PHRASE GUIDE
Medical French phrases for healthcare workers in Canada
More than 80 short, practical medical phrases in Canadian French for clinical work, with audio you can play. Greetings, pain, urgent symptoms, history, exam instructions and more.
By the BedsideLingo team. Last updated November 8, 2026.
Before you start
- These phrases help with greetings, simple questions and instructions.
- For consent, diagnoses, difficult news or anything high-stakes, use a qualified medical interpreter.
- Reviewed with clinicians, though not yet in a clinical setting.
5 tips for using these phrases
- Use the polite form. With patients, use vous, the polite “you.” The phrases on this page are written to match.
- Everyday Canadian French. These phrases use plain, everyday wording. Many questions begin with Est-ce que, which turns a statement into a question, and some are shortened to just the key words, as people often say them aloud.
- Mind the silent letters. Many final consonants are silent in French. The s in vous and the gts in doigts are not pronounced.
- Listen for the nasal vowels. Words like vomissements and ventre use nasal vowels, which are hard to learn from spelling. Play the recording, then repeat it.
- Listen first, then copy. Play each recording, say the phrase out loud, then play it again. Copying real audio beats reading.
These phrases are written in Canadian French. Wording can differ from France or other French-speaking countries, so confirm a word with the patient if they look puzzled.
Greetings and courtesy
Start every visit with a greeting. A few polite words go a long way.
| English | French | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| Hello. | Bonjour. | |
| Please. | S'il vous plaît. | |
| Thank you. | Merci. | |
| You're welcome. | De rien. | |
| I'm sorry. | Je m'excuse. | |
| One moment. | Un instant. | |
| Here you go. | Tenez. |
Introducing yourself and checking language
Introduce yourself, ask the patient’s name, and find out which language they prefer. Offer an interpreter whenever you can.
| English | French | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| I'm your doctor. | Je suis votre médecin. | |
| What is your name? | Comment vous appelez-vous ? | |
| Who is here with you? | Qui vous accompagne ? | |
| Which language do you prefer? | Quelle langue est-ce que vous préférez ? | |
| Can we call someone to interpret? | Est-ce qu'on peut appeler quelqu'un pour interpréter ? | |
| Show me. | Montrez-moi. | |
| Repeat that. | Est-ce que vous pouvez répéter ? |
Where it hurts and how long
Short questions about pain and timing. Ask the patient to point if words fail.
| English | French | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| What brought you here today? | Qu'est-ce qui vous amène aujourd'hui ? | |
| Where does it hurt? | Où est-ce que vous avez mal ? | |
| Point with your finger to where it hurts. | Montrez avec votre doigt où ça fait mal. | |
| When did it start? | Ça a commencé quand ? | |
| Did it start suddenly? | Ça a commencé d'un coup ? | |
| Better or worse? | Ça va mieux ou moins bien ? | |
| Does the pain go anywhere else? | La douleur se propage ailleurs ? | |
| Rate your pain: zero to ten. | Votre douleur, de zéro à dix ? |
Urgent questions
Quick yes-or-no questions for red-flag symptoms. If the answer is yes, get help and an interpreter right away.
| English | French | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| Trouble breathing? | Du mal à respirer ? | |
| Chest pain? | Mal à la poitrine ? | |
| Did you faint? | Est-ce que vous avez perdu connaissance ? | |
| Do you feel weak on one side? | Vous manquez de force d'un côté ? | |
| Are you having trouble speaking? | Du mal à parler ? | |
| Has your vision changed? | Votre vision a changé ? | |
| Severe headache? | Un très gros mal de tête ? | |
| Fever? | De la fièvre ? | |
| Vomiting? | Des vomissements ? | |
| Any bleeding? | Des saignements ? | |
| Did you hit your head? | Est-ce que vous vous êtes cogné la tête ? | |
| Coughing up blood? | Du sang quand vous toussez ? | |
| Do you feel safe at home? | Est-ce que vous vous sentez en sécurité chez vous ? | |
| Are you thinking of hurting yourself? | Est-ce que vous pensez à vous faire du mal ? |
History: allergies, medications and more
Key history questions. Ask the patient to show you their medications.
