How to Go to the Veterinarian in French: Phrases, Vocabulary, and Tips

Key takeaways

• The veterinarian in French is le vétérinaire, often shortened informally to le véto or la véto. The vet’s office or clinic is la clinique vétérinaire or le cabinet vétérinaire.
• To describe a sick pet, use Mon animal est malade (My pet is sick) as the opening phrase, then add specific symptoms. French describes symptoms directly: Il ne mange plus (He is no longer eating), Elle vomit (She is vomiting), Il boite (He is limping).
• Making an appointment at a French vet requires the phrase Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous (I would like to make an appointment) and the ability to describe the animal, its age, and the reason for the visit.
• French uses reflexive verbs to describe a pet’s physical state in some contexts: Mon chien se gratte (My dog is scratching itself), Mon chat se lèche beaucoup (My cat is licking itself a lot). Reflexive verb forms are important for describing animal behavior accurately.

If you have a pet and live in or visit a French-speaking country, being able to communicate with a veterinarian is one of the most important practical skills you can develop. Unlike restaurants or shops where basic phrases cover most needs, a vet visit requires describing symptoms accurately, understanding instructions for medication and follow-up care, and asking questions about diagnosis and treatment.

The vocabulary in this guide requires practice in a realistic conversational context to be usable when it matters. italki connects you with French teachers who can run a simulated vet visit conversation, from making the call to receive the diagnosis and aftercare instructions, so the language is ready when you need it.

This guide covers pet vocabulary in French, how to describe symptoms and health problems, making a vet appointment, treatment and medication vocabulary, and the key phrases for understanding a vet’s instructions.

A French tutor can walk through a complete vet visit scenario with you: phone call to book, arrival and check-in, describing the problem to the vet, and understanding the treatment plan in French.

Pets and animals in French

French	Gender	English
l’animal de compagnie (m)	masculine	pet
le chien	masculine	dog
la chienne	feminine	female dog
le chat	masculine	cat
la chatte	feminine	female cat
le lapin	masculine	rabbit
le cochon d’Inde	masculine	guinea pig
le hamster	masculine	hamster
l’oiseau (m)	masculine	bird
la perruche	feminine	budgerigar / parakeet
le perroquet	masculine	parrot
le poisson rouge	masculine	goldfish
le serpent	masculine	snake
la tortue	feminine	tortoise / turtle
le cheval	masculine	horse
le poney	masculine	pony

Describing your pet:

French	English
Mon chien s’appelle…	My dog is called…
C’est un mâle / une femelle.	It is a male / female.
Il/Elle a [X] ans.	It is [X] years old.
C’est une race pure / un croisé.	It is a pedigree / a mixed breed.
Il/Elle est stérilisé(e).	It is neutered / spayed.
Il/Elle est vacciné(e).	It is vaccinated.
Il/Elle est pucé(e).	It is microchipped.

Making a vet appointment in French

By phone:

French	English
Bonjour, je voudrais prendre rendez-vous.	Hello, I would like to make an appointment.
C’est pour mon chat / mon chien.	It is for my cat / my dog.
C’est urgent.	It is urgent.
C’est pour un vaccin / un contrôle.	It is for a vaccination / a check-up.
Mon animal ne va pas bien.	My pet is not well.
Quand êtes-vous disponible?	When are you available?
Je suis disponible le matin / l’après-midi.	I am available in the morning / afternoon.
C’est à quelle adresse?	What is the address?
C’est combien pour une consultation?	How much is a consultation?

At reception:

French	English
J’ai rendez-vous à [heure].	I have an appointment at [time].
Je m’appelle [nom].	My name is [name].
C’est pour mon animal [name].	It is for my pet [name].
Voici le carnet de santé.	Here is the health record / vaccination booklet.
Je dois remplir un formulaire?	Do I need to fill in a form?

For how to form questions and understand the receptionist’s responses in French, the guide to French question words covers the Quand, Combien, Quel, and Est-ce que structures used throughout appointment-making conversations.

Describing symptoms and problems

General health:

French	English
Mon animal est malade.	My pet is sick.
Il/Elle ne va pas bien.	It is not well.
Il/Elle est fatigué(e).	It is tired / lethargic.
Il/Elle a l’air souffrant(e).	It looks like it is suffering.
Il/Elle a perdu du poids.	It has lost weight.
Il/Elle a grossi.	It has gained weight.

Specific symptoms:

French	English
Il/Elle ne mange plus.	It is no longer eating.
Il/Elle ne boit plus.	It is no longer drinking.
Il/Elle vomit.	It is vomiting.
Il/Elle a la diarrhée.	It has diarrhea.
Il/Elle boite.	It is limping.
Il/Elle se gratte.	It is scratching itself.
Il/Elle a du mal à respirer.	It is having difficulty breathing.
Il/Elle éternue beaucoup.	It is sneezing a lot.
Il/Elle tousse.	It is coughing.
Il/Elle a les yeux qui coulent.	Its eyes are running / watering.
Il/Elle a une plaie / une blessure.	It has a wound / an injury.
Il/Elle a avalé quelque chose.	It has swallowed something.
Il/Elle a de la fièvre.	It has a fever.

