Injuries and pains
Blessures et douleurs
- Talk about body pains and common injuries.
Learn key French vocabulary for common injuries and pains, including words like "la douleur" (pain), "une blessure" (injury), and useful expressions to describe symptoms effectively in everyday situations.
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Coming soon...
Don't see progress when learning on your own? Study this material with a certified teacher!
Do you want to practice French today? That is possible! Just contact one of our teachers today.
Lesson Overview: Injuries and Pains in French (B1 Level)
This lesson focuses on vocabulary and expressions related to injuries and physical discomforts in French. It aims to equip you with the practical language tools to describe aches, pains, and common injuries, which are essential for everyday conversations, especially in medical or emergency contexts.
Key Vocabulary and Expressions
- La blessure – The injury
- Une douleur – A pain
- Se faire mal – To hurt oneself
- J’ai mal à... – I have pain in...
- Une entorse – A sprain
- Une coupure – A cut
- Un bleu – A bruise
- Une brûlure – A burn
Examples in Context
Practice using these expressions in sentences like:
- J’ai mal au genou après la course. (I have pain in my knee after running.)
- Il s’est fait une entorse en jouant au football. (He sprained his ankle playing football.)
- Elle a une coupure profonde au doigt. (She has a deep cut on her finger.)
Grammar and Usage Notes
The phrase J’ai mal à... is commonly used to indicate the location of pain and is generally followed by the definite article and the body part in French (e.g., J’ai mal à la tête – I have a headache).
The verb se faire mal is a reflexive construction meaning to hurt oneself, good for describing accidents or mishaps.
Differences and Useful Comparisons Between English and French
English typically says, “I have a pain in my...” whereas French uses J’ai mal à... followed by the article and body part. For example, English “I have a pain in my stomach” translates to J’ai mal à l’estomac. Note the use of contraction in French depending on the vowel or silent 'h' that follows.
Another difference is the reflexive verb se faire mal, which doesn't have a direct single-word equivalent in English but is translated as “to hurt oneself.”
Practical Phrases to Remember
- Où avez-vous mal? – Where do you have pain?
- Je me suis blessé(e) en tombant. – I hurt myself by falling.
- Est-ce que ça vous fait mal? – Does it hurt you?
- Je ressens une douleur aiguë. – I feel a sharp pain.
These lessons would not be possible without our amazing partners🙏
