How do you say "I have a headache." in French?

"I have a headache." in French is "J'ai mal à la tête.". This phrase is commonly used in France.

What does "J'ai mal à la tête." mean in English?

"J'ai mal à la tête." means "I have a headache." in English. Usage tip: Literally 'I have pain in the head.' This is the normal French way to say 'I have a headache.'

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How to Say ‘I have a headache.’ in French

J'ai mal à la tête.

zh ay mahl ah lah tet

[zh ay mahl ah lah tet]

💬 Usage Tip: Literally 'I have pain in the head.' This is the normal French way to say 'I have a headache.'

🇫🇷 In France: Very common phrase. If needed, you can make it stronger: J'ai très mal à la tête.

Phrase Breakdown

J'ai mal

zh ay mahl

I hurt / I am in pain

This expression is used to say you have pain.

Example

J'ai mal partout.

I hurt all over.

Words in this phrase

[zh]

Shortened form of je before a vowel.

Example

J'ai mal à la tête depuis ce matin.

I have a headache since this morning.

[ay]

have

Form of avoir used with j' to say I have.

Example

J'ai mal à la tête et je suis fatigué.

I have a headache and I am tired.

mal

[mahl]

pain / hurting

Shows that you are in pain.

Example

J'ai mal à la tête quand je lis.

I have a headache when I read.

À la tête

ah lah tet

In the head / Headache

This specifies where the pain is located: the head.

Example

J'ai mal à la tête.

I have a headache.

Words in this phrase

[ah]

at / in / to

Used here to indicate the location of pain.

Example

J'ai mal à la tête après le travail.

I have a headache after work.

[lah]

the

Feminine singular article meaning the.

Example

J'ai mal à la tête aujourd'hui.

I have a headache today.

tête

[tet]

head

The body part head.

Example

J'ai mal à la tête depuis deux heures.

I have had a headache for two hours.

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