Healthcare in France and Visiting The Doctor: Essential Vocabulary & Phrases

The key people, procedures, and jargon that you need to know concerning healthcare in France.

L’Assurance Maladie France’s state healthcare service

Mutuelle or Assurance mutuelle santé top-up health insurance

Protection Universelle Maladie (PUMA) France’s state-run health insurance available to low-income earners

Carte Vitale France’s healthcare card, issued to everyone enrolled in the French social security system.

DoctoLib – France’s main online booking site for medical appointments

Ameli – France’s main health service website available at Ameli.fr

Carnet de santé – medical record book issued to all children in France and used up to the age of 18.

Carte Européenne d’Assurance Maladie (CEAM) EHIC European Health Insurance Card) which provides access to medical treatment for EU citizens travelling within the EU

Key words and phrases you might need when visiting a doctor or pharmacy in France.

What you might say:

I feel ill/sick: Je ne me sens pas bien

I have a headache: J’ai mal à la tête

I have a sore throat/earache: J’ai mal à la gorge/à l’oreille

I have had a temperature for two days: J’ai de la fièvre depuis deux jours

I have aching muscles J’ai des courbatures

I have the chills: J’ai des frissons

I feel dizzy: J’ai la tête qui tourne

I have been vomiting Je viens de vomir

I’ve got a stomach ache: J’ai mal au ventre

I’ve got diarrhoea: J’ai la diarrhée

I’m having difficulty breathing: J’ai du mal à respirer

I am allergic to…: Je suis allergique à/au

Can I get a repeat prescription please?: Pouvez vous renouveler l’ordonnance s’il vous plaît?

What the doctor might say:

What is the matter? Qu’est-ce qu’il y a?

Does it hurt when you swallow?: Ça fait mal quand vous avalez?

You have the ‘flu: Vous avez la grippe

Here is a prescription for…: Voici une ordonnance pour…

Take a tablet three times a day, after each meal: Prenez un cachet trois fois par jour après chaque repas.

A basic list of words and vocabulary related to health and medical care in France. See also our comprehensive list of French medical terminology.

General medical vocabulary

GP: un généraliste or un médecin

Surgeon: le chirurgien

Nurse: l’infirmière

Pain: douleur

High-blood pressure: la hypertension artérielle

To take your blood pressure: mesurer la tension artérielle

Heart attack: une crise cardiaque

Rash: des démangeaisons

Sunstroke: un coup de soleil

Swelling: gonflement / oedemas

A stabbing pain: une douleur vive / aiguë / soudaine et forte

Earache: une otite / douleur d’oreille

Bronchitis: une bronchite

Asthma: l’asthme

Stomach flu: une gastro

Hay fever: le rhume des foins / rhinite allergique

Diabetes: le diabète

Migraine: une migraine

Bladder infection: une infection urinaire

Sprain: une entorse

To bleed: saigner

Swollen: gonflé

Medication: un médicament

Prescription: un ordonnance

Injection: une piqûre

Pap smear/smear test: un frottis

Diagnosis un diagnostic

X-ray: une radio

Ultrasound/sonogram: une échographie

MRI scan: ERM

Medical specialists

Gynaecologist: gynécologue

Midwife: sage-femme

Ophthalmologist: opthalmologiste

Cardiologist: cardiologue

Physiotherapist: kinésithérapeute

Physical therapy: des séances de kiné

Parts of the body

Head: la tête

Face: le visage

Eye: l’œil

Eyes: les yeux

Nose: le nez

Ear l’oreille

Mouth: la bouche

Throat: la gorge

Neck: le cou

Shoulder: l’épaule

Arm: le bras

Elbow: le coude

Wrist: le poignet

Hand: la main

Fingers: les doigts

Chest: la poitrine

Stomach: le ventre

Back: les dos

Hip: la hanche

Leg: la jambe

Thigh: la cuisse

Knee: la genou

Ankle: la cheville

Foot: le pied

Heel: le talon

Toes: les orteils

Bone: l’os

Skin: la peau