How to Say I'm Sick in French

You wake up in a Paris hotel with a sore throat and a pounding head, and the receptionist asks how you feel. Do you say "Je suis malade", "J'ai mal", or something else entirely? Knowing how to say I'm sick in French can save you a lot of confusion, and a pharmacy visit.

Why "I'm Sick" Is Trickier Than It Looks

In English, "I'm sick" covers everything from a cold to food poisoning. French is more precise. Some phrases use être (to be), some use avoir (to have), and a few use a special structure with mal (pain) that has no neat English equivalent.

Getting this right matters because you will say it in situations where clarity counts: calling in sick, talking to a pharmacist, or explaining symptoms to a doctor. This guide gives you the phrases that natives really use, plus the grammar logic behind them.

The Basic Phrase: Je Suis Malade

The simplest way to say I'm sick in French is "Je suis malade" (I am sick). It works for almost any illness and is perfectly polite in every context.

Key Phrases

• Je suis malade (zhuh swee mah-lahd) — I'm sick
• Je me sens mal (zhuh muh sahn mahl) — I feel unwell
• Je ne me sens pas bien (zhuh nuh muh sahn pah byan) — I don't feel well
• Je suis enrhumé(e) (zhuh swee zahn-roo-may) — I have a cold
• J'ai de la fièvre (zhay duh lah fyev-ruh) — I have a fever
• J'ai la grippe (zhay lah greep) — I have the flu

Grammar Note

Adjectives agree with the speaker. A man says "Je suis enrhumé" and a woman says "Je suis enrhumée". The pronunciation is identical, but the spelling changes. Malade is the same for both, since it already ends in -e.

Two common mistakes to avoid:

• Saying "Je suis un rhume". French never uses être for a cold itself; you either are enrhumé or you have a cold (J'ai un rhume).
• Translating "I feel sick" as "Je sens malade". You need the reflexive verb: se sentir (to feel), so "Je me sens malade".

Avoir Mal: Saying Where It Hurts

This is the pattern that surprises English speakers most. To say something hurts, French uses avoir mal à (literally, to have pain at) followed by the body part.

• J'ai mal à la tête (zhay mahl ah lah tet) — I have a headache
• J'ai mal à la gorge (zhay mahl ah lah gorzh) — I have a sore throat
• J'ai mal au ventre (zhay mahl oh vahn-truh) — I have a stomachache
• J'ai mal aux dents (zhay mahl oh dahn) — I have a toothache

Notice that à contracts with the article exactly as you learned: à + le = au and à + les = aux. That is why you say mal au ventre but mal à la tête.

The French take digestion very seriously. J'ai mal au foie (I have a pain in my liver) is a classic complaint after a rich meal, even though the actual pain is usually elsewhere. Pharmacists in France are trusted first responders, and a green cross sign means you can walk in and describe your symptoms.

Other Useful Sick Expressions

Beyond the basics, a few idiomatic phrases will make you sound natural.

• J'ai mal au cœur (zhay mahl oh kuhr) — I feel nauseous. Despite the word cœur (heart), this is about the stomach, not a heart problem.
• J'ai la nausée (zhay lah noh-zay) — I feel nauseous (more clinical)
• J'ai attrapé froid (zhay ah-trah-pay frwah) — I caught a chill
• Je tousse (zhuh toos) — I'm coughing
• Je suis patraque (zhuh swee pah-trahk) — I'm under the weather (informal)

Patraque is a charming everyday word. If a French friend asks how you are and you say "Je suis un peu patraque", they will smile and probably offer you tea.

Talking to Others About Being Sick

Once you can describe your own symptoms, you will also want to explain them to someone else.

• Calling in sick: "Bonjour, je suis malade, je ne peux pas venir aujourd'hui." (Hello, I'm sick, I can't come today.)
• At the pharmacy: "Avez-vous quelque chose pour la toux ?" (Do you have something for a cough?)
• Asking someone: "Tu as l'air malade. Ça va ?" (You look sick. Are you okay?)
• Wishing someone well: "Rétablis-toi vite !" (Get well soon!)

Practical Steps

Next time you feel unwell abroad, follow this order.

• Start with the general statement: Je suis malade.
• Add the specific symptom with avoir mal à or avoir plus the noun.
• Say how long it has lasted using depuis: "J'ai mal à la tête depuis hier." (I've had a headache since yesterday.)
• Ask for help politely: "Pouvez-vous m'aider ?"

Practice Exercises

• Translate: "I have a sore throat."
• Fill in the blank: J'ai mal ___ ventre. (au / à la / aux)
• Fill in the blank: J'ai mal ___ dents. (au / à la / aux)
• Multiple choice: Which means "I have a cold"? (a) Je suis un rhume (b) J'ai un rhume (c) Je sens rhume
• Translate: "I've had a headache since yesterday."
• Which phrase says you feel nauseous? (a) J'ai mal au cœur (b) J'ai mal aux pieds

Answer Key

• J'ai mal à la gorge.
• au (à + le = au)
• aux (à + les = aux)
• (b) J'ai un rhume.
• J'ai mal à la tête depuis hier.
• (a) J'ai mal au cœur.

Conclusion

Saying I'm sick in French comes down to choosing the right verb for the right situation. Start with Je suis malade, then get specific.

• Use Je suis malade or Je me sens mal for general illness.
• Use avoir mal à plus the body part for pain, remembering the contractions au and aux.
• Use avoir for illnesses like a cold, fever, or the flu, never être.

Ready to keep going? Try our post on French body parts vocabulary to learn the names you will need, and leave a comment with the phrase you found most surprising.