vésicule biliaire
The English phrase gallbladder is translated into French as vésicule biliaire.
The term refers to the small organ located beneath the liver that functions to store bile.
What does it mean word for word?
The term vésicule biliaire is composed of vésicule (bladder or sac) and biliaire (biliary or relating to bile).
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun vésicule is feminine, which is why the definite article la is used in the phrase la vésicule biliaire.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers might mistakenly use vessie to mean gallbladder, but vessie refers specifically to the urinary bladder.
Did you know?
- The term vésicule is used in French across multiple fields, from botany to describe a seed pod to physics for a small bubble of fluid.
- The word vésicule is a diminutive form of the Latin word for 'bladder'. In French, this creates a linguistic distinction between the large urinary bladder vessie and the tiny 'little bladder' of the gallbladder.
- While English uses 'gall' (a word derived from a different root) to build 'gallbladder', French relies entirely on the medical concept of 'bile' to name the organ.
Examples in context
- La vésicule biliaire produit de la bile.The gallbladder produces bile.Tatoeba #10623353 by lbdx, translation #4536188 by mervert1
- La vésicule biliaire est accolée au foie.The gallbladder is found adjacent to the liver.Tatoeba #12450865 by lbdx, translation #4536186 by mervert1
- Le patient a des problèmes de vésicule biliaire.The patient has gallbladder problems.
- J'ai eu une crise de vésicule biliaire la semaine dernière.I had a gallbladder attack last week.
- Il a un calcul dans la vésicule biliaire.He has a stone in his gallbladder.
Example conversation
Léa and Hugo are talking at a hospital.
- LéaEst-ce que l'opération de sa vésicule biliaire s'est bien passée ?Did his gallbladder surgery go well?
- HugoOui, le chirurgien dit que tout est normal.Yes, the surgeon says everything is normal.
- LéaC'est un grand soulagement pour lui.It is a great relief for him.
- HugoTout à fait, il va vite récupérer.Absolutely, he will recover quickly.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries biliaire, vésicule, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
