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Suddenly feeling unwell while in France? Don't panic, going to the doctor's in French will give you the opportunity to practice... I'll give you all the vocabulary you need!
Summary
Au médecin or chez le médecin ?
Parts of the human body
Expressing pain in French
40 useful phrases in French at the doctor's
Frequent illnesses and health problems
Health professionals
How does the French healthcare system work?
Au médecin ou chez le médecin ?
We use the preposition “à” with commercial nouns: je vais à la boulangerie, à la boucherie, à la librairie... (I'm going to the bakery, the butcher, the bookshop...)
But we use the preposition “chez” with professions: je suis chez le boucher, chez le fleuriste, chez le dentiste... (I'm at the butcher, the florist, the dentist...)
✅ So we'll say "Je vais AU cabinet médical." but : "Je vais CHEZ le médecin."
Parts of the human body
Expressing pain in French
There are several ways of expressing pain in French:
1. Avoir mal à... - the most common
Simply conjugate the verb “avoir”.
Example: J'ai mal à la tête. - My head hurts, I have a headache.
⚠️ Beware of contractions with the articles “the” and “the”:
J'ai mal au ventre. (à + le = au) - My stomach hurts.
J'ai mal aux yeux. (à + les = aux) - My eyes hurt.
2. (Part of the body) me fait mal. - less common
Examples: Mon genou me fait mal. Ma jambe me fait mal. - My knee hurts. My leg hurts.
3. Ça fait mal.
For example, the doctor may ask you "Si j'appuie ici, ça fait mal ?" (“If I press here, does it hurt?”)
4. You can add degrees of intensity:
J'ai un peu mal à la gorge. - My throat hurts a little.
J'ai très mal aux dents.- My teeth hurt a lot.
J'ai terriblement mal au dos. - My back hurts terribly.
40 useful phrases in French at the doctor's
The doctor:
Qu'est-ce qui vous amène ? - What brings you here?
Asseyez-vous. - Have a seat.
Allongez-vous. - Lie down.
Vous avez mal où ? - Where does it hurt?
Je vais vous ausculter. - I'm going to check you.
Inspirez. Expirez. - Inhale. Exhale.
Bloquez votre respiration. - Hold your breath.
Je vais prendre votre température / votre tension. - I'm going to take your temperature / blood pressure.
Ouvrez la bouche. - Open your mouth.
Tournez la tête. - Turn your head.
Fermez les yeux. - Close your eyes.
Détendez-vous. - Relax.
Combien pesez-vous ? - How much do you weigh?
Combien mesurez-vous ? - How much do you measure?
Je vais vous prescrire des antibiotiques / des antidouleurs / du paracétamol / du sirop... (une ordonnance) - I'm going to prescribe some antibiotics / painkillers / paracetamol / syrup... (a prescription)
Vous allez faire une prise de sang. - I'm going to take a blood test.
Est-ce que vous avez des problèmes de santé ? - Do you have any health problems?
The patient:
J'ai le nez qui coule. - My nose is running.
Ma gorge brûle. - My throat burns.
J'ai de la fièvre. - I have a fever.
Je suis fatigué(e). - I'm tired.
Je tousse. (la toux grasse / la toux sèche) - I have a cough (wet cough / dry cough).
Ça pique. - It burns.
Ça gratte. - It itches.
Je me suis coupé le doigt/le pied... - I cut my finger/foot...
Je suis tombé(e). - I've fallen.
Je me suis cassé la jambe/le bras/une côte... - I broke my leg/arm/rib...
Ça saigne. (le sang) - It bleeds. (the blood)
Ça coule. - It flows.
Ça fait mal. - It hurts.
Je dors mal. - I can't sleep.
J'ai la diarrhée. - I have diarrhea.
Je suis constipé(e). - I am constipated.
Ma cheville est gonflée. - My ankle is swollen.
Je suis allergique à... (Ex : Je suis allergique à la noisette.) - I'm allergic to... (Ex: I'm allergic to hazelnuts.)
Je suis enceinte. (la grossesse) - I'm pregnant. (the pregnancy)
J'ai une tache sur la peau. - I have a spot on my skin.
J'ai des boutons / des plaques sur le corps. - I have pimples / patches on my body.
Je pèse... (Ex : Je pèse 62 kg.) - I weigh... (Ex: I weigh 62 kg.)
Je mesure... (Ex : Je mesure 1,67m.) - I am... (Ex: I am 1.67 m tall.)
Frequent illnesses and health problems
Un rhume - a cold
Une grippe - the flu
Une angine - angina
Un cancer (du sein, de l'estomac, des ovaires, de la prostate...) - a breast, stomach, ovaries, prostate... cancer
L'acné - acne
Une entorse - sprain
Une fracture - a fracture
L'hypertension - high blood pressure
Le diabète - diabetes
Un infarctus - heart attack
L'insuffisance rénale - kidney failure
Une carie - cavity
Une brûlure - burns
Health professionals
Les urgences (le médecin urgentiste) - Emergencies (the emergency physician)
Le médecin généraliste - the general practitioner
Les médecins spécialistes : l'ophtalmologue, le gynécologue, le dermatologue, le dentiste, l'ORL, le chirurgien, le psychiatre, le pédiatre, le gastroentérologue, le rhumatologue, l'obstétricien(ne)... - Specialists: ophthalmologist, gynecologist, dermatologist, dentist, ENT specialist, surgeon, psychiatrist, pediatrician, gastroenterologist, rheumatologist, obstetrician...
La sage-femme - midwife ((yes, even for men!)
Le kinésithérapeute (le "kiné") - Physiotherapist
L'infirmier(ère) - nurse
L'aide-soignant(e) - care assistant
Le/la diététicien(ne) - dietician
Le psychologue - psychologist
Le sophrologue - sophrologist
How does the French healthcare system work?
If you live in France, you need to apply for a social security number ("la sécurité sociale") and a Carte Vitale. This card gives you access to medical care (doctor, hospital, pharmacy...) and reimbursement.
Social Security covers 70% of medical expenses. The remaining 30% is reimbursed by a mutuelle, a type of private insurance that you pay for every month. It is not compulsory, and its cost varies according to your age and needs. The average price is 83€/month in 2024, but it can be much lower if you choose to have little coverage. If you work in France, your company is obliged to offer you a mutuelle option (collective health cover). In general, rates are more attractive, as they are negotiated by the company.
As far as the cost of treatment is concerned, a consultation with a general practitioner usually costs €26.5, and €31.5 with a specialist. Once you've been reimbursed by the social security system, you'll only have to pay €4.45, or €9.45 if you don't have a mutuelle!
If you have a serious health problem or need surgery, you don't have to pay anything in public hospitals! The same applies to childbirth in a public hospital. Social security pays in advance. Many people think that public hospitals are free, but of course they're not! Social security is financed in part by workers' taxes, and costs the State a lot of money. It's a great opportunity to be able to receive care without means-testing, but the system is unsustainable because it adds to the public debt. We'll see how much longer France can go on with this healthcare system!
I hope you won't need this vocabulary, but now you know everything (or almost everything) about going to the doctor in French!
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