By the end of this lesson you'll be able to explain how you hurt yourself, say what's wrong, and give or understand advice about it.
What you've learned
This unit has been about health. Skim this list, and go back to anything that feels shaky.
- Name the body. You know the words and avoir mal à, from the lesson on the body and health.
- See a doctor. You can make an appointment and follow instructions, from the lesson on the doctor and pharmacy.
- Explain an injury. You know reflexive verbs in the past and their agreement, from the lesson on reflexive verbs in the passé composé.
- Give advice. You know il faut, il ne faut pas and devoir, from the lesson on il faut and simple advice.
- Say how. You know how to form and place adverbs, from the lesson on adverbs.
A few new words
| French | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Aïe ! | AH-y | Ouch! |
| tomber | tohn-BAY | to fall |
| une blessure | ewn bleh-SEWR | an injury |
| le plâtre | luh PLAH-truh | a plaster cast |
| Qu'est-ce qui s'est passé ? | kess-kee seh pah-SAY | What happened?Fixed phrase for now. |
A model: explaining an injury
Here's Nora, writing to a friend. Look closely at each participle.
Samedi, je suis tombée de vélo.
On Saturday, I fell off a bike. (said by a woman)
Je me suis blessée à la main et je me suis cassé la jambe.
I hurt my hand and I broke my leg. (said by a woman)
J'ai très mal, et je ne peux pas marcher facilement.
It really hurts, and I can't walk easily.
Je me suis blessée agrees, because à la main isn't a direct object. Je me suis cassé la jambe doesn't, because la jambe is.
A model: getting advice
And here's the advice that comes back.
Le médecin dit : « Il ne faut pas marcher. »
The doctor says: 'You mustn't walk.'
Tu dois te reposer et prendre un comprimé deux fois par jour.
You have to rest and take one tablet twice a day.
Tu n'as pas besoin de travailler lundi.
You don't have to work on Monday.
Heureusement, c'est vraiment une petite blessure.
Fortunately, it's really a small injury.
Your turn
Write two short pieces on paper or in a notes app. Invent the details if you like.
A message about an injury, in five or six sentences. Include:
- when it happened, and where you were
- tomber with être
- one reflexive verb that agrees, such as se blesser
- one reflexive verb with a body part after it, such as se casser le bras
- what hurts, using avoir mal à
- an adverb, such as heureusement or vraiment
A reply giving advice, in four or five sentences. Include:
- il faut with an infinitive
- il ne faut pas
- tu dois with a reflexive verb, such as te reposer
- something that isn't necessary, with tu n'as pas besoin de
Check your work
Go through your writing once for each question below.
- Did you use the plain article with avoir mal à, and no "my"?
- Does every reflexive verb have être, with the pronoun in front?
- Does each participle agree, unless a direct object follows it?
- Does your reflexive pronoun match the subject after devoir, and stay se after il faut?
- Is each short adverb between the two parts of the verb, and each -ment adverb after them?
What's next
The next unit moves on to memories and childhood. It starts with the lesson on the imparfait, a new past tense for describing how things used to be.