Body parts
Parties du corps
- Get to know the basic body parts.
- Basic phrases to describe your health.
- The plural of nouns
Discover essential French vocabulary on body parts with terms like "le bras" (arm), "la bouche" (mouth), and "les jambes" (legs). Practice expressing pain and sensations such as "J'ai mal au bras" and learn useful verbs like "toucher" (to touch) to describe your body comfortably.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (22) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Classify these words according to whether they designate a visible part of the face or a part of a limb.
Parties du corps du visage
Parties du corps des membres
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Le corps
The body
2
La main
The hand
3
La langue
The tongue
4
Respirer
To breathe
5
La dent
The tooth
Exercice 5: Conversation exercise
Instruction:
- Name the bodyparts. (Name the bodyparts.)
- Describe where it hurts. (Describe where it hurts.)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Un pied a cinq orteils. A foot has five toes. |
|
La tête a des yeux, des oreilles, un nez et une bouche. The head has eyes, ears, a nose, and a mouth. |
|
J'ai mal au cou. My neck hurts. |
|
Le dos est relié au cou. The back is connected with the neck. |
| ... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Je ____ doucement mon nez pour sentir s'il y a quelque chose.
(I ____ my nose gently to feel if there is something.)2. Tu ____ tes joues quand tu réfléchis.
(You ____ your cheeks when you think.)3. Il ____ souvent ses yeux pour vérifier qu'ils ne sont pas fatigués.
(He ____ often his eyes to check if they are not tired.)4. Nous ____ nos jambes pour voir si elles sont propres après la promenade.
(We ____ our legs to see if they are clean after the walk.)Exercise 8: A Visit to the Doctor
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Toucher - Toucher
Présent
- je touche
- tu touches
- il/elle/on touche
- nous touchons
- vous touchez
- ils/elles touchent
Savoir - Savoir
Présent
- je sais
- tu sais
- il/elle/on sait
- nous savons
- vous savez
- ils/elles savent
Exercise 9: Le pluriel des noms
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: The plural of nouns
Show translation Show answersLes yeux, Les joues, Les jambes, Les bouches, Les oreilles, Les doigts, Les lèvres, Les pieds
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Toucher to touch Share Copied!
Present
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') touche | I touch |
| (tu) touches | you touch |
| (il/elle/on) touche | he/she/one touches |
| (nous) touchons | we touch |
| (vous) touchez | You touch |
| (ils/elles) touchent | they touch |
Savoir to know Share Copied!
Present
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') je sais / j'sais | I know / I know |
| tu sais | you know |
| (il/elle/on) il sait / elle sait / on sait | he knows / she knows / one knows |
| nous savons | we know |
| vous savez | You know |
| (ils/elles) ils savent / elles savent | they know |
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About This Lesson: Body Parts
This lesson introduces you to basic vocabulary and expressions related to body parts in French. It focuses on common words for parts of the face and limbs, providing a useful foundation for describing pain, physical sensations, or simple actions involving the body.
Key Vocabulary: Body Parts
The lesson groups body parts into two categories:
- Parts of the Face: l'œil (the eye), la bouche (the mouth), le nez (the nose), la dent (the tooth)
- Parts of the Limbs: la main (the hand), le bras (the arm), la jambe (the leg), le pied (the foot)
Using the Vocabulary in Context
You will see sentences such as:
"J'ai mal au bras quand je plie le coude." (My arm hurts when I bend the elbow.)
"Les yeux voient, et les oreilles écoutent bien." (The eyes see, and the ears listen well.)
Simple Sentences and Expressions
The lesson gives practical sentence constructions to express feelings or actions involving body parts, for example:
- Je touche mon bras pour sentir une douleur.
I touch my arm to feel pain. - Les yeux servent à bien voir autour de nous.
The eyes serve to see well around us. - Nous plions les jambes quand nous faisons du sport.
We bend our legs when we do sports.
Dialogues for Everyday Situations
You will find short, useful dialogues for scenarios like:
- Visiting the doctor to describe aches and receive advice.
- At the pharmacy asking for medication to relieve pain.
- At the gym discussing injuries and seeking tips for recovery.
Verb Practice: Toucher (to touch)
The verb toucher is practiced in the present tense to describe actions:
- Je touche (I touch)
- Tu touches (You touch)
- Il touche (He touches)
- Nous touchons (We touch)
- Vous touchez (You [formal/plural] touch)
- Ils touchent (They touch)
Example sentence: Je touche doucement mon nez pour sentir s'il y a quelque chose. (I gently touch my nose to feel if there is something.)
Mini Story: A Visit to the Doctor
This simple story tells about recognizing body pain and the importance of calming down and seeking medical advice. It uses verbs like savoir (to know) alongside the body parts vocabulary.
Notes on Language Differences
French uses definite articles with body parts differently than English. For example, in French you say J'ai mal à la tête (literally "I have pain at the head") where English simply says "I have a headache." Also, French requires the definite article (le, la, l') with body parts when using possessive actions, e.g., Je touche mon bras (I touch my arm), where the definite article combines with the possessive adjective. Understanding this will help you form accurate and natural sentences.
Useful phrases:
J'ai mal à... — I have pain in...
Je touche... — I touch...
Les yeux voient — The eyes see
Il faut — It is necessary to / You must
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