How to Say ‘I hurt’ in French
J'ai mal
zhay ay mahl
[zhay ay mahl]
💬 Usage Tip: French says avoir mal = 'to have pain', not 'to be painful'. Very useful pattern: j'ai mal à...
🇫🇷 In France: This is the go-to structure for saying where something hurts in French.
Phrase Breakdown
J'
[zhay]
I
Shortened form of je before a vowel.
J'ai mal depuis ce matin.
I have pain since this morning.
ai
[ay]
have
Form of avoir used to say you have pain or a symptom.
J'ai encore un peu de fièvre.
I still have a little fever.
mal
[mahl]
pain
Means pain or hurting; used in expressions like avoir mal.
J'ai mal au dos aujourd'hui.
My back hurts today.
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