Ouch! That Really Had to Hurt!

Last week I was out walking in Paris with my friend from France when out of nowhere this car came squealing around the corner! I have no idea why the French woman driving the car was going so fast, but she did not make it around the corner and ran the car onto the sidewalk! I jumped out of the way of the car, but my friend was not so lucky! The car hit him and then came to a crashing stop against a fire hydrant in front of the French café we were about to eat in! My French friend slowly stammered to his feet, brushed himself off, and said in French, "well, let's go eat." I gasped and told him I really thought he should go to the nearest French hospital! He just laughed and told me in French he only had a few bumps and bruises; French doctors are too slow. He said he would starve to death before they took care of him. The price someone will pay for a good French croque-monsieur!

Learning French with FrenchPod101.com is the most fun and effective way to learn French! This French Audio Blog lesson will discuss the good points and the very few bad points of the French health care system. Remember it is all in French! So stop by FrenchPod101 and pick up the Lesson notes if you need some extra help!

Line-By-Line Transcript

Formal French

Aïe! Ça a dû faire vraiment mal!

Je suis super content ! Ma sœur a accouché il y a trois jours ! Et maintenant je suis tonton d’un petit neveu !

Je vais pouvoir lui apprendre plein de choses ! Et en plus il est trop mignon ! Ma sœur n’est pas restée longtemps à l’hôpital, seulement deux ou trois jours juste le temps de se reposer un peu !

Pour les femmes enceintes, en France, il y a un suivi avec un gynécologue durant la grossesse et après elles vont soit à l’hôpital ou alors à la clinique. Souvent les cliniques privées sont plus réputées pour la qualité des soins prodigués mais les hôpitaux publics en France sont aussi très très bien.

La sécurité sociale en France permet de rembourser en partie les frais des différents soins de santé. Le système de santé est sûrement l’un des meilleurs en France car les citoyens français sont bien protégés par leur sécurité sociale et en ce qui concerne les personnes défavorisées, les soins peuvent être remboursés entièrement ! De plus, les personnes qui n’ont pas d’argent ne sont pas moins bien soignées. Elles ont droit aux même services dans les hôpitaux publics.

Personnellement, je n’aime pas les hôpitaux à cause de l’atmosphère qui y règne. C’est propre, tout blanc mais malgré tout je ne m’y sens pas bien…

Mais je touche du bois, pour le moment, je n’ai jamais eu de problèmes de santé. A chaque fois que j’y vais, c’est pour voir des personnes malades ou alors des personnes qui ont récemment accouché ! Je préfère tout de même y aller pour une bonne nouvelle ! C’est toujours plus plaisant !

Je suis allé souvent allé au service des urgences des hôpitaux pour des amis lorsqu’il s avaient des accidents ou des graves problèmes de santé. et en tant que français, je vous déconseille d’y aller pour des maladies bénignes car il arrive régulièrement que l’on attende près de 3 ou 4 heures avant de voir un médecin !

Demandez conseil à un natif si vous avez un problème de santé, je pense que c’est vraiment la meilleure solution !

Et vous chers auditeurs ? les hôpitaux sont bien dans votre pays ? J’attends vos commentaires avec impatience et surtout prenez soin de vous !

Formal English

Ouch! That Really Had to Hurt!

Get medical care in France. I am so happy. My sister just had a baby three days ago! Now, I'm the proud uncle of a little nephew.

I'll be able to teach him plenty of things...and he's so cute! My sister didn't stay in the hospital long, just two days, which is just enough time to get a little rest.

A gynecologist monitors pregnant women here during their pregnancy, and afterward they go to the hospital or a clinic for the birth. Private clinics are often reputed to be the best because of their high-quality care, but French hospitals are also very good.

The French health care system at least partially covers many different treatments. It's surely one of the best health care systems in the world because the system protects French citizens very well. Many times the system completely reimburses the poorest citizens for their care! Furthermore, people with less money don't receive less care. They have the right to all the same services as anyone else in public hospitals.

I personally dislike hospitals, because of their cold atmosphere. They're clean and neat, but I still don't feel well there... But knock on wood, up to now, I have never had any big health problems. Each time I go to a hospital it's to visit a sick person or perhaps someone who's recently given birth! I would rather go to a hospital for a good reason like that! It's always nicer in that case.

I often went to the emergency room to accompany friends who had accidents or serious health problems. As a French person, I don't recommend you going to the hospitals here for minor problems because you could wait around for three or four hours to see the doctor! If you ever have a health problem here ask a native what to do; I think that's the best solution.

And what about you...are the hospitals good in your country? I can't wait to see your comments. In the meantime, take good care of yourself!

Vocabulary List

French / English / Class
accoucher / to give birth / verb
neveu / nephew / noun
mignon / lovely, cute / adjective
hôpital / hospital / noun
enceinte / pregnant / adjective
gynécologue / gynecologist / noun
grossesse / gestation / noun
clinique / clinic / noun
citoyen / citizen / noun
sécurité sociale / social insurance / noun
atmosphère / atmosphere / noun
malade / sick / adjective
maladie bénigne / mild sickness / noun
un médecin / doctor / noun
prenez soin de vous. / take care of you. / phrase

Expansion Section


accoucher
Ma femme accouche dans une semaine.
“My wife is giving birth in one week.”


neveu
Mon neveu n'a que trois ans.
“My nephew is only three years old.”


mignon
Ce chiot est trop mignon.
“This puppy is too cute!”
Cet homme est mignon !
“This man is cute!”


hôpital
L'hôpital est près de chez moi.
“The hospital is near my house.”


enceinte
Ma femme est enceinte de trois mois.
“My wife is three months pregnant.”


gynécologue
Le gynécologue lui a conseillé de se reposer.
“The gynecologist advised her to rest.”


grossesse
La grossesse est difficile pour les femmes.
“Pregnancy is difficult for women.”


clinique
La clinique est très bien et est réputée.
“The clinic is very good and has a good reputation.”


citoyen
Les citoyens se révoltent.
“Citizens are rebelling.”


sécurité sociale
La sécurité sociale est bien en France.
“Social security is good in France.”


atmosphère
L'atmosphère de ce bar est glauque.
“The bar atmosphere is sinister.”


malade
Je suis malade depuis trois jours.
“I've been sick for three days.”


maladie bénigne
Il a un rhume. Ce n'est qu'une maladie bénigne.
“He has a cold. It's only a minor illness.”


un médecin
Je consulte un médecin régulièrement.
"I visit the doctor regularly."


Prenez soin de vous.
Prenez soin de vous ! Vous fumez trop !
“Take care of yourself! You're smoking too much!”