Describing symptoms and seeking medical help in French

Level A2

Describing symptoms and seeking medical help in French

Learn to describe common symptoms and ask for an appointment or help at a pharmacy. For pain, French usually uses “avoir mal à” with a definite article: “J'ai mal à la tête.” means “My head hurts.” With “depuis,” use the present tense for symptoms that are still continuing, where English often uses “have had.” To say when a symptom started, use “a commencé il y a,” meaning “started … ago.”

Body parts, symptoms and words for getting care

Saying where it hurts and asking about pain

J'ai mal à partie du corps avec l’article adapté.

Describing a sore throat, a cough and a fever

“J'ai la gorge irritée.” means “My throat is sore.” French uses “avoir” (“to have”) here, where English uses “be.”

The body's cough example, “J'ai de la toux.” (“I've got a cough.”), is understandable but awkward; French more naturally expresses this symptom with the verb “tousser” (“to cough”). In “J'ai de la fièvre,” French uses “de la,” where English says “a fever.”

Using depuis to say how long symptoms have lasted

J'ai symptôme depuis durée.

Using depuis to say when continuing symptoms began

J'ai symptôme depuis point de départ.

Using il y a to say how long ago a symptom started

Symptôme avec son article a commencé il y a durée.

Asking for an appointment today or tomorrow

Je voudrais prendre un rendez-vous jour, s'il vous plaît.

Booking a clinic appointment with polite vous forms

Finding a pharmacy and asking politely for help

“Est-ce qu'il y a une pharmacie près d'ici ?” asks whether there is a pharmacy nearby. “Pourriez-vous m'aider à trouver une pharmacie ?” uses a polite form meaning “Could you help me find a pharmacy?”

At the pharmacy, “Auriez-vous quelque chose contre le mal de tête, s'il vous plaît ?” politely asks for something for a headache; “contre” here means a remedy for the symptom. When booking an appointment, “Je voudrais prendre un rendez-vous” means “I'd like to make an appointment.” Use “vous,” “pourriez-vous” and “s'il vous plaît” when speaking politely to reception staff, pharmacists or people you do not know. English “you” does not show the distinction between polite “vous” and familiar “tu,” which appears in “Est-ce que tu as mal à l'estomac ?”

Giving familiar advice and a formal instruction to rest

“Tu devrais te reposer aujourd'hui.” means “You should rest today” and suits someone you address with familiar “tu.” “Veuillez vous reposer pendant quelques jours.” is a formal, courteous instruction meaning “Please rest for a few days.”

French “se reposer” needs a reflexive pronoun: use “te” with “tu” and “vous” with polite “vous,” although English simply says “rest.” Here, “pendant quelques jours” gives the suggested length of the rest; “depuis” would describe a period that began earlier and is still continuing.

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