| English | French | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| Any allergies? | Des allergies ? | |
| Show me your medications. | Montrez-moi vos médicaments. | |
| Do you take blood thinners? | Des médicaments pour éclaircir le sang ? | |
| What medical conditions do you have? | Quels problèmes de santé avez-vous ? | |
| Are you pregnant? | Est-ce que vous êtes enceinte ? | |
| When did you last eat or drink? | Quand est-ce que vous avez mangé ou bu la dernière fois ? | |
| Have you taken alcohol or drugs? | Avez-vous pris de l'alcool ou des drogues ? | |
| Do you smoke? | Est-ce que vous fumez ? | |
| Have you fallen recently? | Est-ce que vous avez fait une chute récemment ? | |
| Have you missed any medication doses? | Est-ce que vous avez manqué des doses de médicaments ? |
Common symptoms
More everyday symptom questions.
| English | French | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| Any cough? | De la toux ? | |
| Feeling dizzy? | Des étourdissements ? | |
| Trouble swallowing? | Du mal à avaler ? | |
| Any numbness? | Des engourdissements ? | |
| Any rash? | Des rougeurs ou des boutons sur la peau ? | |
| Ear pain? | Mal à l'oreille ? | |
| Feeling unusually tired? | Plus de fatigue que d'habitude ? | |
| Any joint pain? | Mal aux articulations ? |
Examining the patient
Always ask permission before you examine or touch a patient, then give short, clear instructions.
| English | French | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| May I examine you? | Est-ce que je peux vous examiner ? | |
| May I touch here? | Est-ce que je peux toucher ici ? | |
| Comfortable? | Vous êtes bien ? | |
| May I examine your abdomen? | Est-ce que je peux examiner votre ventre ? | |
| May I listen to your chest? | Est-ce que je peux écouter votre poitrine ? | |
| Sit up. | Redressez-vous. | |
| Lie down. | Allongez-vous. | |
| Stand up. | Levez-vous. | |
| Stay still. | Ne bougez pas. | |
| Turn onto your side. | Tournez-vous sur le côté. | |
| Open your mouth. | Ouvrez la bouche. | |
| Take a deep breath. | Prenez une grande respiration. | |
| Squeeze my fingers. | Serrez mes doigts. | |
| Lift both arms. | Levez les deux bras. | |
| Smile. | Souriez. |
Tests and treatment
Say what you are about to do before you do it.
| English | French | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| We'll take a blood sample. | On va faire une prise de sang. | |
| I'll give you medicine for pain. | Je vais vous donner un antidouleur. | |
| You'll get fluids through an IV. | On va vous donner du liquide par perfusion. | |
| I'll order an ultrasound. | Je vais demander une échographie. | |
| I'll order a CT scan. | Je vais demander un scan. | |
| We'll do an ECG. | On va faire un électrocardiogramme. | |
| I'll change your dressing. | Je vais changer votre pansement. |
Reassurance and next steps
Plain statements that help a worried patient feel looked after.
| English | French | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| I will explain before we start. | Je vais expliquer avant de commencer. | |
| We will help you. | On va vous aider. | |
| Tell us if you feel worse. | Dites-nous si ça va moins bien. | |
| Everything looks good. | Tout semble bien aller. | |
| You'll stay in hospital for now. | Vous restez à l'hôpital pour l'instant. | |
| You may need surgery. | Une opération sera peut-être nécessaire. | |
| You need stitches. | Il vous faut des points de suture. |
Want all 300+ phrases, organised by specialty, in your pocket? BedsideLingo has the full phrasebook with recordings, works offline, and needs no account.
Download on theApp StoreFrequently asked questions
Should I use vous or tu with patients?
Use vous, the polite form, with adult patients unless they invite you to use tu. The phrases on this page use vous.
Is this Canadian French or French from France?
These phrases are in Canadian French. Everyday wording can differ between regions, so check with the patient if a word does not seem to land.
Can I rely on these phrases instead of an interpreter?
No. Phrases help with greetings, simple questions and instructions. For consent, diagnoses, difficult news or any high-stakes conversation, use a qualified medical interpreter.
What if the patient answers in a way I do not understand?
Stay calm, repeat the question slowly, use gestures, and call an interpreter. Learning questions is much easier than understanding fast answers, and that is normal.
How can I learn these quickly?
Pick the phrases you will actually use in your own work, practise a few each day, and listen to the recordings. The BedsideLingo app brings each phrase back for review just before you would forget it.