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The French healthcare system consistently rates as one of the best in the world. This month we are looking at how it works and providing you tips to help you get the best possible care during your time in France.
In that aim, here is a handy guide to medical terms in French. Chances are that sooner or later, you or someone close to you will need to consult a healthcare professional. Whether it be for a check-up, a routine vaccine or in the case of an emergency, it’s always best to be prepared!
So let’s start with a few helpful phrases in case of an emergency!
Emergency vocabulary
Au secours ! — Help!
J’ai eu un accident — I have had an accident
J’ai besoin d’un médecin — I need a doctor
J’ai mal ! — I’m in pain!
Je ne vais pas bien — I do not feel not well
Où est-ce qu’on peut trouver un cabinet médical ? — Where can I find a doctor’s office / surgery?
General medical terms
Here are some more general medical terms which will also come in handy.
Ambulance (f) — ambulance
Blessure (f) — injury
Bleu (m) — bruise
Cabinet médical (m) — doctor’s office
Carnet de santé (m) — medical record
Diagnostic (m) — diagnosis
Médecin (m) — doctor
Douleur (f) — pain
Echographie (f) — ultrasound
Effet secondaire (nm) — side effect
Enflé (adj) — swollen
Fièvre (f) — fever
Glycémie (f) — blood sugar
Gonflement (m) — swelling
Hôpital (m) — hospital
Infirmier (m), Infirmière (f) — nurse
Inflammation (f) — inflammation
Maladie (f) — illness
Mutuelle (f) — top-up medical insurance
Ordonnance (f) — prescription
Pharmacie (f) — pharmacy or chemist (UK)
Pouls (m) — pulse
Premiers secours (m) — first aid medical help
Pression artérielle or tension (f) — blood pressure
Radiographie (f) — x-ray
Salive (f) — saliva
Sang (m) — blood
Santé (f) — health
Seringue (f) — syringe
Symptôme (m) — symptom
Urgence (f) — emergency
Urgences (fpl) — emergency room (USA) A & E (UK)
Vomi (m) — vomit
Body parts terms
Next, let’s have a look at some vocabulary for body parts in French, to help you explain where you are feeling pain. Amygdales (fpl) — tonsils Bouche (f) — mouth Bras (m) — arm Cheville (f) — ankle Coeur (m) — heart Cou (m) — neck Coude (m) — elbow Dents (fpl) — teeth Doigt (m) — finger Dos (f) — back Épaule (f) — shoulder Estomac (m) — stomach Foie (m) — liver Front (m) — forehead Gencives (fpl) — gums Genou (m) — knee Gorge (f) — throat Jambe (f) — leg Joue (f) — cheek Narine (f) — nostril Nez (m) — nose Oeil (m) / Yeux (mpl) — eye / eyes Oreille (f) — ear Orteil (m) — toe Paupière (f) — eyelid Poitrine (f) — chest Pouce (m) — thumb Poumons (mpl) — lungs Rein (m) — kidney Tête (f) — head Végétations (fpl) — adenoids Ventre (m) — abdomen
In case of an appointment
To help you during a medical appointment, here are some questions and phrases that you might hear from a healthcare professional: Qu’est-ce qui ne va pas ? — What’s wrong? Qui dois-je contacter en cas d’urgence ? — Who is your emergency contact? Montrez-moi où vous avez mal — Show me where it hurts C’est la première fois que ceci vous est arrivé ? — Is it the first time this has happened to you? Prenez un comprimé une fois par jour avant de manger — Take a pill once a day before eating
How to describe common conditions?
Next, here are some useful phrases for you to use at the doctor’s office or at a pharmacy, to describe common conditions.
J’ai mal à … — My … hurts J’ai … — I have … J’ai des allergies — I have allergies J’ai de l’asthme — I have asthma J’ai mal au dos — I have a backache J’ai un rhume — I have a cold J’ai de la toux — I have a cough J’ai des crampes — I have cramps J’ai mal aux oreilles — I have earache J’ai le nez bouché — I have a stuffy / blocked nose J’ai de la fièvre — I have a fever / a high temperature
Other physical ailments
And here, you can find some vocabulary to translate other physical ailments.
We hope that you find this handy vocabulary guide helpful! Do you have any other medical vocabulary to add to this list? Let us know in the comments section below! Be sure to come back soon and check out our next blog articles about how to navigate the fabulous French healthcare system. Until then, take care! – Prenez soin de vous!
Recently my husband and I took the longest trip of our lives—a 15-day transatlantic cruise, followed by almost three weeks in the United States. It was the trip of a lifetime, and we loved every minute of it. As we spent time with people on the ship, American friends, and family, questions kept coming up: “How long are you going to stay in France? Are you ever coming home?” My standard answer is, “Until we die!” but the question, and our responses, have caused me to think more deeply about the concept of home.
So you’ve made it to France and embarked on your French lifestyle dream – bravo!
Since an important key to successful renesting is getting comfortable with the language, one of your next steps will be to improve your French. Trust us, everything is easier when you understand what is happening around you and can express yourself. Some may say that enough people speak English that you don’t need to learn French to get by. And while that may be true in many places, your experience will be fuller and more enriching the better you can communicate in French.
In today’s blog post we will continue looking at learning the French language.
Whether you have just started learning French or whether you are almost fluent, you will probably already have come across some faux-amis, or ‘false friends’ in French. These are words which are very similar, or even identical, in French and in English, but in fact they have very different meanings.
So here are some very common faux-amis to avoid, along with some explanations and better translations to use!
This month, the theme for Renestance blogs is the French language. In today’s blog article we will be looking at household vocabulary in French. Perfect for everyday tasks and for you to be able to talk about your French dream home!