At the Doctor’s in France: Essential French Vocabulary

Do you have a doctor’s appointment in France but don’t know how to describe your symptoms in French? Can’t understand what the doctor is telling you? This guide is for you. France has one of the best healthcare systems in the world, but you still need to be able to communicate effectively with healthcare professionals. Here you’ll find the essential French vocabulary you need at the doctor’s in France to feel confident at your next appointment. 

Making a Doctor’s Appointment

Before you can see a doctor, you need to prendre rendez-vous (to make an appointment). You can do this by phone or online through platforms like Doctolib.

Here are some useful expressions:

• Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous avec le docteur X. — I’d like to make an appointment with Dr X.
• J’ai besoin d’une consultation. — I need to see a doctor.
• C’est urgent / Ce n’est pas urgent. — It’s urgent / It’s not urgent.
• Je suis nouveau patient / Je suis déjà patient. — I’m a new patient / I’m an existing patient.

In France, your primary care doctor is called médecin traitant (family doctor). This is the first doctor you see before being referred to a specialist such as cardiologue (cardiologist), dermatologue (dermatologist) or ophtalmologue (ophthalmologist). 

It is strongly recommended to register with a médecin traitant through the Assurance Maladie (French National Health Insurance) to be reimbursed at a higher rate.

Arriving at the Doctor’s Office

When you arrive at the cabinet médical (doctor’s office), you’ll speak to the secrétaire médicale (receptionist). 

They may ask you:

• Vous avez rendez-vous ? — Do you have an appointment?
• Votre carte Vitale, s’il vous plaît. — Your carte Vitale, please.
• Vous avez une mutuelle ? — Do you have supplementary health insurance?

The carte Vitale is the French health insurance card. It allows you to be reimbursed after a consultation. If you don’t have one yet, check Ameli.fr to find out about your rights based on your situation. The mutuelle is supplementary insurance that covers what the Sécurité Sociale (French social security) leaves out.

Vocabulary for Describing Your Symptoms

Describing your symptoms is often the hardest part! Here’s the essential vocabulary to explain how you’re feeling.

Describing pain:

• J’ai mal à… — I have pain in… (la tête / the head, au ventre / the stomach, au dos / the back, etc.)
• J’ai une douleur dans la poitrine. — I have a pain in my chest.
• J’ai mal quand je respire / je marche / je mange. — It hurts when I breathe / walk / eat.
• La douleur est forte / légère / constante. — The pain is severe / mild / constant.

Common symptoms:

• J’ai de la fièvre. — I have a fever.
• Je tousse beaucoup. — I’m coughing a lot.
• J’ai le nez qui coule. — I have a runny nose.
• Je suis fatigué(e) / enrhumé(e). — I’m tired / I have a cold.
• J’ai des nausées / des vertiges. — I feel nauseous / dizzy.
• Je ne dors pas bien depuis plusieurs jours. — I haven’t been sleeping well for several days.
• J’ai des maux de tête fréquents. — I have frequent headaches.

You can also specify how long you’ve had your symptoms:

• Ça fait trois jours que j’ai de la fièvre. — I’ve had a fever for three days.
• J’ai mal au dos depuis une semaine. — My back has been hurting for a week.

These details help the doctor make a diagnosis.

Understanding the Doctor During Your Appointment

During the consultation, the doctor will examine you and may use these expressions:

• Où avez-vous mal exactement ? — Where exactly does it hurt?
• Depuis quand avez-vous ces symptômes ? — How long have you had these symptoms?
• Est-ce que vous prenez des médicaments en ce moment ? — Are you currently taking any medication?
• Vous avez des allergies ? — Do you have any allergies?
• Je vais vous ausculter. — I’m going to listen to your heart and lungs.
• Respirez fort. Toussez. — Breathe deeply. Cough.
• Je vais vous prescrire une prise de sang. — I’m going to prescribe a blood test.
• Je vais vous faire une ordonnance. — I’m going to write you a prescription.

If you don’t understand something, feel free to say:

• Pouvez-vous répéter plus lentement, s’il vous plaît ? — Could you repeat that more slowly, please?
• Je n’ai pas compris, pouvez-vous expliquer ? — I didn’t understand, could you explain?

French doctors are accustomed to treating foreign patients, especially in larger cities like Paris, Lyon or Marseille.

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At the Pharmacy: Prescriptions and Medication

After your appointment, you head to the pharmacie (pharmacy) with your ordonnance (prescription). Pharmacies in France are easy to spot thanks to the glowing green cross at the entrance. The pharmacien or pharmacienne (pharmacist) will give you your medication and explain how to take it.

Useful words:

• Un médicament — A medication
• Un comprimé / un cachet — A tablet
• Un sirop — A syrup
• Une crème / une pommade — A cream / an ointment
• Prenez X comprimés par jour, pendant X jours. — Take X tablets a day, for X days.
• À prendre avant / pendant / après les repas. — To be taken before / during / after meals.

Good to know: some medications require a prescription — in French, médicaments sur ordonnance — while others are available over the counter — médicaments en vente libre.

Now you have all the vocabulary you need to navigate a doctor’s appointment in France with confidence. Next time you have an appointment, you’ll be ready!

To build your everyday French vocabulary even further, check out my articles on leisure activities in France and French markets. And if you’d like to make faster progress with personalised support, take a look at my French courses online!