Health and Body — Free French 1-2 Review Games.

Body parts: tête (head), bras (arm), jambe (leg), main (hand), pied (foot).

'Avoir mal à' + body part expresses pain: j'ai mal au dos (backache), j'ai mal au ventre (stomachache).

'Je suis malade' (I am sick). 'Malade' is an adjective used with être.

Healthcare vocabulary: médecin (doctor), infirmier/ère (nurse), hôpital (hospital), pharmacie (pharmacy).

'Je me sens mal' (I feel bad/sick). It's a reflexive verb with an irregular conjugation.

The preposition 'à' contracts with definite articles: au (à+le), à la, à l', aux (à+les).

Health expressions with avoir: avoir de la fièvre (fever), avoir la grippe (flu), avoir un rhume (cold).

'Le médecin m'a donné une ordonnance' (The doctor gave me a prescription).

France's social security system provides comprehensive healthcare, with most medical costs reimbursed.

'Genou' is one of seven French nouns ending in -ou that take -x instead of -s in the plural.

Affirmative: 'Reposez-vous!' (Rest!). Negative: 'Ne vous reposez pas!' (Don't rest!) - pronoun goes before.

France maintains a tradition of house-call doctors who visit patients at home, unlike most U.S. healthcare.

Expressions of necessity (il faut que), desire (je veux que), and doubt trigger the subjunctive mood.

'Il a guéri rapidement' (He recovered quickly). Can be transitive (to cure) or intransitive (to recover).

'Mine' refers to facial appearance: bonne mine (looking well), mauvaise mine (looking unwell).

'Le bras' is the standard French noun for the arm, the limb extending from the shoulder to the wrist. The distractor 'Shoulder' is wrong because that body part is 'l'épaule' in French, a different noun entirely. Building a solid body-part vocabulary list like this is essential before tackling 'avoir mal à' constructions.

'La main' translates directly to 'hand,' the part of the body at the end of the arm used for grasping. The distractor 'Finger' is incorrect because fingers are called 'les doigts,' a related but distinct term. Recognizing these small distinctions helps avoid confusing similar body-part vocabulary on exams.

'Le pied' means 'foot,' the part of the body at the bottom of the leg used for standing and walking. The distractor 'Leg' is wrong because that word is 'la jambe,' referring to the whole limb rather than just the foot. Mastering singular versus plural forms of body parts like 'les pieds' will matter later for 'avoir mal aux pieds.'

'La jambe' is the French noun for 'leg,' the limb between the hip and the foot. The distractor 'Knee' is incorrect because that specific joint is called 'le genou' in French. Knowing precise body-part terms prevents errors when forming health expressions such as 'j'ai mal à la jambe.'

'Le dos' refers to the 'back,' the rear part of the human torso. The distractor 'Chest' is wrong because that body part is called 'la poitrine' in French, a completely different area of the body. This vocabulary is frequently tested through the phrase 'avoir mal au dos,' meaning to have a backache.

'Le ventre' refers to the stomach or belly area of the body, the abdominal region. The distractor 'Throat' is incorrect because that body part is 'la gorge,' located much higher on the body. This term commonly appears in the health expression 'avoir mal au ventre,' meaning to have a stomachache.

'Les yeux' is the irregular plural form of 'l'oeil' and means 'eyes.' The distractor 'Ears' is wrong because ears are 'les oreilles,' an unrelated body part. Students should memorize 'les yeux' specifically since its plural form does not follow the regular -s pattern.

'Le nez' translates to 'nose,' the facial organ used for smelling and breathing. The distractor 'Mouth' is incorrect because that body part is 'la bouche,' located below the nose. This vocabulary word is essential for describing colds and congestion in health-related conversations.

'La bouche' is the French word for 'mouth,' the opening used for eating and speaking. The distractor 'Lips' is wrong because lips are specifically called 'les lèvres,' a smaller part within the mouth. Precise vocabulary like this supports accurate descriptions of physical symptoms in French.

'Les oreilles' is the plural noun meaning 'ears,' the organs used for hearing. The distractor 'Eyebrows' is incorrect because that term is 'les sourcils' in French, a completely different facial feature. This word regularly appears in expressions like 'avoir mal aux oreilles,' meaning to have an earache.

