patient
/pa.sjɑ̃/masculine
The English phrase 'patient' can be translated into French as patient (noun). Wiktionary also lists patiente and malade.
Meaning: someone who receives treatment from a doctor (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| patient | /pa.sjɑ̃/ | masculine |
| patiente | /pa.sjɑ̃t/ | feminine |
| malade | /ma.lad/ | feminine, masculine |
As a noun, the word refers to someone receiving medical treatment. The word patient can also function as an adjective meaning someone who is not losing their temper while waiting.
Which one should you use?
patient refers specifically to someone receiving medical care, whereas malade is a more general term for a sick person. While malade can be used as a synonym for a patient in many contexts, it emphasizes the person's illness or condition.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the word as a noun, use patient for a masculine subject and patiente for a feminine subject. The word malade is used for both masculine and feminine subjects.
How do you pronounce it?
/pa.sjɑ̃/
Did you know?
- In modern French slang, malade can actually mean 'incredible' or 'awesome', similar to how 'sick' is used in English.
- In French, malade can be used as an adjective to describe a person who is 'crazy' or 'insane' in a colloquial sense.
- The word malade comes from the Latin 'male habitus', which literally means 'ill-kept' or 'not in a good condition'.
Examples in context
- Je suis un patient.I'm a patient.This sentence is useful for using the noun patient.Tatoeba #2348863 by sacredceltic, translation #2348816 by CK
- Le malade est alité.The patient is bedbound.This sentence is useful for using the noun malade.Tatoeba #457221 by sacredceltic, translation #13891738 by zogwarg
- Tu dois être patient.You have to be patient.This sentence is useful for using the adjective patient.Tatoeba #576508 by sacredceltic, translation #20305 by CK
- Bonjour, comment va le patient aujourd'hui?Hello, how is the patient today?
- Le malade a besoin de repos pour guérir rapidement.The patient needs rest to recover quickly.
- Comment se sent le patient aujourd'hui?How is the patient feeling today?
- Le malade a besoin de se reposer un peu.The patient needs to rest a bit.
- Le convalescent doit suivre les consignes médicales pour une guérison complète.The convalescent patient must follow the medical instructions for a complete recovery.
- 237 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloe is working at a medical clinic and talking to Nathan.
- ChloéLe prochain patient est arrivé.The next patient has arrived.
- NathanEst-ce que c'est Monsieur Martin ?Is it Mr. Martin?
- ChloéOui, ce patient attend dans le hall.Yes, this patient is waiting in the hall.
- NathanD'accord, je m'occupe de lui.Okay, I will take care of him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “patient” translations and entries patient, patiente, malade, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries malade, patient, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
