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Learn to describe symptoms, visit the doctor and give health advice in English.
🔹 Symptoms & illnesses:
• I have a headache. — J'ai mal à la tête.
• I have a stomachache. — J'ai mal au ventre.
• I have a sore throat. — J'ai mal à la gorge.
• I have a fever / temperature. — J'ai de la fièvre.
• I have a cold. — J'ai un rhume.
• I have the flu. — J'ai la grippe.
• I feel dizzy. — J'ai la tête qui tourne.
• I feel nauseous. — J'ai des nausées.
• I am exhausted / very tired. — Je suis épuisé(e).
• I hurt my leg. — Je me suis blessé(e) à la jambe.
🔹 At the doctor's — useful phrases:
• What's the matter? / What are your symptoms?
• How long have you had this? — Depuis combien de temps ?
• I've had it since yesterday / for two days.
• Open your mouth. / Let me take your temperature.
• You have [illness]. — Vous avez [maladie].
• You need to rest / take this medicine / drink plenty of water.
• Take one tablet twice a day. — Un comprimé deux fois par jour.
🔹 Health advice (should / must / ought to):
• You should drink at least 2 litres of water a day.
• You must not go to school with a fever.
• You ought to see a doctor if symptoms persist.
• You shouldn't eat too much junk food.
🔹 Prevention vocabulary:
• wash your hands — se laver les mains
• wear a mask — porter un masque
• eat balanced meals — manger équilibré
• exercise regularly — faire de l'exercice régulièrement
• sleep enough — dormir suffisamment
📝 Dialogue — At the clinic:
Nurse: Good morning. How can I help you?
Patient: Good morning. I don't feel well at all.
Nurse: What are your symptoms?
Patient: I have a terrible headache and a high fever. I also feel dizzy.
Nurse: How long have you had these symptoms?
Patient: Since yesterday afternoon. I couldn't sleep last night.
Nurse: Have you eaten today?
Patient: No, I feel nauseous. I can't eat anything.
Nurse: I see. The doctor will see you now. You should rest after your appointment.
Doctor: You have a viral infection. You must take this medicine three times a day. You shouldn't go to school for two days. Drink plenty of water and get lots of rest.
Patient: Thank you, Doctor.
💡 Since vs For with health:
• I've had a fever since Monday. (point de départ)
• I've had a fever for three days. (durée)
Describe 3 symptoms you have when you have the flu.
Correction
When I have the flu, I have a fever and a sore throat. I feel very tired and dizzy. I also have a headache and I can't eat properly.
Translate: J'ai mal à la gorge depuis lundi. Je dois voir un médecin.
Correction
I have had a sore throat since Monday. I must see a doctor.
Write 4 pieces of health advice for someone who has a cold.
Correction
You should rest at home for two days. You must drink hot water with lemon. You shouldn't go out in cold weather. You ought to take some medicine to reduce the fever.
Role-play: Write a 5-line dialogue between a patient and a doctor. The patient has a stomachache and fever.
Correction
Doctor: What's the matter? Patient: I have a stomachache and a high fever since this morning. Doctor: Have you eaten anything unusual? Patient: Yes, I ate street food yesterday evening. Doctor: You probably have food poisoning. Take this medicine and drink only water for 24 hours.
What is the difference between 'I have a headache' and 'I have the flu'?
Correction
'I have a headache' uses no article (a headache is a specific pain). 'I have the flu' uses 'the' because the flu is a specific, known illness (like 'the measles', 'the chickenpox').