The Most Common French Words For Body Parts
Below are the most commonly used French words for body parts that you may need in a conversation.
French
English
Example Sentence
Translation
Translation
I have a headache.
Translation
She has blue eyes.
Translation
He has a green eye.
Translation
Wash your hands.
Translation
My heart is beating fast.
Translation
My back hurts.
Example Sentence
Il a un tatouage sur le bras.
Translation
He has a tattoo on his arm.
Example Sentence
Elle s'est cassé la jambe.
Translation
She broke her leg.
Example Sentence
Mes pieds sont fatigués.
Translation
My feet are tired.
Translation
His nose is bleeding.
Example Sentence
Ouvre la bouche, s'il te plaît.
Translation
Open your mouth, please.
Example Sentence
J'entends avec mes oreilles.
Translation
I hear with my ears.
Example Sentence
Je protège mon oreille du bruit.
Translation
I protect my ear from the noise.
Translation
I brush my teeth.
Example Sentence
Je vais couper mes cheveux.
Translation
I'm going to cut my hair.
Example Sentence
Elle porte un collier autour du cou.
Translation
She wears a necklace around her neck.
Translation
My stomach is growling.
Translation
My skin is sensitive.
Example Sentence
Il s'est blessé au genou.
Translation
He hurt his knee.
Example Sentence
Elle porte une bague au doigt.
Translation
She wears a ring on her finger.
Translation
My stomach hurts.
All The Body Parts French Vocabulary
You will find all the human body words down below, the word body in french is “corps” where it’s the same in singular and plural. The following words are categorized based on the body main parts.
The Head and Face Body Parts
French
English
Example Sentence
Translation
Translation
I have a headache.
Translation
She cleans her face.
Example Sentence
Le crâne protège le cerveau.
Translation
The skull protects the brain.
Example Sentence
Mon cuir chevelu démange.
Translation
My scalp is itchy.
Example Sentence
Ses cheveux sont bouclés.
Translation
Her hair is curly.
Translation
The skin is sensitive.
Example Sentence
Les poils des jambes poussent.
Translation
Leg hair is growing.
Translation
He has a broad forehead.
Translation
His eyes are sparkling.
Translation
Her eyelashes are long.
Example Sentence
Elle Ă©pile ses sourcils.
Translation
She plucks her eyebrows.
Example Sentence
J’entends avec mes oreilles.
Translation
I hear with my ears.
Translation
His nose is swollen.
Translation
Nostrils dilate.
Example Sentence
Ouvre la bouche, s’il te plaît.
Translation
Open your mouth, please.
Translation
Her lips are red.
Example Sentence
Il perd ses dents de lait.
Translation
He’s losing his baby teeth.
Translation
She sticks out her tongue.
Translation
The palate is sensitive.
Translation
His gums are bleeding.
Translation
He has a square chin.
Translation
She clenches her jaw.
Translation
He pinches his cheek.
Example Sentence
Ses pommettes sont hautes.
Translation
Her cheekbones are high.
Example Sentence
Porte un collier autour du cou.
Translation
Wear a necklace around your neck.
Example Sentence
J’ai une douleur à la nuque.
Translation
My nape is sore.
Translation
Blink your eyelids.
Example Sentence
L’iris contrôle la lumière.
Translation
The iris controls light.
The Torso French Words
French
English
Example
Translation
Example
Il a une douleur Ă la poitrine.
Translation
He has chest pain.
Translation
Lie on your back.
Example
J’ai mal entre les omoplates.
Translation
My shoulder blades hurt.
Example
La colonne vertébrale est droite.
Translation
The spine is straight.
Translation
His stomach is growling.
Example
Elle porte une ceinture Ă la taille.
Translation
She wears a belt at the waist.
Translation
He massages his flanks.
Translation
The nipple is sensitive.
Example
Elle allaite avec ses seins.
Translation
She breastfeeds with her breasts.
Translation
His navel is clean.
