |
| la fièvre | — | fever | — | La fièvre est montée à 39 degrés. | The fever rose to 39 degrees. | Use “avoir de la fièvre” for “to have a fever.” |
| les frissons (m.) | — | chills | — | Il a des frissons toute la nuit. | He had chills all night. | “Frisson” is masculine plural here. Use “avoir des frissons.” |
Medical Conditions
These are more serious medical conditions you might need vocabulary for:
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Example Sentence (French) | Example Sentence (English) | Grammar Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| le diabète | — | diabetes | — | Mon oncle est atteint de diabète. | My uncle has diabetes. | “Diabète” is masculine and uncountable. Use “être atteint de...” |
| l’asthme (m.) | — | asthma | — | Elle souffre d’asthme depuis l’enfance. | She’s had asthma since childhood. | Use “souffrir de...” + condition. |
| l’arthrite (f.) | — | arthritis | — | L’arthrite cause des douleurs articulaires. | Arthritis causes joint pain. | “Arthrite” is feminine and uncountable. |
| le cancer | les cancers | cancer | cancers | Il lutte contre le cancer depuis deux ans. | He’s been fighting cancer for two years. | Use “lutter contre...” for “fight against.” |
| la dépression | — | depression | — | Elle suit un traitement pour la dépression. | She’s undergoing treatment for depression. | “Dépression” is feminine and uncountable. |
| l’hypertension (f.) | — | hypertension | — | Il a de l’hypertension. | He has high blood pressure. | Use “avoir de l’hypertension.” |
| la pneumonie | les pneumonies | pneumonia | pneumonias | La pneumonie peut être grave chez les enfants. | Pneumonia can be serious in children. | “Pneumonie” is feminine. |
| l’AVC (accident vasculaire cérébral) | les AVC | stroke | strokes | L’AVC est une urgence médicale. | Stroke is a medical emergency. | Acronym “AVC” is masculine singular. |
| l’embolie | les embolies | embolism | embolisms | Une embolie pulmonaire est dangereuse. | A pulmonary embolism is dangerous. | “Embolie” is feminine. |
| la sclérose en plaques | — | multiple sclerosis | — | La sclérose en plaques affecte le système nerveux. | Multiple sclerosis affects the nervous system. | Always singular and feminine. |
How do you say "He’s been fighting cancer for two years" in French?
Il lutte contre le cancer depuis deux ans.
"Lutter contre" means "to fight against." "Cancer" is masculine singular, so use "le cancer." "Depuis deux ans" indicates an ongoing action.
Describing Illnesses
Here are some useful sentence structures to describe illnesses in French:
| Pattern | Example (French) | Example (English) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avoir + [illness/symptom] | J’ai une grippe. | I have the flu. | Use “avoir” + noun. For some nouns, use “une” or “un.” |
| Souffrir de + [noun] | Elle souffre de migraines. | She suffers from migraines. | Use “souffrir de” for chronic or recurring conditions. |
| Avoir mal à + [body part] | J’ai mal à la tête. | I have a headache. | Use “avoir mal à” + definite article + body part. |
| Être atteint de + [illness] | Il est atteint de diabète. | He has diabetes. | Formal way to say “have” a serious illness. |
| Attraper + [illness] | J’ai attrapé un rhume. | I caught a cold. | “Attraper” means “to catch” (an illness). |
| Se sentir + [adjective] | Je me sens fatigué(e). | I feel tired. | Reflexive verb + adjective to describe how you feel. |
How do you talk about "catching" an illness in French?
Use "attraper" + illness, e.g., "J’ai attrapé un rhume."
"Attraper" means "to catch" and is commonly used for colds, flu, and similar illnesses.
Common Misconceptions
Here are some common pitfalls to avoid when using illness vocabulary in French:
| Mistake | Explanation | Correct Usage |
|---|---|---|
| J’ai mal la tête. | Missing preposition “à.” | J’ai mal à la tête. |
| Je suis malade de la grippe. | Incorrect preposition. | J’ai la grippe. / Je suis malade à cause de la grippe. |
| J’ai fièvre. | Missing partitive article “de la.” | J’ai de la fièvre. |
| Elle a un douleur. | “Douleur” is feminine; article must agree. | Elle a une douleur. |
| J’ai mal au ventre depuis hier. | Correct usage (example included for clarity). | J’ai mal au ventre depuis hier. |
Why is "J’ai mal la tête" incorrect in French?
Because the preposition "à" is missing; it should be "J’ai mal à la tête."
The fixed expression for pain uses "avoir mal à" followed by the definite article and body part.
Summary
- French illness nouns have genders and sometimes plurals.
- Common verbs: avoir, souffrir de, attraper, être atteint de, se sentir.
- Use mal à + [body part] to describe localized pain.
- Some nouns are uncountable (e.g., fièvre, fatigue), others have irregular plurals (mal de tête → maux de tête).
- Always include definite or partitive articles as required (de la fièvre, des douleurs).
You’re now equipped with the French vocabulary and grammar to talk about a wide range of illnesses and symptoms.
Is there a specific illness category you'd like to explore next, or do you want to learn about how to talk to a doctor in French?
Flashcards (1 of 35)
- Grammar Notes: “Rhume” is masculine singular; use “un” and singular verb forms.
- English Singular: cold
- English Plural: colds
- Example Sentence (English): I’ve had a cold for two days.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
