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A1  ·  51 words

The body and health in French

The parts of the body, what hurts and what is done about it.

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From these 51 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.

More about this list

These are the words for saying where it hurts and for understanding the answer. Two thirds of the way down is marcher, which French uses for two things English keeps apart. The first is walking: je marche une heure par jour. The second is working in the sense of functioning — la machine à laver ne marche pas, the washing machine is not working, and ça marche on its own is the everyday « that works », « all right », the word a waiter says when the order is fine. The image is the same one English keeps in « the plan is up and running »: a thing that goes forward is a thing that works. French simply never left the image, and uses it for machines, arrangements and legs alike.

The words

Verb (11)

se sentirto feelVerbA1
Je me sens mieux.I feel better.
se leverto get upVerbA1
Je me lève à six heures.I get up at six.

Conjugation of se lever →

se coucherto go to bedVerbA1
Il se couche tard.He goes to bed late.

Conjugation of se coucher →

se laverto wash oneselfVerbA1
Elle se lave les mains.She washes her hands.
s’habillerto get dressedVerbA1
Je m’habille vite.I get dressed quickly.
marcherto walk, to workVerbA1
Je marche une heure par jour.I walk for an hour a day.
courirto runVerbA1
Il court tous les matins.He runs every morning.
tousserto coughVerbA2
Il tousse depuis une semaine.He has been coughing for a week.
se reposerto restVerbA2
Reposez-vous trois jours.Rest for three days.

Conjugation of se reposer →

sentirto feel, to smellVerbA1
Je ne me sens pas bien.I do not feel well.

Conjugation of sentir →

respirerto breatheVerbA2
Respirez lentement et comptez jusqu’à dix.Breathe slowly and count to ten.

Adjective (4)

Grammar for these: Adjective agreement · Where the adjective goes

maladeillAdjectiveA1
Je suis malade.I am ill.
fatiguétiredAdjectiveA1
Elle est fatiguée.She is tired.
graveseriousAdjectiveA1
Ce n’est pas grave.It is not serious.
fortstrongAdjectiveA1
Il est très fort.He is very strong.

Adverb (1)

Grammar for these: Adverbs in -ment

mieuxbetterAdverbA1
Ça va mieux.Things are better.

Phrase (2)

avoir malto be in painPhraseA1
J’ai mal ici.It hurts here.
la salle d’attentethe waiting roomPhraseA2
Il y a du monde dans la salle d’attente.There are a lot of people in the waiting room.

Noun (m) (18)

Grammar for these: Definite article: le, la, les · Indefinite article: un, une

le corpsthe bodyNoun (m)A1
Tout le corps me fait mal.My whole body aches.
le visagethe faceNoun (m)A1
Elle se lave le visage.She washes her face.
l’œilthe eyeNoun (m)A1
Il a les yeux bleus.He has blue eyes.
le nezthe noseNoun (m)A1
Mon nez coule.My nose is running.
le couthe neckNoun (m)A1
J’ai mal au cou.My neck hurts.
le brasthe armNoun (m)A1
Il a cassé son bras.He has broken his arm.
le doigtthe fingerNoun (m)A1
Je me suis coupé le doigt.I have cut my finger.
le piedthe footNoun (m)A1
Nous y allons à pied.We are going there on foot.
le dosthe backNoun (m)A1
J’ai mal au dos.My back hurts.
le ventrethe bellyNoun (m)A1
Il a mal au ventre.He has a stomach ache.
le cœurthe heartNoun (m)A1
Le cœur bat vite.The heart is beating fast.
les cheveuxthe hairNoun (m)A1
Elle a les cheveux courts.She has short hair.
le rhumethe coldNoun (m)A1
J’ai un rhume.I have a cold.
le médicamentthe medicineNoun (m)A1
Prenez ce médicament.Take this medicine.
l’hôpitalthe hospitalNoun (m)A1
Il est à l’hôpital.He is in hospital.
le rendez-vousthe appointmentNoun (m)A1
J’ai un rendez-vous à trois heures.I have an appointment at three.
le cabinetthe surgeryNoun (m)A2
Le cabinet ouvre à neuf heures.The surgery opens at nine.
le savonthe soapNoun (m)A2
Il n’y a plus de savon près du lavabo.There is no soap left by the basin.

Noun (f) (15)

Grammar for these: Definite article: le, la, les · Indefinite article: un, une

la têtethe headNoun (f)A1
J’ai mal à la tête.I have a headache.
l’oreillethe earNoun (f)A1
J’ai mal aux oreilles.My ears hurt.
la bouchethe mouthNoun (f)A1
Ouvrez la bouche.Open your mouth.
la dentthe toothNoun (f)A1
J’ai mal aux dents.I have toothache.
la mainthe handNoun (f)A1
Lave-toi les mains.Wash your hands.
la jambethe legNoun (f)A1
Mes jambes sont lourdes.My legs are heavy.
la santéthe healthNoun (f)A1
La santé avant tout.Health first.
la douleurthe painNoun (f)A1
La douleur passe.The pain passes.
la fièvrethe feverNoun (f)A1
Il a de la fièvre.He has a temperature.
la touxthe coughNoun (f)A1
Une toux sèche.A dry cough.
la pharmaciethe chemist'sNoun (f)A1
La pharmacie est ouverte.The chemist's is open.
la gorgethe throatNoun (f)A2
J’ai mal à la gorge.I have a sore throat.
l’ordonnancethe prescriptionNoun (f)A2
Le médecin a écrit une ordonnance.The doctor wrote a prescription.
l’attentethe waitNoun (f)A2
L’attente a duré une heure.The wait lasted an hour.
la grippethe fluNoun (f)A2
Elle reste au lit avec la grippe.She is in bed with flu.

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