French · Body & Health

"Throat" in French: gorge

la gorge

Say it: lah gorzhfeminine · la gorgenoun/ɡɔʁʒ/

Throat in French is la gorge, feminine : mal à la gorge means a sore throat. Gorge also means gorge as a canyon, but body talk is the everyday default.

Calling in sick

J'ai mal à la gorge depuis hier.
I've had a sore throat since yesterday.
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How to pronounce gorge

Say it

lah gorzh

/ɡɔʁʒ/

Gorzh. Soft g like measure before e, French r. La gorge: lah gorzh.

"Throat" in French: quick reference

FrenchEnglish
la gorgethe throat

Body part.

mal à la gorgea sore throat

Illness.

j'ai mal à la gorgeI have a sore throat

Symptom.

gorge irritéeirritated throat

Pharmacy talk.

How to use gorge in real life

  1. 1Calling in sick

    J'ai mal à la gorge depuis hier.

    I've had a sore throat since yesterday.

    Mal à la gorge.

  2. 2Pharmacy

    Vous avez quelque chose pour la gorge ?

    Do you have something for the throat?

    Pour la gorge.

  3. 3After shouting

    Ma gorge est sèche après le concert.

    My throat is dry after the concert.

    Ma gorge.

Mistakes English speakers make with gorge

Incorrect: J'ai mal au gorge.

Correct: J'ai mal à la gorge.

Gorge is feminine: à la gorge.

Incorrect: Le gorge me fait mal.

Correct: La gorge me fait mal.

Use la gorge.

Good to know

French pharmacies stock pastilles pour la gorge and people ask pharmacists freely. Mal à la gorge is one of the first illness phrases learners need in winter.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Checking on a friend with a cold

  1. ChatPal

    Ta gorge va mieux ?

    Is your throat better?

  2. You

    Un peu. J'ai encore mal à la gorge.

    A bit. My throat still hurts.

  3. ChatPal

    Prends un thé. Ça adoucit la gorge.

    Have some tea. It soothes the throat.

  4. You

    Oui, avec du miel.

    Yes, with honey.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

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"Throat" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Throat" in French

How do I say sore throat?

Mal à la gorge.

Is gorge feminine?

Yes: la gorge.

Does gorge mean canyon too?

Yes in geography. Body context is clear in illness talk.

How do you pronounce gorge?

Gorzh.

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  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

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