French · Body & Health
"It hurts here" in French: j'ai mal ici
j'ai mal ici
It hurts here in French is j'ai mal ici — point while you say ici. This is not ça fait mal (the verb faire mal). Keep j'ai mal + ici together.
Doctor exam
Docteur, j'ai mal ici — sous les côtes.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce j'ai mal ici
Say it
zhay mal ee-SEE
/ʒe mal i.si/
J'ai mal: zhay mal. Ici: ee-SEE. Together: zhay mal ee-SEE. Gesture at the spot.
"It hurts here" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| j'ai mal ici | it hurts here Default + pointing. | Default + pointing. |
| j'ai mal juste ici | it hurts right here More precise. | More precise. |
| j'ai mal quand j'appuie ici | it hurts when I press here Doctor exam. | Doctor exam. |
| la douleur est ici | the pain is here Alternative wording. | Alternative wording. |
How to use j'ai mal ici in real life
- 1Doctor exam
Docteur, j'ai mal ici — sous les côtes.
Doctor, it hurts here—under the ribs.
Full phrase + location.
- 2Pharmacy counter
J'ai mal ici depuis deux jours.
It has hurt here for two days.
Duration.
- 3Physio session
Quand je tourne, j'ai mal ici.
When I turn, it hurts here.
Trigger + phrase.
Mistakes English speakers make with j'ai mal ici
Incorrect: Ça fait mal ici — for this headword only.
Correct: J'ai mal ici.
This page teaches j'ai mal ici; ça fait mal is the verb faire mal.
Incorrect: J'ai hurt here.
Correct: J'ai mal ici.
Use mal ici.
Good to know
At the médecin or pharmacie, point and say j'ai mal ici. Specifying the body part helps: j'ai mal au dos, but ici works when you're showing the spot. Emergency numbers remain 15 / 112 for serious pain.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Describing pain to a nurse
ChatPal
Répète après moi si c'est juste : j'ai mal ici.
Repeat after me if this is right: it hurts here.
You
J'ai mal ici, près de l'épaule.
It hurts here, near the shoulder.
ChatPal
Noté. Et seulement j'ai mal ici, sans irradiation ?
Noted. And it only hurts here, without radiating?
You
Surtout ici. Ça a commencé ce matin.
Mostly here. It started this morning.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"It hurts here" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "It hurts here" in French
How do you say it hurts here in French?
J'ai mal ici.
Is this the same as ça fait mal?
Related idea, different phrase — use j'ai mal ici when pointing.
Should I point?
Yes — ici expects a gesture.
How do you pronounce it?
zhay mal ee-SEE.
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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