Avoir mal à

Foreign Languages

Definition

'Avoir mal à' is a French expression meaning 'to have pain in' or 'to hurt,' used with a definite article and a body part to describe where someone feels pain. It follows the pattern: avoir + mal + à + definite article + body part.

Examples

  • 'J'ai mal à la tête' means 'I have a headache' (literally: I have pain in the head).
  • 'Il a mal au ventre' means 'He has a stomachache' — 'au' is the contraction of 'à + le.'
  • 'Elle a mal aux dents' means 'She has a toothache' — 'aux' is the contraction of 'à + les.'
Key Fact

Pattern: subject + avoir + mal + à + le/la/l'/les + body part. Remember contractions: à + le = au, à + les = aux.

Related Terms

Body parts Health expressions Être and avoir Doler and sentirse

Study This Concept

Practice avoir mal à with free review games in these units:

French 1-2 Unit 7: Health and Body