French for English speakers Hospital · Lesson 1

Medical checks

French at the doctor's — Pouvez-vous ouvrir la bouche ? (Can you open your mouth?) — formal polite vous commands.

Conversation

  1. Bolin Bolin

    Pouvez-vous ouvrir la bouche ?

    Can you open your mouth, please?

  2. Honey Honey

    Aaa..

    Aaaaa.

  3. Bolin Bolin

    Bien, votre gorge n'a pas l'air trop rouge.

    Good. Your throat doesn't look too red.

    Tip: <avoir l'air> means to be like something, i.e., akin to the expression "have an air".

  4. Yennifer Yennifer

    Ah, super !

    Thanks goodness!

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

Why use vous in medical settings?

Vous is the formal/polite 'you' — always used with doctors, professionals, strangers. Switching to tu would be inappropriate.

How do you form polite requests in French?

Pouvez-vous + infinitive: pouvez-vous ouvrir la bouche? = 'can you open your mouth?'. Pouvez-vous = 'can you' (polite).

Common French body parts?

La bouche (mouth), la tête (head), le bras (arm), la jambe (leg), le ventre (stomach), l'œil (eye, plural: les yeux), le nez (nose).

Next lesson in Hospital Taking medicine →