'Les dents' is the French plural noun for 'teeth,' the hard structures used for chewing. The distractor 'Tongue' is wrong because that body part is called 'la langue,' a soft muscle rather than a hard structure. This vocabulary word is key for the common phrase 'avoir mal aux dents,' meaning to have a toothache.

'La gorge' refers to the 'throat,' the passage in the neck used for swallowing and speaking. The distractor 'Neck' is incorrect because the neck itself is called 'le cou' in French, a broader area than the throat. This term is central to the frequently tested expression 'avoir mal à la gorge,' meaning to have a sore throat.

'Tousser' is a regular -er verb meaning 'to cough,' a common symptom described in health conversations. The distractor 'To sneeze' is wrong because that action is expressed with the verb 'éternuer,' a different physical reaction. Learning symptom verbs like this allows students to describe illnesses beyond simply naming body parts that hurt.

French grammar rules require that the preposition 'à' contract with the masculine singular definite article 'le' to produce 'au,' and since 'dos' is masculine, 'à le dos' becomes 'au dos.' The distractor about elision is wrong because 'dos' begins with a consonant sound, so no vowel-based contraction applies here. Students should always check the gender and number of the body part before applying the correct contraction with 'avoir mal à.'

'Avoir mal à la gorge' literally translates to 'to have pain at the throat,' meaning a sore throat, since 'la gorge' is the feminine noun for throat. The distractor 'headache' is incorrect because that expression uses 'la tête' instead, referring to a different body part entirely. This phrase demonstrates how the feminine article 'la' is retained rather than contracted since 'à la' is already a standard combination.

The preposition 'à' must contract with the plural definite article 'les' to become 'aux' whenever the body part is plural, and 'les dents' (teeth) is plural, producing 'avoir mal aux dents.' The distractor claiming 'dents' is masculine singular is wrong because 'dents' is actually feminine plural, referring to multiple teeth. Recognizing plural body parts is critical since they always trigger the 'aux' contraction regardless of gender.

Because 'estomac' begins with a vowel sound, the article 'le' elides to l', producing 'à l'estomac' rather than a standard contraction. The distractor 'au' is incorrect because 'au' is reserved for masculine nouns starting with a consonant, not vowel-initial nouns like 'estomac.' This elision rule applies broadly across French whenever a masculine or feminine noun begins with a vowel or mute h.

'Tu as mal au ventre' uses the second-person singular conjugation of 'avoir' plus 'au ventre,' translating to 'you have a stomachache.' The distractor 'sore throat' is wrong because that would require 'à la gorge' instead of 'au ventre,' a different body part with a different contraction. This sentence shows how subject pronouns change the conjugation of 'avoir' while the 'mal à' structure stays consistent.

'Il a mal aux pieds' means 'his feet hurt,' since 'les pieds' is the plural noun for feet, requiring the contraction 'aux.' The distractor 'His hands hurt' is incorrect because hands are 'les mains,' which would produce 'aux mains' instead of 'aux pieds.' This example reinforces that plural body parts always require 'aux,' regardless of whether the singular noun was masculine or feminine.

'Avoir froid' is an idiomatic expression meaning 'to be cold,' using 'avoir' rather than 'être' as English speakers might expect. The distractor 'to be hot' is wrong because that expression is 'avoir chaud,' the opposite sensation. French frequently pairs 'avoir' with physical sensations, unlike English, so students must memorize these idioms rather than translate word-for-word.

'Avoir chaud' means 'to be hot' or 'to feel warm,' following the French pattern of using 'avoir' for physical states. The distractor 'to have a fever' is incorrect because fever is expressed as 'avoir de la fièvre,' a medical condition rather than a temperature sensation. Distinguishing between everyday sensations like heat and medical symptoms like fever is important for accurate communication about health.

'Éternuer' is a regular -er verb meaning 'to sneeze,' a common symptom of colds and allergies. The distractor 'to cough' is wrong because that action is described by the separate verb 'tousser.' Learning distinct verbs for each symptom allows for more precise descriptions when discussing illness in French.

'Un rhume' refers to 'a cold,' a common mild respiratory illness with symptoms like sneezing and congestion. The distractor 'the flu' is incorrect because that illness is called 'la grippe,' which is typically more severe than a cold. Differentiating between 'un rhume' and 'la grippe' is a common vocabulary distinction tested in health-related units.

