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At the pharmacy in French: say where it hurts and since when

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Describe symptoms in French with avoir mal, body-part pictures and depuis. Practise the pharmacist’s questions and ask for a clearer explanation.

In short

Say J’ai mal à la gorge depuis hier for “I’ve had a sore throat since yesterday.” Use avoir mal à to name the painful area and depuis to say when it began or how long it has lasted.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

Point to the painful area

Study first: the article belongs to the body part
Body partSayMeaning
la gorgeJ’ai mal à la gorge.I have a sore throat.
le dosJ’ai mal au dos.My back hurts.
l’oreilleJ’ai mal à l’oreille.My ear hurts.
les dentsJ’ai mal aux dents.My teeth hurt.
1

Describe what you feel

YouBonjour, j’ai mal à la gorge depuis hier.Hello, I’ve had a sore throat since yesterday.
PharmacistVous avez d’autres symptômes ?Do you have any other symptoms?
YouOui, je tousse et j’ai le nez qui coule.Yes, I’m coughing and I have a runny nose.
YouJe me sens fatiguée.I feel tired.A woman says fatiguée; a man says fatigué.
2

Say when it began

PharmacistDepuis quand avez-vous mal ?How long has it hurt?
YouDepuis hier soir.Since yesterday evening.
PharmacistC’est constant ?Is it constant?
YouNon, ça va et ça vient.No, it comes and goes.
YouJe tousse surtout la nuit.I cough mainly at night.
3

Answer a follow-up question

PharmacistVous prenez déjà un traitement ?Are you already taking any medication?
YouOui, je prends ce médicament. Voici la boîte.Yes, I take this medicine. Here is the box.
PharmacistVous avez des allergies ?Do you have any allergies?
YouOui, je suis allergique à la pénicilline.Yes, I’m allergic to penicillin.Allergique has the same form for a man or a woman.
4

Ask for a clearer explanation

YouVous pouvez répéter plus lentement, s’il vous plaît ?Could you repeat that more slowly, please?
YouVous pouvez me l’écrire ?Could you write it down for me?
YouEst-ce que je dois consulter un médecin ?Should I see a doctor?

How do you say since when you’ve been ill in French?

J’ai mal au dos depuis lundi.

I’ve had back pain since Monday.

Depuis lundi gives the starting point.

Je tousse depuis trois jours.

I’ve been coughing for three days.

French uses the present for this symptom that continues now.

Question 1No account needed
Complete the sentence for back pain.J’ai mal ___ dos.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

au. Dos is masculine singular: à + le contracts to au.

Question 2No account needed
Complete the sentence for tooth pain.J’ai mal ___ dents.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

aux. Dents is plural, so à + les contracts to aux.

Question 3No account needed
Which phrase means “since yesterday evening”?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Depuis hier soir.. Depuis hier soir gives a starting point in the past for a symptom that continues.

Question 4No account needed
You want the explanation written down. What do you say?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Vous pouvez me l’écrire ?. Écrire means to write; me l’écrire asks the person to write it down for you.

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