Dialogue

French vet dialogue: booking a visit for an unwell pet

Phone a French vet: describe your pet's symptoms, give its age and weight, and book an appointment. A complete dialogue with practice mode and the key vocabulary.

In short

At la clinique vétérinaire, say the animal, its age and the symptoms: Mon chien a quatre ans, il ne mange plus depuis hier et il vomit. The receptionist may ask Il boit ?, Il a de la fièvre ? and offer un rendez-vous or une urgence.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

A person phones the vet beside a resting cat and plain pet carrier.
Describe the symptoms before booking un rendez-vous. Illustration: Atelier
Your lines are hidden in practice mode. Say them aloud, then reveal to compare.
  1. Accueil

    Clinique vétérinaire des Tilleuls, bonjour.

    English

    Les Tilleuls vet clinic, hello.

  2. You

    Bonjour, j'appelle pour mon chat. Il est malade.

    Say you're calling about your cat, who's ill.

    English

    Hello, I'm calling about my cat. He's ill.

  3. Accueil

    Qu'est-ce qu'il a ?

    English

    What's wrong with him?

  4. You

    Il ne mange plus depuis deux jours et il dort tout le temps.

    Say he hasn't eaten for two days and sleeps all the time.

    English

    He hasn't eaten for two days and he sleeps all the time.

  5. Accueil

    Il boit normalement ? Il a vomi ?

    English

    Is he drinking normally? Has he vomited?

  6. You

    Il boit un peu. Il a vomi une fois ce matin.

    Say he drinks a little and vomited once this morning.

    English

    He's drinking a little. He vomited once this morning.

  7. Accueil

    Il a quel âge, et il pèse combien ?

    English

    How old is he, and how much does he weigh?

  8. You

    Il a neuf ans et il pèse environ cinq kilos.

    Say he's nine and weighs about five kilos.

    English

    He's nine and weighs about five kilos.

  9. Accueil

    Il est déjà venu chez nous ?

    English

    Has he been here before?

  10. You

    Non, c'est la première fois. Nous venons d'arriver dans le quartier.

    Say it's the first time; you've just moved.

    English

    No, it's the first time. We've just moved to the area.

  11. Accueil

    D'accord. Je vous propose cet après-midi, seize heures trente, avec le docteur Martin.

    English

    OK. I can offer you this afternoon at 4.30 with Dr Martin.

  12. You

    Parfait. J'apporte son carnet de vaccination ?

    Accept and ask if you should bring his vaccination record.

    English

    Perfect. Shall I bring his vaccination record?

  13. Accueil

    Oui, s'il vous plaît, et venez avec une caisse de transport.

    English

    Yes, please, and come with a carrier.

  14. You

    Très bien. Merci, à tout à l'heure.

    Thank her and say see you later.

    English

    Very well. Thanks, see you later.

How do you describe a sick pet’s symptoms in French?

Pet symptoms
FrenchEnglish
Il ne mange plus.He's stopped eating.
Il vomit.He's vomiting.
Il boite.He's limping.
Il se gratte beaucoup.He's scratching a lot.
Il a la diarrhée.He has diarrhoea.
Elle est abattue.She's listless.

French vets keep a carnet de santé or carnet de vaccination for each animal, and cats and dogs must be identified by a microchip (une puce électronique). For night or weekend emergencies, call les urgences vétérinaires or the number given on the clinic's answering machine.

Question 1No account needed
"He's limping."

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Il boite.. Boiter is to limp; boire is to drink.

Question 2No account needed
Une caisse de transport is…

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

a pet carrier. The box you carry the animal in.

Question 3No account needed
"He hasn't eaten for two days."

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Il ne mange plus depuis deux jours.. Ne… plus depuis + duration.