French · Body & Health
"Ear" in French: oreille
l'oreille
Ear in French is l'oreille, feminine, said oh-RAY. J'ai mal à l'oreille means I have an earache. Les oreilles are ears. The h is silent, so elision gives l'oreille.
At the doctor
J'ai mal à l'oreille droite depuis hier.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce oreille
Say it
oh-RAY
/ɔ.ʁɛj/
Oh-RAY. Soft French r. Double ll sounds like y before e: ray. Final e is light. Silent h in spelling.
"Ear" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| l'oreille | the ear Body part with elision. | Body part with elision. |
| les oreilles | the ears Plural. | Plural. |
| mal à l'oreille | earache With avoir mal à. | With avoir mal à. |
| être tout oreilles | to be all ears Idiom for listening closely. | Idiom for listening closely. |
How to use oreille in real life
- 1At the doctor
J'ai mal à l'oreille droite depuis hier.
My right ear has hurt since yesterday.
Mal à l'oreille + côté.
- 2Loud concert
Baisse le volume, j'ai mal aux oreilles.
Turn it down; my ears hurt.
Plural aux oreilles.
- 3Whispering
Viens, je te dis un secret à l'oreille.
Come here; I'll tell you a secret in your ear.
À l'oreille for whispering.
Mistakes English speakers make with oreille
Incorrect: Le oreille est bouchée.
Correct: L'oreille est bouchée.
Use elision and feminine agreement: l'oreille est bouchée.
Incorrect: J'ai mal au ear.
Correct: J'ai mal à l'oreille.
Use oreille, not English ear.
Good to know
Faire la sourde oreille means to turn a deaf ear. Music teachers talk about avoir de l'oreille (having an ear for music). For pain, stick to mal à l'oreille.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
After swimming in a pool
ChatPal
Tu te touches l'oreille. Ça va ?
You're touching your ear. You okay?
You
J'ai de l'eau dans l'oreille, c'est désagréable.
I have water in my ear; it's unpleasant.
ChatPal
Saute sur un pied, l'oreille du même côté vers le sol.
Hop on one foot, that ear toward the ground.
You
Ça sort ! Merci.
It's coming out! Thanks.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Ear" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Ear" in French
How do I say earache?
J'ai mal à l'oreille.
Is oreille masculine or feminine?
Feminine: une oreille, l'oreille.
Why l'oreille not la oreille?
Silent h / vowel sound triggers elision: l'oreille.
How do you pronounce oreille?
Oh-RAY, with -eille like ay.
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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