French · Body & Health
"Sick" in French: malade
malade
Sick in French is malade. Je suis malade means I'm sick. Tomber malade is to fall ill. For nausea, j'ai mal au cœur is also common.
Calling work
Je suis malade, je reste à la maison.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce malade
Say it
mah-LAHD
/ma.lad/
mah-LAHD. Clear a; final d usually sounded in careful speech. Feminine same spelling: malade.
"Sick" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| malade | sick / ill Default adjective. | Default adjective. |
| être malade | to be sick State. | State. |
| tomber malade | to fall ill Getting sick. | Getting sick. |
| se sentir malade | to feel sick Subjective feeling. | Subjective feeling. |
How to use malade in real life
- 1Calling work
Je suis malade, je reste à la maison.
I'm sick; I'm staying home.
Je suis malade.
- 2Checking on a friend
Tu as l'air malade aujourd'hui.
You look sick today.
Avoir l'air malade.
- 3Kids
Le bébé est malade depuis hier soir.
The baby has been sick since last night.
Est malade.
Mistakes English speakers make with malade
Incorrect: J'ai malade.
Correct: Je suis malade.
Use être malade, not avoir malade.
Incorrect: Je suis sick.
Correct: Je suis malade.
Use malade, not English sick.
Good to know
Friends ask ça va ? and hear je suis un peu malade. Pharmacies talk symptômes before meds. Malade can also mean awesome in slang — tone tells you which.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Canceling plans
ChatPal
Tu es malade ?
Are you sick?
You
Oui, je suis malade depuis ce matin.
Yes, I've been sick since this morning.
ChatPal
Repose-toi, on se voit plus tard.
Rest; we'll see each other later.
You
Merci, je te tiens au courant.
Thanks, I'll keep you posted.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Sick" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Sick" in French
How do you say sick in French?
Malade.
How do you say I'm sick?
Je suis malade.
Avoir or être?
Être malade.
How do you pronounce malade?
mah-LAHD.
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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