French · Body & Health
"Chest" in French: poitrine
la poitrine
Chest in French is la poitrine, feminine. Mal à la poitrine is chest pain. On a menu, poitrine de poulet means chicken breast.
At the doctor
J'ai mal à la poitrine quand je cours.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce poitrine
Say it
pwah-TREEN
/pwa.tʁin/
Poitrine is pwah-TREEN. The oi is like wa, and the final e is light. Stress the second syllable.
"Chest" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| la poitrine | the chest / breast Body and cooking. | Body and cooking. |
| mal à la poitrine | chest pain Health talk. | Health talk. |
| poitrine de poulet | chicken breast Butcher and recipes. | Butcher and recipes. |
| se taper la poitrine | to beat one's chest / claim credit Figurative idiom. | Figurative idiom. |
How to use poitrine in real life
- 1At the doctor
J'ai mal à la poitrine quand je cours.
My chest hurts when I run.
Mal à + body part.
- 2Buying meat
Je prends deux poitrines de poulet, s'il te plaît.
I'll take two chicken breasts, please.
Poitrine is common at the butcher.
- 3Fitness class
Garde la poitrine ouverte pendant l'exercice.
Keep your chest open during the exercise.
Coach cue for posture.
Mistakes English speakers make with poitrine
Incorrect: J'ai mal au chest.
Correct: J'ai mal à la poitrine.
Use poitrine for the body part.
Incorrect: Le poitrine me fait mal.
Correct: La poitrine me fait mal.
Poitrine is feminine: la poitrine.
Good to know
Poitrine covers the chest area and, in cooking, cuts like chicken breast. For a woman's breast in a medical or body context, sein is more specific; poitrine stays the general torso word.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
After a hard workout
ChatPal
Tu sens la brûlure dans la poitrine ?
Do you feel the burn in your chest?
You
Oui, un peu. Ma poitrine est encore serrée.
Yes, a bit. My chest still feels tight.
ChatPal
Respire doucement. Ça va passer.
Breathe slowly. It will pass.
You
D'accord. On marche deux minutes.
Okay. Let's walk for two minutes.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Chest" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Chest" in French
What is chest in French?
La poitrine (feminine).
How do I say chest pain?
Mal à la poitrine, or j'ai mal à la poitrine.
Does poitrine mean chicken breast?
Yes: poitrine de poulet on menus and at the butcher.
How do you pronounce poitrine?
Pwah-TREEN.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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