Parts of the Body in French
Our bodies are made up of several different parts, which combine to make us unique.
Whether we wish to talk about a particular body feature we love or tell the doctor what ails us, knowing the right words to use is of utmost importance. When we know how to say the different parts of the body in French correctly, we eliminate misunderstanding and possible false diagnoses.
French also have several expressions involving body parts that spices up our conversation and make us sound like a native.
Below is a complete vocabulary guide to parts of the body in French, French expressions involving body parts and how to use them in a sentence.
External body parts
The upper body
| English | French |
|---|---|
| Body | le corps |
| Head | la tête |
| Face | le visage |
| Eye/ Eyes | un oeil /les yeux |
| Eye lashes | les cils |
| Eye lid | la paupière |
| Eyebrows | les sourcils |
| Nose | le nez |
| Cheek | la joue |
| Chin | le menton |
| Mouth | la bouche |
| Tongue | la tongue |
| Throat | la gorge |
| Lips | les lèvres |
| Ear | l'oreille |
| Hair | les cheveux |
| Teeth | les dents |
| Neck | le cou |
| Chest | la poitrine (seins) |
| Breast | la poitrine (torse) |
| Back | le dos |
| Arm | le bras |
| Hand | le main |
| Finger | le doigt |
| Fingernail | l'ongle |
| Belly | le ventre |
| Belly-button | le nombril |
| Shoulder | l'épaule |
Examples of sentences with body parts
J'ai mal à la tête I have a headache.
Les êtres humains ont dix orteils et dix doigts. Human beings have ten toes and ten fingers.
J'ai les cheveux bruns I have brown hair
Note that to talk about body parts in French, a definite article and not a possessive adjective like we do in English is often used.
Example
Je me suis cassé la tête. I broke my head.
Lavez-vous les mains avant de manger. Wash your hands before eating.
As with all nouns in French, body parts are always proceeded by an article.
Example
Les yeux Eyes
J'ai les yeux marrons I have brown eyes
The Lower body
| English | French |
|---|---|
| Hip | la hanche |
| Thighs /Lap | la cuisse |
| Bottom | la fesse |
| Leg | la jambe |
| Knee | le genou |
| Toe | le doigt |
| Toenail | l'ongle |
| Ankle | la cheville |
| Foot/Feet | le pied/les pieds |
Internal body parts
| English | French |
|---|---|
| Skeleton | le squelette |
| Brain | Le cerveau |
| Lung | le poumon |
| Oesophagus | L'oesophage |
| Blood | le sang |
| Bone | l'os |
| Liver | le foie |
| Heart | le coeur |
| Kidney | le rein |
| Intestine | l'intestin |
| vein | la veine |
Other vocabulary relating to the human body
| English | French |
|---|---|
| Saliva | la salive |
| Tear/Tears | larme /larmes |
| Sperm | le sperme |
| Sweat | la sueur |
| Urine | l'urine |
| Excrement | l'excrément |
Expressions involving body parts.
Understanding and using French expressions will take you a step further and help you sound like a native. Here are a few French expressions with body parts you should know.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Casser les pieds | To bug/ to annoy |
| Un coup d'oeil | a glance |
| Un oeil poché | a black eye |
| Se creuser la tête | To think hard |
| À mes yeux | in my opinion |
| Rester bouche cousue | To keep a secret |
| Ne pas lever le nez | To concentrate |
| Tenir tête à quelq'un | To stand up to somebody |
| Dormir sur les deux oreilles | To sleep like a baby. |
| Avoir la main heureuse | To be lucky |
| Avoir la tête dans les nuages | To have one's head in the clouds. |
| Avoir la main verte | To have a green thumb |
| Avoir le coeur sur la main | To be generous |
| Faire la sourde oreille | To pay deaf ears. |
| Avoir la compas dans l'oeil | To be accurate. |
Examples in a sentence.
Arrête de me casser les pieds. Stop bugging me.
Il a jeté un coup d'oeil aux enfants. He glanced at the children.
À mes yeux, la maison est trop chère. In my opinion, the house is too expensive.
Have fun learning the different parts of the body in French and how you can apply them in your day to day conversation.
