French for English speakers Hospital · Lesson 3

Sickness

Illness phrases in French — Si tu as de la fièvre, tu ne devrais pas partir (If you have a fever, you shouldn't leave) — with conditional advice.

Conversation

Pronunciation Translations Tips

Yennifer

Si tu as de la fièvre, tu ne devrais pas partir.

If you have a fever, you shouldn't leave.

Tip: <si> is used for forming conditional sentences.
Honey

Mais je n'ai pas de fièvre.

But I don't have any fever.
Yennifer

Ah bon ? Tu n'es pas malade ?

But how? Aren't you sick?
Honey

Si, mais c'est seulement une petite toux.

Yes, but it is only a little cough.

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

How do you say 'I have a fever' in French?

J'ai de la fièvre. The verb avoir (to have) — not être (to be). Same construction: j'ai mal, j'ai froid, j'ai faim.

What does tu ne devrais pas mean?

'You shouldn't' — conditional of devoir + ne pas. Polite advice: tu ne devrais pas partir = 'you shouldn't leave'.

French conditional structure?

Si + present, ... + conditional/imperative/future: Si tu as de la fièvre, reste à la maison = 'If you have a fever, stay home'.