By the end of this lesson you'll be able to make an appointment, tell a doctor what's wrong, and understand what you're told to do at the surgery and the pharmacy.
Making an appointment
In France, you'll usually ring or book online to see a doctor. A few phrases get you through it. As always, start with bonjour, and use vous.
| French | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| le médecin | luh mayd-SAN | the doctor |
| un rendez-vous | uhn rahn-day-VOO | an appointment |
| Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous. | zhuh voo-dreh prahn-druh rahn-day-VOO | I'd like to make an appointment. |
| le médecin traitant | luh mayd-san treh-TAHN | your regular doctor, GP |
| la carte Vitale | lah kart vee-TAHL | the French health insurance card |
To agree on a time, you can use À quelle heure ? from the lesson on question words.
Bonjour, je voudrais prendre rendez-vous avec le docteur Martin.
Hello, I'd like to make an appointment with Dr Martin.
Mardi à dix heures, c'est possible ?
Is Tuesday at ten possible?
Le médecin traitant and la carte Vitale are good words to recognize if you live in France. The lesson on the body and health gave you what you need to explain the problem itself.
What the doctor asks
These are the questions you're most likely to hear.
| French | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Qu'est-ce que vous avez ? | kess-kuh voo-zah-VAY | What's wrong? |
| Où avez-vous mal ? | oo ah-vay voo MAHL | Where does it hurt? |
| Depuis quand ? | duh-pwee KAHN | Since when? How long?Fixed phrase for now. |
Depuis quand ? asks how long something has been happening. Learn it as a fixed phrase for now. It has its own lesson later on. You can answer with a day: Depuis lundi (Since Monday).
J'ai mal au ventre et j'ai de la fièvre.
My stomach hurts and I have a temperature.
Où avez-vous mal ? — Ici, au genou.
Where does it hurt? — Here, in my knee.
Treatment
After the examination, you'll probably hear some of these.
| French | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| une ordonnance | ew-nor-doh-NAHNSS | a prescription |
| un médicament | uhn may-dee-kah-MAHN | a medicine, a drug |
| un comprimé | uhn kohn-pree-MAY | a tablet |
| deux fois par jour | duh fwah par ZHOOR | twice a day |
| Prenez… | pruh-NAY | Take… |
| Il faut se reposer. | eel foh suh ruh-poh-ZAY | You need to rest.Fixed phrase for now. |
| Ce n'est pas grave. | suh neh pah GRAHV | It's not serious.Fixed phrase for now. |
Instructions use the vous command that you know from the lesson on the imperative. Prenez is from prendre, and Buvez is from boire.
Prenez deux comprimés le soir.
Take two tablets in the evening.
Buvez de l'eau et ne travaillez pas lundi.
Drink some water and don't work on Monday.
The doctor will often give you une ordonnance, which you take to the pharmacy. Il faut se reposer is a useful fixed phrase for now, and you'll see the structure in the next lessons. Ce n'est pas grave is the reassuring one you're hoping to hear.
At the pharmacy
At the pharmacy, the same politeness applies. Hand over your prescription, or explain the problem, and listen for how often to take something.
- Bonjour, j'ai une ordonnance. (Hello, I have a prescription.)
- Voici le médicament. Prenez un comprimé deux fois par jour. (Here's the medicine. Take one tablet twice a day.)
- Le matin et le soir ? (Morning and evening?)
- Oui, c'est ça. (Yes, that's right.)
En français
- Bonjour, docteur. (Hello, doctor.)
- Bonjour. Qu'est-ce que vous avez ? (Hello. What's wrong?)
- J'ai mal à la gorge, et je tousse. (My throat hurts and I'm coughing.)
- Depuis quand ? (Since when?)
- Depuis lundi. (Since Monday.)
- Vous avez de la fièvre ? (Do you have a temperature?)
- Non. (No.)
- Ce n'est pas grave. C'est un rhume. Il faut se reposer. (It's not serious. It's a cold. You need to rest.)
What's next
Next, the lesson on reflexive verbs in the passé composé lets you say how you got hurt. Then the lesson on il faut and simple advice explains how to tell someone what they need to do. If you'd like to know more about how care is organized in France, the lesson on the health system comes much later.