French · Body & Health
"to hurt" in French: faire mal
faire mal
Note: "it hurts": ça fait mal
To hurt in French is the set faire mal. Ça fait mal means it hurts. Tu me fais mal means you're hurting me. Keep both faire and mal.
Stubbed toe
Aïe — ça fait mal !Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce faire mal
Say it
fair mal
/fɛʁ mal/
Faire: fair. Mal: mal. Ça fait mal: sah fay mal. Soft final t in fait is often silent.
"to hurt" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| faire mal | to hurt Infinitive set. | Infinitive set. |
| ça fait mal | it hurts Default pain line. | Default pain line. |
| tu me fais mal | you're hurting me Physical contact. | Physical contact. |
| sans faire mal | without hurting Gentle request. | Gentle request. |
How to use faire mal in real life
- 1Stubbed toe
Aïe — ça fait mal !
Ow—that hurts!
Ça fait mal.
- 2Massage too hard
Doucement, tu me fais mal à l'épaule.
Gently—you're hurting my shoulder.
Tu me fais mal.
- 3After sports
Le genou me fait mal quand je monte.
My knee hurts when I go up.
Me fait mal.
Mistakes English speakers make with faire mal
Incorrect: Ça hurt.
Correct: Ça fait mal.
Use faire mal.
Incorrect: Ça fait douleur.
Correct: Ça fait mal.
Everyday pain uses mal, not douleur in this pattern.
Good to know
Ça fait mal is the reflex line after a bump. Doctors also hear j'ai mal à… for located pain (different page: j'ai mal ici). Faire mal covers the verb idea of causing or feeling hurt.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Helping someone stretch
ChatPal
Dis-moi si ça fait mal.
Tell me if it hurts.
You
Là, oui — ça fait mal un peu.
There, yes—it hurts a bit.
ChatPal
D'accord, j'arrête. Je ne veux pas te faire mal.
Okay, I'll stop. I don't want to hurt you.
You
Merci. On reste sur un étirement doux.
Thanks. Let's keep a gentle stretch.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to hurt" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to hurt" in French
How do you say to hurt in French?
Faire mal.
How do you say it hurts?
Ça fait mal.
How do you say you're hurting me?
Tu me fais mal.
Is j'ai mal the same?
Related, but j'ai mal ici is a different phrase for located pain.
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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