The Arms and Hands
French
English
Example
Translation
Example
Il soulève des poids avec son bras.
Translation
He lifts weights with his arm.
Example
Elle a mal à l’épaule.
Translation
Her shoulder hurts.
Translation
Press on the elbow.
Example
Son avant-bras est musclé.
Translation
His forearm is muscular.
Example
Il porte une montre au poignet.
Translation
He wears a watch on his wrist.
Translation
Wash your hands.
Example
Elle porte une bague au doigt.
Translation
She wears a ring on her finger.
Translation
The thumb is opposable.
Translation
Point with your index finger.
Translation
He raises his middle finger.
Example
L’alliance va à l’annulaire.
Translation
The wedding ring goes on the ring finger.
Example
L’auriculaire est petit.
Translation
The little finger is small.
Translation
She paints her nails.
The Legs and Feet Vocabulary
French
English
Example
Translation
Example
Elle court avec ses jambes.
Translation
She runs with her legs.
Example
Il a mal à la cuisse après le sport.
Translation
His thigh hurts after sports.
Translation
He bends his knee.
Example
Elle a des crampes dans le mollet.
Translation
She has cramps in her calf.
Example
Il s'est blessé le tibia.
Translation
He injured his shin.
Example
Elle a une entorse Ă la cheville.
Translation
She has a sprained ankle.
Translation
He washes his feet.
Translation
I stubbed my toe.
Example
Le gros orteil est sensible.
Translation
The big toe is sensitive.
Example
Elle peint ses ongles de pied.
Translation
She paints her toenails.
Example
Ses talons sont fissurés.
Translation
Her heels are cracked.
Example
La plante du pied me démange.
Translation
The sole of my foot itches.
Example
Il a une voûte plantaire haute.
Translation
He has a high arch.
Internal Organs French Words
French
English
Example
Translation
Example
Le cerveau contrĂ´le le corps.
Translation
The brain controls the body.
Example
Son cœur bat rapidement.
Translation
His heart is beating fast.
Example
Les poumons absorbent l'oxygène.
Translation
The lungs absorb oxygen.
Example
Le foie filtre les toxines.
Translation
The liver filters toxins.
Example
Les reins filtrent le sang.
Translation
The kidneys filter blood.
Translation
My stomach hurts.
Example
Les intestins digèrent la nourriture.
Translation
The intestines digest food.
Example
Elle a une infection de la vessie.
Translation
She has a bladder infection.
Example
Le pancréas produit de l'insuline.
Translation
The pancreas produces insulin.
Example
La vésicule biliaire stocke la bile.
Translation
The gallbladder stores bile.
Translation
The spleen is sensitive.
Example
L’œsophage transporte la nourriture.
Translation
The esophagus transports food.
Example
La trachée conduit l'air.
Translation
The trachea conducts air.
Example
Il a dû retirer l’appendice.
Translation
He had to remove his appendix.
Bones and Skeleton Body Parts
French
English
Example
Translation
Translation
The bone is broken.
Example
Le crâne protège le cerveau.
Translation
The skull protects the brain.
Example
La colonne vertébrale est essentielle.
Translation
The spine is essential.
Example
Il a une côte fissurée.
Translation
He has a cracked rib.
Example
Le bassin soutient le corps.
Translation
The pelvis supports the body.
Example
Le fémur est l'os le plus long.
Translation
The femur is the longest bone.
Example
Le tibia est dans la jambe.
Translation
The tibia is in the leg.
Example
Le péroné est plus mince.
Translation
The fibula is thinner.
Example
L’humérus est dans le bras.
Translation
The humerus is in the arm.
Example
Le radius tourne autour de l'ulna.
Translation
The radius rotates around the ulna.
Example
Le cubitus forme le coude.
Translation
The ulna forms the elbow.
Example
Les articulations permettent le mouvement.
Translation
Joints allow movement.
Example
Le cartilage amortit les chocs.
Translation
Cartilage cushions impacts.