Describing duration:

French	English
Depuis ce matin.	Since this morning.
Depuis hier.	Since yesterday.
Depuis trois jours.	For three days.
Ça a commencé la semaine dernière.	It started last week.
C’est soudain / progressif.	It is sudden / gradual.

For how reflexive verbs work in French when describing behaviors such as se gratter (to scratch itself) and se lécher (to lick itself), the guide to French reflexive verbs covers the verb forms and conjugations that appear throughout descriptions of daily routines and physical states.

At the vet: essential phrases

What the vet might say:

French	English
Qu’est-ce qui se passe?	What is happening? / What is wrong?
Depuis combien de temps?	Since when? / How long?
Est-ce qu’il/elle a mangé?	Has it eaten?
Est-ce qu’il/elle a été vacciné(e)?	Has it been vaccinated?
Je vais l’examiner.	I am going to examine it.
Il faut faire une prise de sang.	We need to do a blood test.
Il faut faire une radio.	We need to do an X-ray.
C’est probablement…	It is probably…
Ce n’est pas grave.	It is not serious.
Il faut l’opérer.	It needs an operation.

Your responses:

French	English
Je n’ai pas compris. Pouvez-vous répéter?	I did not understand. Can you repeat?
Pouvez-vous parler plus lentement?	Can you speak more slowly?
Qu’est-ce que ça veut dire?	What does that mean?
C’est grave?	Is it serious?
Il faut l’hospitaliser?	Does it need to stay overnight?
Quel est le pronostic?	What is the prognosis?

Treatments and medications in French

French	English
l’ordonnance (f)	prescription
le médicament	medication
le comprimé	tablet / pill
la capsule	capsule
le sirop	syrup
la pommade / la crème	ointment / cream
les gouttes (f)	drops
le vaccin	vaccine
la vaccination	vaccination
le rappel	booster
le traitement	treatment
la dose	dose
deux fois par jour	twice a day
avant les repas	before meals
pendant [X] jours	for [X] days
la chirurgie / l’opération	surgery / operation
les points de suture	stitches
le pansement	bandage / dressing
la radio(graphie)	X-ray
la prise de sang	blood test
l’échographie (f)	ultrasound

Instructions:

French	English
Donnez-lui un comprimé par jour.	Give it one tablet per day.
Mélangez dans sa nourriture.	Mix it into its food.
Ne lui donnez pas à manger avant.	Do not feed it beforehand.
Revenez dans une semaine.	Come back in a week.
Appelez si l’état se dégrade.	Call if its condition worsens.

A private French teacher can practice the vet conversation with you using real scenario vocabulary, including practicing how to understand and repeat back the vet’s instructions so you are sure you have understood correctly.

Practice French medical vocabulary with a teacher

A vet appointment in French requires more than basic vocabulary: it requires the ability to describe symptoms precisely, ask follow-up questions, and understand instructions about medication dosage and timing. This level of practical fluency only comes from speaking practice in realistic contexts.

italki connects learners with French teachers who cover practical everyday scenarios including medical and veterinary situations. Book a trial lesson and ask your teacher to simulate a complete vet visit: you describe your pet’s symptoms, the teacher plays the vet, and you practice everything from arrival to understanding the treatment plan, so this vocabulary is ready before you need it in a real situation.

FAQ

How do you say veterinarian in French?

The full term is le vétérinaire (masculine) or la vétérinaire (feminine). The informal shortened version is le véto or la véto, used in everyday conversation. The vet’s office or clinic is la clinique vétérinaire or le cabinet vétérinaire.

How do you say My pet is sick in French?

The direct phrase is Mon animal est malade (My pet is sick). You can also say Mon chien ne va pas bien (My dog is not well) or Ma chatte est souffrante (My cat is in pain/suffering). The vet will typically ask Qu’est-ce qui se passe? (What is happening?) at the start of the appointment.

How do you make a vet appointment in French?

Call and say: Bonjour, je voudrais prendre rendez-vous pour mon [animal]. (Hello, I would like to make an appointment for my [pet].) Then describe the urgency: C’est urgent (It is urgent) or C’est pour un contrôle de routine (It is for a routine check-up).

How do you describe symptoms to a vet in French?

State what has changed: Il ne mange plus depuis deux jours (It has not been eating for two days), Elle vomit depuis ce matin (She has been vomiting since this morning), Il boite de la patte avant droite (It is limping on its right front leg). Being specific about duration and which body part helps the vet understand quickly.

Is emergency vet care available in France?

Yes. Most major French cities have une clinique vétérinaire d’urgence (an emergency vet clinic) open outside normal hours. For after-hours emergencies, ask your regular vet for the numéro de garde (on-call number) or search for vétérinaire de garde in your area.