French · B1 (Intermediate)
Medical in French: Words & Phrases
Quick answer: The most useful French words for medical are l'assurance maladie (health insurance (Sécurité Sociale)), le médecin traitant (the registered GP) and prescrire (to prescribe). The full French medical phrase list with example sentences is below.
The essential French vocabulary for medical, with example sentences and English translations. This is B1 (Intermediate) material — exactly the kind of practical language you need when you're learning French to live, work, or settle abroad.
Source: Language Lab's French curriculum (vocabulary & example sentences). · Join the beta →
Key medical vocabulary
| French | English |
|---|---|
| l'assurance maladie | health insurance (Sécurité Sociale) |
| le médecin traitant | the registered GP |
| prescrire | to prescribe |
| l'ordonnance | the prescription |
| le remboursement | the reimbursement |
| la mutuelle | the supplementary health insurance |
| l'urgentiste | the emergency doctor |
| la carte Vitale | the French health insurance card |
| les urgences | A&E / emergency room |
| allergique | allergic |
Example sentences
Je suis affilié à l'Assurance Maladie.
I am registered with French health insurance.
J'ai un rendez-vous chez mon médecin traitant.
I have an appointment with my registered GP.
Le médecin m'a donné une ordonnance.
The doctor gave me a prescription.
N'oubliez pas votre carte Vitale.
Don't forget your Carte Vitale.
La Sécu rembourse 70% des soins.
Social Security reimburses 70% of medical costs.
Ma mutuelle couvre les 30% restants.
My supplementary insurance covers the remaining 30%.
How to actually learn these
Reading a vocabulary list is not the same as being able to use the words when it counts. Research on adult language acquisition consistently shows that vocabulary retained through contextual use — hearing a word, producing it under mild pressure, and being corrected when you get it wrong — transfers to real speech far more effectively than passive list review. The fastest way to make vocabulary like this stick is to practise it in the actual conversations where it comes up: not drills, but a real back-and-forth where you have to retrieve the word and say it aloud. Language Lab turns vocabulary like this into voiced, real-life scenarios with Sonia, a live AI language tutor who holds real conversations, corrects you in context, and remembers the specific words you keep getting wrong across sessions. The vocabulary stops being something you read and becomes something you say — automatically, under pressure, when you actually need it.
Practice French that actually sticks.
Language Lab teaches the French you need to live abroad — with a live AI tutor. Coming soon.
Join the beta →