'You are ill' in French: Conversation for Beginners

‘You are ill’ in French: Conversation for Beginners

Welcome to Everyday French Conversations for Beginners: Week 2 Episode 1. Let’s talk about the pharmacy. We’ll start with a dialogue where the American is not feeling well and is speaking to a pharmacist. There are a few helpful several words and phrases in French to use when you’re ill.

(01:10) In the UK, there’s one store for cosmetics, medications, prescriptions, and hair products. In France, it’s only drugs and medications. Many people in France also love holistic treatments such as oils. To get makeup or hair products, you usually have to go to a separate store.

(02:18) Dialogue at the pharmacy.

(03:18) Breakdown of the discussion: Listen, I don’t feel very well. I have a stomach ache. The pharmacist asks, “Do you perhaps have heartburn?” (A nice way of asking if you drank too much. An alternative is asking if you have indigestion, or a bit of acid.)

(05:08) I don’t know, but I think I ate too much last night. “Oh, okay. All right then. I’m going to give you these pills. And then I recommend to you that you only have a light tea and some biscuits.” Okay, thank you. But where are the pills? “I just gave them to you, and you have them in your pocket.” Oh dear. Excuse me. Oh okay. There they are. “Thank you.”

(07:25) I don’t feel well. I have a stomach ache. I have a headache. I have a backache.

(08:20) Perhaps or maybe. I don’t know. But I think that… I ate too much last night. Last night. I ate too much yesterday. I ate too much this morning.

(09:15) I’m going to give you… these pills. And I’m going to recommend to you to only have light tea and some biscuits. Where are… the pills? I just… gave them to you. You have them. You put them… in your pocket. Oh yeah, there they are. Later.

(11:15) You can grab basic things like aspirin, cold medicine, and vitamins over the counter, but you must talk to the doctor to get a prescription for antibiotics, very similar to the United States.

(12:25) I don’t feel well. To feel. To be in pain. Stomach. Liver. I believe that. Yesterday. Evening. To give. Tablet (or pill). Recommend. Light. Biscuit. Put (past). Pocket.

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Today we will start with some useful phrases in French to use when you are ill:

J’ai mal à la tête.	I have a headache.
J’ai mal à la gorge.	I have a sore throat.
J’ai mal au dos.	My back hurts.
J’ai mal à l’estomac.	I have an upset stomach.
À l’aide !	Help!