Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| mal de dents | masculine |
| mal aux dents | masculine |
Both forms are used to describe the sensation of a toothache, which is an ache in a tooth.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase mal aux dents literally translates to "bad to the teeth" or "pain to the teeth".
Which one should you use?
While mal de dents is grammatically possible, the form mal aux dents is the much more common idiomatic expression used by native speakers. The form mal aux dents uses the plural dents (teeth), which is the standard way to express a toothache in French even if the pain is localized to a single tooth.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express having a toothache, you must use the verb avoir (to have) rather than être (to be).
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the verb être (to be) instead of avoir (to have). Avoid saying je suis mal aux dents.
Did you know?
- French has a specific word, dentifrice, for toothpaste, which literally translates to 'tooth-rubbing' or 'tooth-scraping'.
- In French, the concept of 'badness' or 'wrongdoing' is expressed using the same word, mal, that describes your physical toothache.
- The word mal is a cognate of the English prefix 'mal-', found in words like 'malfunction' or 'malpractice'. Both come from the Latin 'malus', meaning 'bad'.
Examples in context
- J'ai mal aux dents.I've got a toothache.This sentence is useful for expressing that you have a toothache using mal aux dents.Tatoeba #4583797 by dadidas, translation #263581 by CK
- As-tu mal aux dents ?Do you have a toothache?This sentence is useful for asking someone if they have a toothache using mal aux dents.Tatoeba #8664976 by Micsmithel, translation #3819131 by CK
- Marie a mal aux dents.Marie has a toothache.This sentence is useful for stating that Marie has a toothache using mal aux dents.Tatoeba #11562701 by felix63, translation #11562715 by felix63
- J'ai mal aux dents depuis deux jours.I have had a toothache for two days.
- Tu sais, j'ai une carie et ça me fait super mal.You know, I have a cavity and it hurts a lot.
- 19 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa is telling Hugo why she cannot go to the cinema.
- LéaJe ne peux pas venir, j'ai un mal de dents.I cannot come, I have a toothache.
- HugoC'est terrible ! Est-ce que c'est grave ?That's terrible! Is it serious?
- LéaOui, ce mal de dents est insupportable.Yes, this toothache is unbearable.
- HugoTu devrais appeler ton dentiste, Léa.You should call your dentist, Léa.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “toothache” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aux, de, mal, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
