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How to Say ‘I need a doctor’ in French

J'ai besoin d'un médecin

zhay ay beh-zwan dee uhn mayd-SAN

[zhay ay beh-zwan dee uhn mayd-SAN]

💬 Usage Tip: J'ai besoin de works for any need: J'ai besoin d'aide "I need help". De shrinks to d' before a vowel.

🇫🇷 In France: In an emergency, dial 15 for medical help or 112 from any phone. For something minor, a pharmacy is usually the first stop.

Phrase Breakdown

J'ai besoin

zhay ay beh-zwan

I need

'Avoir besoin' means 'to need'. Say 'zhay buh-ZWAN', with a nasal ending.

Example

J'ai besoin d'aide.

I need help.

Words in this phrase

J'

[zhay]

I

Pronoun used by the speaker to refer to himself or herself.

Example

J'aime les bonbons.

I like candies.

ai

[ay]

have

Form of 'avoir' used with past participles to make the past tense.

Example

J'ai beaucoup appris grâce à notre discussion.

I learned a lot thanks to our discussion.

besoin

[beh-zwan]

Need

Refers to something that is necessary or required.

Example

J'ai besoin d'aide pour ce projet.

I need help with this project.

d'un médecin

dee uhn mayd-SAN

a doctor

'D'un' follows 'besoin de'. 'Médecin' sounds like 'mayd-SAN', and the middle 'e' is often dropped.

Example

Il cherche un médecin.

He's looking for a doctor.

Words in this phrase

d'

[dee]

of

Used to indicate possession or connection.

Example

Le livre d'un ami.

The book of a friend.

un

[uhn]

a / an

An indefinite article used before a masculine singular noun.

Example

Un casque est important pour le roller.

A helmet is important for inline skating.

médecin

[mayd-SAN]

doctor

A medical doctor; masculine noun used for any gender.

Example

Le médecin arrive bientôt.

The doctor is coming soon.

Related guides

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.How to Learn to Speak French, Not Just Read ItWhy reading French doesn't make you speak it, and a practical way to learn to speak French: real conversations, speaking out loud from day one, and practice with people.

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