French Coronavirus Covid 19 related vocabulary and expressions, and sentences to ask your French friends how they are doing.
Many of you try to watch the news in French. Or maybe you have some French friends and would like to talk to them about the Coronavirus COVID-19 situation?
Here is some useful French Coronavirus-related vocabulary and expressions.
In French, we say âle coronavirusâ, or âle virus coronaâ, or âle (virus) Covid dix-neufâ.
2 â Is it âleâ or âLaâ Covid?
So is Covid masculine or feminine?
Le Covid started as masculine because we say âle Coronavirusâ But the AcadĂ©mie Française is now saying Covid should be feminine because it is short for âla maladie du Covidâ and âmaladieâ is feminine.
Nicolas Martin, auteur dâune chronique consacrĂ©e Ă lâactualitĂ© scientifique du coronavirus, soutenait quâon devait dire âLAâ Covid :
ââŠLA Covid-19. On me rĂ©pĂšte quâil faut en parler au fĂ©minin, puisquâil sâagit de lâacronyme de âCoronavirus Disease 2019â, traduit donc âMaladie Ă coronavirus 2019â. Maladie Ă©tant fĂ©minin, je mây tiendrai donc dĂ©sormais : la Covid-19âł
3 â How to Say âStay Safe and Healthyâ in French?
To say âstay safe and healthyâ in French we donât really translate literally but rather, we would say : âprenez bien soin de vous (et de vos proches)â take good care of yourself and your loved ones.
4 â French Covid 19 Vocabulary â Tools and Ways to Fight
- Hand sanitiser â le gel hydroalcoolique, le dĂ©sinfectant pour les mains
- Glove â un gant
- Mask â un masque
- Face shield â une visiĂšre (de protection)
- Isolation â lâisolement
- Self isolation â lâauto-isolement
- Social distancing â la distance sociale de sĂ©curitĂ©
5 â Virus Vocabulary â Barrier Gesture
- Barrier Gesture â Les gestes barriĂšres
- Wash your hands regularly â Se laver les mains rĂ©guliĂšrement
- Saying hello without shaking hands â Se dire bonjour sans se serrer la main
- Saying hello without kissing â Se saluer sans sâembrasser
- Keeping a safe social distance â Garder une distance de sĂ©curitĂ© avec les autres
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth = éviter de se toucher les yeux, le nez et la bouche
- Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue â tousser ou Ă©ternuer dans son coude ou un mouchoir
- Use disposable tissue and throw it away after use â utiliser un mouchoir Ă usage unique et le jeter aprĂšs usage
- Wear a mask â Porter un masque
- Please stay home! â Sâil vous plaĂźt restez chez vous !

Here are some French Coronavirus related terms and expression youâll hear in the news.
- World crisis â une crise mondiale
- Health crisis â une crise sanitaire
- Disease â une maladie
- Epidemic â une Ă©pidĂ©mie
- Pandemic â une pandĂ©mie
- Public health â la santĂ© publique
- Epicenter â un Ă©picentre
- Incubation period â la pĂ©riode dâincubation
- Contagion â contagion
- Propagation â la propagation, la diffusion
- Compromised immune system â un systĂšme immunitaire compromis
- For a not determined duration â pour une durĂ©e indĂ©terminĂ©e
- Lockdown â le confinement total
- Quarantine â la quarantaine
- A risk area â une zone Ă risque
- curfew â un couvre-feu
- Forbidden â interdit
- Gathering â un rassemblement
- Certificate â une attestation
- Individual physical exercise â lâactivitĂ© physique individuelle
- Buying essential items â lâachat de produits de premiĂšre nĂ©cessitĂ©
- Death Rate â le taux de mortalitĂ©
- Intensive Care â les soins intensifs
- Resuscitation â la rĂ©animation
- Ventilator â un respirateur
- Recovery â la guĂ©rison
- Vaccine â un vaccin
7 â French Covid 19 Vocabulary â Tests and testing
Here are some French Coronavirus terms related to tests and testing.
- Diagnostic test â un test diagnostic
- Screening test â un test de dĂ©pistage
- Swab â un prĂ©lĂšvement
- Test results â le rĂ©sultat des tests
- Positive â positif
- Negative â nĂ©gatif
- Inconclusive â non concluant
Here are some French Coronavirus terms related to people and people at risk.
- Probable case: un cas probable
- Confirmed case â un cas confirmĂ©
- Single case â un cas isolĂ©
- Serious case â un cas grave
- Carrier â un porteur, une porteuse
- Vulnerable people â une personne fragile
- Elderly person â une personne ĂągĂ©e
- les Ehpad (Ătablissement dâhĂ©bergement pour personnes ĂągĂ©es dĂ©pendantes) â nursing home
- Underlying condition â une maladie prĂ©existante
- Respiratory disease â une maladie respiratoire
- ImmunodĂ©primĂ© â immunocompromised
- a sick person â un/ une malade
- A patient â un patient, une patiente
Iâve written many articles on the subject of being sick in France. Iâve even written and recorded a typical medical exam /physical in French with English translation and 45 minutes of free audio recording. Follow the link to listen to/ download the audio (donât hesitate to share it!)
I suggest you read this article : what to do if you are sick in France and follow all the links (note that some of these recommendations might not apply in the case of suspected Covid-19).
The French government has put up a free hotline number that you should call if you have questions: 0 800 130 000 (unsure if they speak English but theyâll probably be able to patch you to someone that does)
If you start showing symptoms call your doctor or a doctor, do not go to a doctorâs office.
If you have difficulties breathing or very heavy symptoms and are in an emergency situation, call the SAMU by dialling 15.
10 â How to Check on Your French Friends
- Iâm writing to get some news from you â jâĂ©cris pour prendre de tes nouvelles
- How are you and your loved ones doing? â Comment ça va pour vous et vos proches ?
- Are you OK? â Est-ce que ça va ?
- Are you safe ? â Est-ce que tu es en sĂ©curitĂ© ?
- Are you being safe? â Est-ce que tu prends des prĂ©cautions ?
- Did you postpone your trip? â As-tu reportĂ© ton voyage ?
- Did you get back home? â Es-tu rentrĂ© chez toi ?
- How are things with your work? â Comment ça se passe pour ton travail ?
- Itâs not too hard at home with your kids? â Câest pas trop dur Ă la maison avec les enfants ?
- Can you go out a bit? â Est-ce que tu peux sortir un peu ?
- Do you have a garden? â Tu as un jardin ?
- I hope all will be fine for your and your family â JâespĂšre que tout ira bien pour toi et ta famille.
- I think of you a lot â Je pense beaucoup Ă toi.
- Iâm praying for you and your family â je prie pour toi et ta famille.
I sincerely hope you and your loved ones are safe.
Would you like to help me with this article?
Please donât hesitate to suggest more vocabulary words / expressions in the Disqus comment section below.
Please follow the same format so I can copy and paste: English first, then French with an article if need be.
Merci!
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