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How to Say ‘She's having trouble breathing’ in French

Elle respire mal

el ruh-speer mahl

[el ruh-speer mahl]

💬 Usage Tip: Putting mal "badly" after a verb is a simple way to describe any symptom. Swap the verb: Elle marche mal "She's walking badly".

Phrase Breakdown

Elle

[el]

she / it

Subject pronoun meaning she; it can also refer to a feminine thing like a posture.

Example

Elle est calme pendant le cours.

She is calm during the class.

respire

[ruh-speer]

breathe

An instruction telling one person to take a breath.

Example

Respire profondément avant la posture.

Breathe deeply before the pose.

mal

[mahl]

badly / poorly

Adverb meaning not well, the opposite of 'bien'.

Example

Il dort mal.

He sleeps badly.

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