No matter where you are in the world, it’s been a tough year. So here is some useful Covid-19 French vocabulary to help assist you in living through a once in a lifetime coronavirus pandemic.
French Covid-19 vocabulary to help you during the pandemic
The following vocabulary is essential to understanding the COVID-19 pandemic in French.
| Une pandémie | pandemic |
| Une épidémie | epidemic |
| Un virus | virus |
| Le coronavirus | coronavirus |
| La COVID-19 | COVID-19 |
| Une infection | infection |
| Une maladie | illness |
| Contagieux | contagious |
| Une nouvelle souche | a new strain |
| Un cluster | a cluster |
| Attraper le virus | to catch the virus |
| Un cas probable | probable case |
| Un cas confirmé | confirmed case |
| Un porteur/une porteuse | a carrier |
| Les personnes fragiles | vulnerable people |
| Une condition/maladie sous-jacente | an underlying condition |
| Guérir | To cure |
| La recherche | research |
| Un prélèvement | swab |
| Le résultat des tests | test results |
| Positif | positive |
| Négatif | negative |
| Le taux de mortalité | death rate |
| La distanciation sociale | social distancing |
| Un rassemblement | social gathering |
| En quarantaine | in quarantine |
| Le confinement | lockdown |
| Un couvre-feu | a curfew |
| L’auto-isolement | self-isolation |
| Une bulle | bubble |
| Un ménage | household |
| Hygiène | hygiene |
| Un masque | mask |
According to the Académie Française, COVID-19 is feminine in French (la COVID). This is despite the word coronavirus being masculine (le coronavirus). The decision to make la Covid feminine came after much debate and widespread initial usage as le Covid.
Sample dialogue
Have you heard? There’s a new outbreak of coronavirus!
Yes, I know! Covid-19! I’m worried.
Me too. Do you have a mask? We need to wear a mask everywhere.
Yes, I have some masks. But it’s difficult to find them.
I don’t want to catch the virus. I hope they create a vaccine for it soon.
Don’t worry, everything will be ok.
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French Medical Terms Related to COVID-19
The following medical vocabulary is useful for COVID-19 and related illnesses.
Via Pixaby
| La santé | health |
| Médical | medical |
| Les symptômes (m.pl) | symptoms |
| Être symptomatique | to be symptomatic |
| Être asymptomatique | to be asymptomatic |
| Souffrir de | to suffer from |
| Une toux | cough |
| Une température | temperature |
| Une fièvre | fever |
| Le mal de tête | headache |
| Perdre | to lose |
| Le sens du goût / le goût | sense of taste |
| L’odorat (m) | sense of smell |
| Respirer | to breathe |
| Les difficultés respiratoires | breathing difficulties |
| La pneumonie | pneumonia |
| Un système immunitaire compromis | a compromised immune system |
| Un respirateur | ventilator |
| Un vaccin | vaccine |
| Vacciner | to vaccinate |
| Anticorps (m) | antibodies |
| Une drogue | drug |
| Un médicament | medication |
| Le traitement | treatment |
Sample dialogue
Hi! Do you want to go to a restaurant for dinner?
No, thanks. I’d prefer to not go to places with a lot of people. I have a weak immune system.
Ok. But, I don’t think that COVID-19 is serious. It’s just a flu.
Yes! It’s serious for people like me, who have a weak immune system and also elderly people.
Understanding the News
Understanding what’s happening in this ever changing COVID-19 situation is stressful and can be difficult to understand, particularly in another language.
So here is a list of French vocabulary that you’ll likely come across in the French media.
Via Pixaby
| Nombre total d'infectés | total number of infected |
| Taux d’infection | infection rate |
| Le taux de mortalité | death rate |
| L’isolement | isolation |
| La quarantaine | quarantine |
| Le confinement | confinement |
| Prendre des mesures | to take measures |
| Les nouvelles règles | new rules |
| Précaution | precaution |
| Les politiques gouvernementales | government policies |
| Le gouvernement | government |
| L’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS) | The World Health Organisation |
| La tendance mondiale | global trend |
| Conférence de presse | press conference |
| Avis scientifique | scientifique advice |
Example sentences in the news
Getting emergency medical assistance for COVID-19 in French
While most people will only experience mild symptoms if they contract COVID-19, for others it may unfortunately be a lot more serious. Here’s some essential vocabulary to help you in an emergency medical situation.
