Glossary: 50 Essential French-to-English Medical Terms You Should Know by a certified French medical translator

Introduction

When it comes to certified French-to-English medical translation, accuracy isn’t just a best practice—it’s a legal and ethical necessity. Every term, abbreviation, and nuance in a French medical document carries weight. A single mistranslation can affect patient safety, delay clinical approvals, or distort crucial medical research data.

Whether you’re a healthcare professional, pharmaceutical company, or clinical research organization, understanding key French medical terminology helps you interpret documents correctly and communicate effectively with translators.

To support you, we’ve compiled a glossary of 50 essential French-to-English medical terms that our certified translators frequently encounter. This guide will enhance your familiarity with French medical vocabulary and ensure that your documents are translated with precision.

1–10: Anatomy and General Medicine

               1.            Le cœur → Heart

Central organ of the circulatory system; vital in cardiology reports.

               2.            Les poumons → Lungs

Common in respiratory and pulmonology documentation.

               3.            Le foie → Liver

Often referenced in biochemical and clinical test translations.

               4.            Les reins → Kidneys

Critical in nephrology reports and lab analyses.

               5.            Le sang → Blood

Appears frequently in clinical test results and diagnostics.

               6.            Le cerveau → Brain

Common in neurological and psychiatric assessments.

               7.            Les os → Bones

Key term in orthopaedics and radiology reports.

               8.            La peau → Skin

Appears in dermatology and allergology documentation.

               9.            Les muscles → Muscles

Found in physiotherapy and injury-related medical notes.

               10.         Le système immunitaire → Immune system

Essential for immunology and vaccine development studies.

11–20: Common Symptoms and Conditions

               1.            La fièvre → Fever

Frequently noted in medical consultations.

               2.            La toux → Cough

Common in general practice and respiratory studies.

               3.            La douleur → Pain

Appears in patient-reported outcomes and clinical notes.

               4.            Les nausées → Nausea

Typical in pharmacovigilance and side-effect documentation.

               5.            Les vomissements → Vomiting

Frequently linked to drug reaction reports.

               6.            L’hypertension artérielle → High blood pressure

Common chronic condition in cardiology reports.

               7.            Le diabète → Diabetes

One of the most frequently encountered terms in medical translations.

               8.            Les maladies cardiovasculaires → Cardiovascular diseases

Widely used in public health and research documents.

               9.            Le cancer → Cancer

Appears in oncology studies and patient records.

               10.         Les infections nosocomiales → Hospital-acquired infections

Important in clinical trial safety documentation.

21–30: Diagnostics and Laboratory Terms

               1.            Les analyses de sang → Blood tests

Standard phrase in laboratory and diagnostic reports.

               2.            L’échographie → Ultrasound

Common imaging term in obstetrics and general diagnostics.

               3.            La radiographie → X-ray

Often appears in accident and emergency documentation.

               4.            Le scanner / la tomodensitométrie (TDM) → CT scan

Used frequently in radiology translations.

               5.            L’IRM (Imagerie par Résonance Magnétique) → MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

Advanced imaging technique for brain and tissue analysis.

               6.            Les résultats d’examens → Test results

Found in patient records and clinical correspondence.

               7.            Le diagnostic différentiel → Differential diagnosis

Appears in clinical reasoning and physician notes.

               8.            Les paramètres vitaux → Vital signs

Fundamental data in medical monitoring.

               9.            Le prélèvement → Sample / Specimen collection

Common term in laboratory procedures.

               10.         Les anticorps → Antibodies

Key in immunology and vaccine translation.

31–40: Treatment and Procedures

               1.            Le traitement → Treatment / Therapy

Core term in all medical disciplines.

               2.            La chirurgie → Surgery

Often appears in procedural and consent documents.

               3.            L’intervention chirurgicale → Surgical procedure

Used in operative reports and discharge summaries.

               4.            Le médicament → Medication / Drug

Fundamental term in pharmaceutical translations.

               5.            La posologie → Dosage

Important in prescriptions and drug labelling.

               6.            L’injection intraveineuse (IV) → Intravenous injection

Common in hospital procedure notes.

               7.            La perfusion → Drip / Infusion

Appears in inpatient treatment records.

               8.            Le pansement → Dressing / Bandage

Standard term in post-operative care.

               9.            Les soins infirmiers → Nursing care

Key in patient management documentation.

               10.         La rééducation → Rehabilitation / Physical therapy

Common in post-injury and post-surgical care notes.

41–50: Pharmaceutical & Research Terminology

               1.            Essai clinique → Clinical trial

Central to medical research and regulatory submissions.

               2.            Effets indésirables → Adverse effects

Essential for pharmacovigilance documentation.

               3.            Le placebo → Placebo

Common term in controlled trial reports.

               4.            Le protocole d’étude → Study protocol

Key document in regulatory submissions.

               5.            Les données cliniques → Clinical data

Appears throughout research and development materials.

               6.            La randomisation → Randomization

Important in clinical trial methodology.

               7.            Les critères d’inclusion / d’exclusion → Inclusion / Exclusion criteria

Found in participant recruitment documentation.

               8.            L’autorisation de mise sur le marché (AMM) → Marketing Authorization (MA)

Critical in regulatory translation for pharmaceuticals.

               9.            La pharmacocinétique → Pharmacokinetics

Refers to how drugs move through the body.

               10.         Le rapport de sécurité → Safety report

Mandatory for compliance with EMA and FDA requirements.

Why Accurate French-to-English Medical Translation Matters

Medical translation isn’t just about converting words — it’s about preserving meaning, precision, and patient safety. Many French terms can look similar to English (“faux amis”) but have different meanings.

For example:

               •             “Éventuellement” doesn’t mean “eventually” — it means “possibly.”

               •             “Préservatif” doesn’t mean “preservative” — it means “condom.”

Such nuances highlight why working with a certified medical translator is critical for accuracy, especially in regulatory, pharmaceutical, and clinical trial contexts.

The Role of a Certified French-to-English Medical Translator

Certified translators combine linguistic expertise, medical knowledge, and regulatory awareness. They ensure your documents meet the requirements of authorities like the EMA, MHRA, and FDA, and comply with ISO 17100 translation quality standards.

Certified translation services are essential for:

               •             Clinical trial documentation

               •             Patient consent forms (ICFs)

               •             Pharmaceutical labelling

               •             Regulatory submissions

               •             Hospital and insurance reports

Working with a specialized medical translation agency guarantees confidentiality, accuracy, and compliance.

Conclusion

Mastering these 50 essential French-to-English medical terms can help you better understand your medical translations and communicate more effectively with professionals.

But when it comes to regulatory documents, research data, or patient materials, only certified translation ensures precision and legal validity. Whether you’re translating medical records, clinical protocols, or drug safety documentation, trust a certified French-to-English medical translation agency with proven expertise in the healthcare field.

Need a reliable partner for your French medical translations?

Contact French Medical Translators, a certified French-to-English medical translation agency, trusted by pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, and healthcare providers worldwide.

We deliver accurate, certified translations that meet exacting medical standards — ensuring your documentation is ready for global submission.

👉 Request a free quote today or learn more about our medical and pharmaceutical translation services.