Language/French/Vocabulary/Health

French Vocabulary - Health

Hi French learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn French vocabulary related to health. Being able to talk about health is important when traveling or when talking to French-speaking friends or colleagues. We will also explore some cultural information related to health in France.

Finish this lesson and explore these related pages: 100 Cents or Cent & Nationalities.

Basic Vocabulary

Let's start with some basic vocabulary to describe how you feel and common health issues.

French	Pronunciation	English
être en forme	ɛtʁ(ə) ɑ̃ fɔʁm	to feel good, to be in shape
être fatigué(e)	ɛtʁ(ə) fatige	to be tired
avoir mal à la tête	avwaʁ mal a la tɛt	to have a headache
avoir mal au dos	avwaʁ mal o do	to have back pain
avoir la grippe	avwaʁ la ɡʁip	to have the flu
être enrhumé(e)	ɛtʁ(ə) ɑ̃ʁyme	to have a cold

Let's practice some of these words in a dialogue:

• Person 1: Comment ça va aujourd'hui? (How are you feeling today?)
• Person 2: Je suis fatigué(e) et j'ai mal à la tête. (I am tired and I have a headache.)
• Person 1: Tu devrais te reposer. (You should rest.)

Going to the Doctor

If you need to see a doctor in France, you can make an appointment with a general practitioner (médecin généraliste) or a specialist (spécialiste). Here is some vocabulary related to visiting a doctor:

French	Pronunciation	English
consulter un médecin	kɔ̃sylte œ̃ med(ə)sɛ̃	to see a doctor
une ordonnance	yn ɔʁdɔnɑ̃s	a prescription
une radiographie	yn ʁadjɔɡʁafi	an X-ray
une prise de sang	yn pʁiz(ə) də sɑ̃	a blood test
un examen médical	œ̃ ɛɡzamɛ̃ medikal	a medical exam

Let's practice some of these words in a dialogue:

• Person 1: J'ai mal à la gorge depuis quelques jours. (I have had a sore throat for a few days.)
• Person 2: Tu devrais consulter un médecin. Il te prescrira sûrement une ordonnance pour des antibiotiques. (You should see a doctor. He will probably give you a prescription for antibiotics.)

Traditional Medicine

In France, there is a long history of traditional medicine, including the use of plants and herbs to treat common ailments. Here are some words related to traditional medicine:

French	Pronunciation	English
une tisane	yn tizan	herbal tea
l'homéopathie (f)	lɔmejɔpati	homeopathy
la phytothérapie	la fitoterapi	herbal medicine
la médecine chinoise	la medsɛn ʃinoiz	Chinese medicine

Let's practice some of these words in a dialogue:

• Person 1: J'ai mal à l'estomac. (I have a stomach ache.)
• Person 2: Tu devrais boire une tisane à la camomille. Cela apaise les douleurs d'estomac. (You should drink a chamomile herbal tea. It soothes stomach pains.)

Cultural Information

In France, there is a strong emphasis on preventive medicine and taking care of one's health before getting sick. The French government provides free medical check-ups for children and adults, and many employers offer additional health benefits to their employees. Additionally, France has a high life expectancy and a low rate of obesity, due in part to the focus on healthy habits like regular exercise and balanced meals.

It is also worth noting that smoking is relatively common in France, despite efforts to curb tobacco use. However, smoking is not permitted in public places, and many French people have adopted healthier habits in recent years.

Conclusion

We have learned some basic French vocabulary related to health and explored some cultural information related to health in France. Remember, the best way to improve your French is to practice regularly! To find native speakers to practice with, check out Polyglot Club and use their resources to find native speakers and ask them any questions. You can also visit the French Vocabulary page to expand your vocabulary.

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➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Upon wrapping up this lesson, take a look at these related pages: False Friends & When use Mets, Met, Mes or Mais in French.

Other Lessons

• Common spelling errors
• Bathroom
• How to say Good Bye?
• Dire bonjour
• 20 Vingts or Vingt
• Common abbreviations
• Count to 10
• Bird
• When use Amande and Amende
• Computer

Sources

• French Vocabulary: Health and Hygiene - Talk in French
• French Health & Illnesses Vocabulary - Going To The Doctor
• Basic French Vocabulary: Medical Help and Illnesses