French Health Vocabulary: Doctor, Pharmacy and Emergencies
The French words and phrases for symptoms, body parts, doctors and pharmacies, plus emergency numbers, for travellers and residents.
When you're unwell, language barriers make everything harder. This guide covers the words you'll need in a pharmacy, doctor's surgery or emergency.
People and places
- un médecin / un docteur — doctor
- un généraliste — general practitioner
- un infirmier / une infirmière — nurse
- un pharmacien / une pharmacienne — pharmacist
- un dentiste
- l'hôpital
- la clinique
- la pharmacie — pharmacy (marked by a green cross)
- les urgences — emergency department
- le cabinet médical — doctor's surgery
Body parts
la tête (head), les yeux (eyes), les oreilles (ears), le nez (nose), la bouche (mouth), les dents (teeth), la gorge (throat), le cou (neck), le bras (arm), la main (hand), le dos (back), la poitrine (chest), le ventre (belly), l'estomac (stomach), la jambe (leg), le genou (knee), le pied (foot).
Describing symptoms
The key structure is avoir mal à + body part:
- J'ai mal à la tête. — I have a headache.
- J'ai mal au ventre. — I have a stomach ache.
- J'ai mal aux dents. — I have a toothache.
- J'ai mal à la gorge. — I have a sore throat.
- J'ai mal au dos. — My back hurts.
(à + le = au, à + les = aux.)
More symptoms:
- J'ai de la fièvre. — I have a fever.
- Je tousse. — I'm coughing. (la toux = cough)
- J'ai un rhume. — I have a cold.
- J'ai la grippe. — I have the flu.
- J'ai des nausées. — I feel sick.
- J'ai la diarrhée.
- Je suis enrhumé(e).
- J'ai des vertiges. — I feel dizzy.
- Je suis allergique à... — I'm allergic to...
- Je me suis cassé le bras. — I've broken my arm.
- Je me suis coupé. — I've cut myself.
General phrases
- Je ne me sens pas bien. — I don't feel well.
- Je suis malade. — I'm ill.
- J'ai besoin d'un médecin. — I need a doctor.
- Où est la pharmacie la plus proche ? — Where's the nearest pharmacy?
- Depuis quand ? — Since when?
- Depuis deux jours. — For two days.
- Je prends des médicaments. — I take medication.
At the pharmacy
French pharmacists are trained to advise on minor ailments, and are often the first stop.
- un médicament — medicine
- une ordonnance — prescription
- des comprimés — tablets
- un sirop — syrup
- des pastilles pour la gorge — throat lozenges
- des pansements — plasters
- une crème — cream
- un antalgique — painkiller
- Avez-vous quelque chose pour... ? — Do you have something for...?
- Combien de fois par jour ? — How many times a day?
- Avant ou après les repas ? — Before or after meals?
Emergency numbers in France
- 15 — SAMU (medical emergency)
- 17 — Police
- 18 — Fire brigade (pompiers)
- 112 — European emergency number
Check the current details before you travel.
In an emergency
- Au secours ! — Help!
- Appelez une ambulance ! — Call an ambulance!
- C'est urgent. — It's urgent.
- Il / Elle ne respire pas. — He / She isn't breathing.
- Il y a eu un accident. — There's been an accident.
Practical tips
- Carry a list of your medications and allergies, in French if possible.
- Check your health insurance for foreign treatment, and carry your insurance card.
- Note that the pharmacie sign is a green cross, and pharmacies show which one is open at night (pharmacie de garde).
Common mistakes
- Saying Je suis mal à la tête (wrong) instead of J'ai mal à la tête.
- Using malade to mean "sick to my stomach".
Note
This guide is for language learning, not medical advice.
Look up health words offline with English French Dictionary →
English French Dictionary
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