Nervous System & Sensory Organs in French
French
English
Example
Translation
Example
Les nerfs transmettent les signaux.
Translation
Nerves transmit signals.
Example
Le cerveau apprend rapidement.
Translation
The brain learns quickly.
Example
La moelle épinière est protégée.
Translation
The spinal cord is protected.
Example
Les yeux voient les couleurs.
Translation
Eyes see colors.
Example
Les oreilles entendent les sons.
Translation
Ears hear sounds.
Translation
The nose smells odors.
Example
La langue goûte les saveurs.
Translation
The tongue tastes flavors.
Example
La peau protège le corps.
Translation
The skin protects the body.
Digestive Body System Words in French
French
English
Example
Translation
Example
La bouche mâche la nourriture.
Translation
The mouth chews food.
Example
L’œsophage transporte la nourriture.
Translation
The esophagus transports food.
Example
L’estomac digère les aliments.
Translation
The stomach digests food.
Example
Les intestins absorbent les nutriments.
Translation
The intestines absorb nutrients.
Example
Le foie détoxifie le corps.
Translation
The liver detoxifies the body.
Example
Le pancréas régule le sucre.
Translation
The pancreas regulates sugar.
Example
La vésicule biliaire libère la bile.
Translation
The gallbladder releases bile.
Example
Le rectum évacue les déchets.
Translation
The rectum expels waste.
Example
L’anus est la fin du tube digestif.
Translation
The anus is the end of the digestive tract.
French Rules for Body Parts
The French language contains some specific vocabulary rules for body part words. Below are the fundamental rules, along with examples.
Use of Definite Articles With French Body Parts Words
The French language always uses definite articles (le, la, les) to ensure clarity when referring to body parts, rather than possessive adjectives. For example: “Je me lave les mains” (I wash my hands). The reflexive verb already indicates ownership, so “mes mains” would be incorrect. To express pain, you need to use à + the definite article, such as “j’ai mal à la tête” (I have a headache), and never forget about contractions.
Reflexive Verbs Used With French Body Parts
In French, reflexive verbs like “se laver” require definite articles (le/la/les) with body parts, not possessive adjectives. Since the reflexive pronoun (me/te/se) already conveys ownership, it is correct to say “Je me lave les mains” (not mes mains). This structure sounds natural to native speakers, while using possessives like mes or ses would be unnecessary and incorrect. Always remember that the reflexive verb itself expresses whose body part is performing the action.
Gender in French Body Parts
When learning French body part words, you must remember that around 80% of them are masculine and are preceded by the article “le.” Common examples include “le bras” (arm), “le pied” (foot), and “le nez” (nose). However, there are notable feminine exceptions that must be memorized by students, such as “la main” (hand), “la jambe” (leg), “la peau” (skin), and “la tête” (head).
These exceptions often catch beginners off guard, so paying special attention to them will help prevent most errors. The gender difference affects not just articles but also adjective agreement in sentences.
Plural French Words For Body Parts
French even includes some unique rules for plural body parts that differ from English. Certain words are always plural, even if just one body part is being discussed, such as “les cheveux” (hair), “les yeux” (eyes), and “les dents” (teeth), which are prime examples. Irregular plural forms that don’t follow standard patterns also exist. For instance, “un œil” becomes “les yeux” (eye to eyes) and “une dent” becomes “les dents” (tooth to teeth). These irregularities are important to note since they play a major role in how you construct sentences when describing people or discussing medical problems. Mastering these plural forms will make you sound more natural and correct in French.
Practicing French Words For Body Parts
To ensure effective learning of French body part words, you need to practice speaking the words and listening to them. Kippy offers AI powered methods that help you improve your pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary by providing multiple features tailored for learning French body vocabulary.
Among its many features, Kippy includes a pronunciation checker that helps you improve your pronunciation of body part words based on a score that gets better the more you practice. For grammar, the app offers a grammar checker that highlights and corrects your mistakes. And if you forget a word, you can instantly translate it just by saying it, using the instant translation feature .
