Body Parts in French

It’s important to know the French words for different body parts, even if it’s not the first thing you learn when studying the language. You’ll need to be able to describe your symptoms to a doctor if you get sick or injured while you’re in France.

Similarly, French culture can’t be discussed without mentioning romance, fashion, or food. Speaking about these cultural highlights is made even more difficult if you don’t know the French names for various body parts.

In the context of romance, you’ll need the French words for “hands,” “eyes,” and “face”, to further understand why French is known as the language of love.

In terms of fashion and with Paris being the world’s fashion capital, learning how to properly say “legs,” “arms,” and “foot” before heading out to shop is also a must. How else will you be able to get the right fit of that cute jumpsuit or designer boots?

Lastly, since France is a culinary mecca, knowing words like “mouth” and “stomach” will come in handy as well.

Learning French body parts names will be helpful if you want to eat your way through Lyon, expand your wardrobe in Paris, fall in love with a French speaker in Monaco or even speak to a doctor or pharmacist.

Body Parts in French

Here’s a list of body part names, sample sentences, and interesting expressions involving certain parts in French.

How to say “body in French:

Before we get to the parts, this is how to say ” body” in French:

le corps        – body

Now, here are the French names for certain parts of le corps:

Head/Face Parts in French

une tête – head

des cheveux – hair

un crâne – skull, head

un visage – face

un œil – eye

des yeux – eyes

un nez – nose

une joue – cheek

une bouche – mouth

une gueule – mouth (familiar)

une lèvre – lip

une dent – tooth

une oreille – ear

Middle Body Parts in French

un cou – neck

une gorge – throat

une poitrine – chest

un cœur – heart

un estomac – stomach

un bras – arm

une épaule – shoulder

un coude – elbow

un poignet – wrist

une main – hand

un doigt – finger

un ongle – fingernail

un pouce – thumb

un dos – back

Lower Body Parts in French

les membres inférieurs – lower body

la hanche – hip

les fesses – backside/buttocks 

les cuisses – thighs

une jambe – leg

un genou – knee

le tibia – shin

une cheville – ankle

un pied – foot

un orteil – toe

petit orteil de pied – little toe

gros orteil de pied – big toe

Notes On Body Parts

Articles must come before all nouns in French. This also applies to body parts. For example:

• Elle a les cheveux roux – She has red hair.

• Il a les yeux verts – He has green eyes.

• When it comes to expressing pain in French, the general rule is to avoid possessive adjectives + body parts. Instead, you would use the expression J’ai  mal  à/au/aux to say “I have a __ache” or “My _ hurts.”

For example:

• Body Parts in French – I have a headache./My head hurts.
• J’ai mal au dos – I have a back ache/My back hurts.

Some French Phrases and Expressions Mentioning Body Parts

Many French phrases and expressions make use of body parts. Here are ten of the more interesting and well-known ones.

• à tue-tête – This phrase means “at the top of one’s lungs” (as in when singing or saying something out loud)

• Ça ne va pas la tête ! – This translates literally to “Your head isn’t right/working.” This expression is sometimes said quickly or very casually, without the ne: Ça va pas la tête !

• mettre la puce à l’oreille (de qqn) – This means to plant a seed of an idea in someone’s mind, or to tip someone off. This expression literally means “to put a flea in someone’s ear.”

• coûter un bras – This means that it will set you back an arm and a leg. Even the cost of one arm is too much for the French.

• être une main de fer dans un gant de velours – This translates as being an iron fist in a silk glove. In other words, someone who appears kind, even gentle and harmless, but has a steely determination.

Want to learn more French phrases? Check out our language guides below:

• Gender In French
• Dates In French
• Numbers In French
• Colors In French
• Family In French Vocabulary
• Beautiful In French
• C’est La Vie – Meaning And How To Use It