Via Pixabay
The following vocabulary will help you during an emergency.
| Un médecin | a doctor |
| Un infirmier/une infirmière | a nurse |
| Une ambulance | ambulance |
| L’hôpital (m) | hospital |
| La salle des urgences | emergency room |
| L’unité de soins intensifs (f) | ICU (Intensive care unit) |
| Un rendez-vous | an appointment |
| Au secours! | Help! |
| C’est urgent! | It’s urgent! |
| Appelez l’hôpital, s’il vous plaît | Call the hospital, please |
| Où est l’hôpital? | Where is the hospital? |
Example dialogue
I need an appointment with a doctor.
Do you have any flu-like symptoms?
Yes, I do.
If you have symptoms, don't come to the clinic.
But…it’s urgent!
Please call an ambulance.
Reporting a suspected COVID-19 case
If you suspect that you or someone you know may have COVID-19, you might be required to get tested or receive medical assistance. The following vocabulary will be essential.
| Depuis combien de temps a-t-il des symptômes? | How long has s/he had symptoms? |
| Quels symptômes a-t-il (elle)? | What symptoms does s/he have? |
| Etre testé positifs pour la Covid | to test positive for Covid |
| Auto-isolement | self-isolation |
| Je ne peux pas venir travailler | I can’t come to work |
| Ne me rends pas visite cette semaine. | Don’t visit me this week. |
| Je ne vais pas bien. | I’m unwell. |
| Je suis désolé(e), je dois annuler notre rendez-vous. | I’m sorry I have to cancel our appointment. |
Making enquiries at the hospital
Via Pixaby
You may need to contact a hospital to ask about a family member or a friend. The following phrases will be useful.
| Un(e) patient(e) | patient |
| L’hôpital (m) | hospital |
| La réception | reception |
| Le/la réceptionniste | receptionist |
| Le numéro de téléphone | phone number |
| Appeler | to call |
| Être admis | to be admitted |
| La salle d’hôpital | hospital ward |
| Heures de visite | visiting hours |
| Un(e) Invité(e) | visitor |
Example dialogue
Hello, I’m calling to ask after my grandma. She was admitted last night with Covid symptoms. I want to visit her, what are the visiting hours?
You can’t visit Covid patients yet. It’s too dangerous. I can give you the phone number for the Covid ward so you can speak to the doctors.
French phrases for COVID-19 quarantine and protective measures
Via Pixaby
| Équipement de protection individuelle | Personal protective equipment |
| Une visière (de protection) | face shield |
| Un masque | mask |
| Un masque chirurgical | surgical mask |
| Les visières de protection | Protective visors |
| Entrée interdite | No entry |
| Entrer | to enter |
| Puis-je entrer? | May I come in? |
| Quitter | to leave |
| Une personne à la fois | one person at a time |
| Nettoyer | to clean |
| Stériliser | to sterilize |
| Désinfecter | to disinfect |
| Se laver les mains | to wash one's hands |
| L’eau | water |
| Le savon | soap |
| le gel hydroalcoolique | hand sanitizer |
| Éviter de se toucher le visage | to avoid touching one’s face |
| Faire attention | to be careful |
Example conversation
Mommy, I want to see grandma.
Yes, we’re going to see grandma. But, you have to be careful at the hospital. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, and try not to touch your face.
Ok Mommy
Take a bottle of hand sanitizer in your backpack.
Via Pixaby
We hope that this article is helpful and that you feel more confident in dealing with a COVID-19 situation in French.
Please stay safe everyone!
What about you? What has your experience been like during the Covid-19 pandemic? Have you been following the French media on the coronavirus situation?
Let us know in the comments below.