'La grippe' is the French term for 'the flu,' a viral illness generally more serious than a common cold. The distractor 'a cold' is wrong because that condition is called 'un rhume,' a milder illness with different symptoms. Students should remember that 'la grippe' often comes with 'avoir de la fièvre,' since fever is a hallmark symptom of the flu.

'Une allergie' directly translates to 'an allergy,' an immune reaction to substances like pollen or food. The distractor 'an infection' is incorrect because that word is 'une infection' in French, referring to a different medical cause involving pathogens. This term is useful for describing symptoms such as sneezing or itchy eyes that are not caused by a cold or the flu.

'Un pansement' means 'a bandage,' a covering used to protect a wound or injury. The distractor 'a pill' is wrong because that item is called 'une pilule' in French, a completely different medical object. This vocabulary belongs to a group of medical supply terms useful for describing treatments after visiting a doctor.

'Une pilule' means 'a pill,' a small tablet of medicine taken orally. The distractor 'a shot/injection' is incorrect because that term is 'une piqûre' in French, referring to a needle-based treatment rather than an oral one. Knowing these treatment-related nouns helps students describe how an illness was treated after a doctor's visit.

'Le pharmacien' refers to 'the pharmacist,' the professional who dispenses medication at 'la pharmacie.' The distractor 'the doctor' is wrong because that role is 'le médecin,' a different healthcare professional who diagnoses illness rather than dispensing medicine. Distinguishing among healthcare professionals is essential vocabulary for navigating French health-related conversations.

'L'hôpital' means 'the hospital,' a facility for treating serious illnesses or injuries. The distractor 'the pharmacy' is incorrect because that location is called 'la pharmacie,' a place for buying medication rather than receiving medical treatment. This vocabulary word commonly appears alongside emergency health expressions in French health units.

'Une piqûre' refers to 'a shot' or 'an injection,' a needle-based medical treatment often given by a nurse or doctor. The distractor 'a prescription' is wrong because that term is 'une ordonnance' in French, a written document rather than a physical treatment. This word is also used more broadly to describe insect bites or stings, so context determines the precise meaning.

'Se casser la jambe' is a reflexive expression meaning 'to break one's leg,' using the verb 'se casser' with the definite article rather than a possessive adjective, as is typical in French for body parts. The distractor 'to sprain one's ankle' is incorrect because that action would use a different verb, such as 'se fouler la cheville.' This reflexive pattern with definite articles instead of possessives applies broadly to expressions describing injuries to one's own body.

'Vomir' is a regular -ir verb meaning 'to vomit,' commonly used to describe a symptom of illness such as food poisoning or the flu. The distractor 'to faint' is wrong because that action is expressed with 's'évanouir,' a reflexive verb describing a loss of consciousness rather than nausea. Recognizing this range of symptom verbs helps students accurately describe illness severity in French.

'Avoir mal à' targets pain in a specific location using a body-part noun, as in 'j'ai mal à la tête,' whereas 'être malade' describes an overall state of illness without specifying where the discomfort is located. The distractor claiming they are interchangeable is wrong because a student could be 'malade' with a fever but have no localized pain at all, showing the two expressions serve distinct communicative purposes. On exams, students should choose 'avoir mal à' when a specific location is given and 'être malade' when describing general sickness.

The contraction 'aux' is determined entirely by the number of the noun following it, and since 'les dents' is plural, 'à les dents' must become 'aux dents' regardless of the subject pronoun used. The distractor about the subject pronoun 'nous' is incorrect because the subject of the sentence has no grammatical influence on which preposition contraction is required for the body part. Students must always check the noun's number and gender, not the subject, to select the correct 'à' contraction.

Although the singular form is 'l'oeil,' its plural is the irregular 'les yeux,' and because the expression refers to both eyes, the plural article 'les' must contract with 'à' to form 'aux yeux.' The distractor about eyes always coming in pairs is misleading because the grammatical rule is based strictly on the plural noun form 'yeux,' not on real-world anatomy. This example shows why memorizing irregular plurals like 'oeil/yeux' is essential for correctly applying 'avoir mal à' contractions.

