Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| bilan de santé | masculine |
| check-up | masculine |
In French, you can use different terms depending on the specific type of checkup you are referring to. For a dental checkup, use consultation dentaire and for an annual checkup, use consultation annuelle. If you are referring to a regular health checkup, you can say bilan de santé régulier.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase bilan de santé literally translates to 'health assessment' or 'health balance sheet'.
Which one should you use?
bilan de santé is the standard, formal term used in medical and professional contexts, meaning 'health assessment'. In contrast, check-up is an anglicism used in casual, everyday French.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun bilan de santé is masculine and is typically used with the indefinite article un, as in un bilan de santé.
Did you know?
- The term bilan in bilan de santé shares its roots with the word for a 'balance sheet' in accounting, treating your body's health like a financial report.
- The word santé comes from the Latin 'sanitas', which is the direct ancestor of the English word 'sanity', linking physical health to mental soundness.
- While check-up is common in spoken French, the Académie Française generally discourages its use in favor of bilan de santé to protect the language from English influence.
Examples in context
- J'ai besoin de prendre rendez-vous pour une consultation médicale annuelle.I need to schedule an appointment for my yearly checkup.
- Mon médecin m'a recommandé de faire un bilan de santé complet ce mois-ci.My doctor recommended that I undergo a comprehensive health checkup this month.
- Je dois passer un contrôle médical pour mon certificat sportif.I have to undergo a checkup for my sports certificate.
- Ma visite médicale de routine est prévue pour la semaine prochaine.My routine checkup is scheduled for next week.
- Je dois passer un contrôle médical ce mois-ci.I need to have a checkup this month.
- Je dois faire un bilan de santé annuel.I have to have an annual health checkup.
- Je dois faire un bilan de santé.I need to have a physical checkup.
- Le médecin a prescrit un bilan de santé complet.The doctor prescribed a complete physical checkup.
- Il a obtenu les résultats de son bilan de santé.He got the results of his physical checkup.
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are talking about their upcoming doctor appointments.
- EmmaEst-ce que tu vas chez le médecin bientôt ?Are you going to the doctor soon?
- NathanOui, j'ai un bilan de santé demain.Yes, I have a physical checkup tomorrow.
- EmmaC'est une bonne idée de faire un bilan de santé régulièrement.It's a good idea to have a physical checkup regularly.
- NathanTout à fait, je préfère être prudent.Exactly, I prefer to be cautious.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “checkup” translations and entries bilan de santé, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bilan, de, santé, CC BY-SA 4.0.