'Se sentir mal' is a reflexive construction meaning 'to feel unwell' in a general sense, while 'avoir mal' typically pairs with a body part via 'à' to indicate localized pain, such as 'avoir mal au dos.' The distractor claiming 'avoir mal' requires a reflexive pronoun is wrong because 'avoir mal' uses the non-reflexive verb 'avoir,' not a reflexive structure like 'se sentir.' Students should use 'se sentir mal' for vague malaise and 'avoir mal à' when identifying exactly where the pain is located.

The combination of coughing and several days of fever is characteristic of 'la grippe' (the flu), which tends to be more severe and longer-lasting than 'un rhume' (a cold). The distractor 'une allergie' is wrong because allergies typically do not cause fever, since they are immune reactions to non-infectious triggers like pollen. This question requires synthesizing multiple symptoms together rather than relying on a single vocabulary word, a skill useful for interpreting realistic health scenarios in French.

'Avoir mal au coeur' is an idiomatic expression that means 'to feel nauseous' or 'to feel sick to one's stomach,' rather than describing literal cardiac pain despite the word 'coeur' (heart) appearing in it. The distractor about a heart attack is incorrect because that condition would be described with medical terms like 'une crise cardiaque,' not this everyday idiom. Recognizing idioms like this prevents students from mistranslating figurative health expressions word-for-word.

'Avoir des vertiges' means 'to feel dizzy,' describing a sensation of spinning or unsteadiness, which is a distinct symptom from 'avoir mal à la tête,' meaning 'to have a headache,' or localized head pain. The distractor claiming they are synonyms is wrong because a person can experience dizziness without any pain at all, showing these are separate physical sensations. Distinguishing between symptom types like pain versus dizziness allows for more precise medical descriptions in French.

The passé composé of 'avoir mal à la tête' requires conjugating the auxiliary verb 'avoir' in the present tense plus the past participle 'eu,' producing 'elle a eu mal à la tête,' meaning 'she had a headache.' The distractor 'Elle est eue mal à la tête' is wrong because 'avoir' takes the auxiliary 'avoir,' not 'être,' in compound tenses. Since 'avoir' is one of the most common auxiliary verbs, students should memorize its irregular past participle 'eu' for use in expressions like this.

'Prendre la température' literally means 'to take the temperature,' referring to the common medical action of measuring body heat with a thermometer, especially to check for fever. The distractor about checking pulse rate is wrong because that action would be described as 'prendre le pouls,' a different medical procedure entirely. This phrase demonstrates how the verb 'prendre' is used idiomatically across several medical actions, so students should learn each fixed expression individually.

'Malade' functions as an adjective, as in 'il est malade' (he is sick), while 'la maladie' is a noun referring to the disease or illness itself, as in 'la maladie est grave' (the illness is serious). The distractor claiming they are interchangeable is wrong because swapping them would create ungrammatical sentences, since an adjective cannot occupy a noun's grammatical slot without changing the sentence structure. Distinguishing parts of speech like this is essential for constructing grammatically correct sentences about health topics.

Both 'Buvez beaucoup d'eau' and 'reposez-vous' are conjugated in the imperative mood, which is used to give direct commands, requests, or advice without a stated subject pronoun. The distractor about the subjunctive is wrong because the subjunctive typically follows expressions of doubt, necessity, or emotion introduced by 'que,' which is not the structure used here. Medical advice in French frequently relies on the imperative mood, so students should be comfortable recognizing and forming these commands.

'Saigner' means 'to bleed,' so 'le patient saigne beaucoup' indicates the patient is losing a significant amount of blood, typically from an open wound. The distractor about coughing is wrong because that symptom would use the verb 'tousser,' an entirely unrelated action describing respiratory irritation rather than blood loss. Recognizing specific symptom verbs like 'saigner' allows for accurate description of injury severity in health-related French conversations.

'Avoir du mal à respirer' is an idiomatic expression meaning 'to have trouble breathing,' combining 'avoir du mal à' with an infinitive to signal difficulty performing an action, whereas 'respirer' alone is the neutral verb meaning simply 'to breathe.' The distractor claiming they mean exactly the same thing is wrong because 'respirer' by itself carries no implication of difficulty or urgency, unlike the idiomatic phrase. This construction, 'avoir du mal à' plus an infinitive, extends beyond health topics and can describe difficulty performing many different actions in French.