English vocabulary: the body and health — 48 words and expressions
Explaining where it hurts, describing your symptoms to a doctor, or talking about your health habits: this is vocabulary you never regret learning before you actually need it. This page gathers the 48 English words and expressions that cover 90% of these situations — body parts, feelings and symptoms, vocabulary for the medical appointment and for a healthy life — each with an example sentence as you really hear it. Read them out loud, test yourself with the mini-quiz at the bottom of the page, then reuse them in your next conversation.
The body: parts and face
Body parts are the building blocks of all this vocabulary: you cannot say where it hurts without knowing them. Start with the face and the joints — these are the words that come up most often, whether at the doctor's or when you are describing someone.
| English | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| head | the top part of your body | She nodded her head. |
| hair | what grows on your head | He has curly hair. |
| face | the front of your head | She washed her face. |
| eye | the organ you see with | He has green eyes. |
| ear | the organ you hear with | My ear hurts when I swim. |
| nose | the organ you smell with | His nose is running. |
| mouth | the part of your face you eat with | Open your mouth wide. |
| tooth (teeth) | one of the hard parts in your mouth | Brush your teeth twice a day. |
| neck | the part that joins your head to your body | She has a stiff neck. |
| shoulder | the joint between your arm and your body | He carried the bag on his shoulder. |
| arm | the limb between shoulder and hand | She broke her arm last year. |
| hand | the part at the end of your arm | Wash your hands before eating. |
Feelings and symptoms
This is the vocabulary for answering the question "What's wrong?" The distinctions between pain, ache and sore matter: pain is the general word for suffering, ache a dull, continuous pain (headache, backache), and sore a painful or irritated area.
| English | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| pain | an unpleasant feeling when you are hurt or ill | I have pain in my shoulder. |
| ache (headache, backache, stomachache) | a dull, continuous pain (head, back, stomach) | I have a terrible headache. |
| hurt | to cause pain | My knee hurts when I climb stairs. |
| sick | not well, ill | He is sick today. |
| dizzy | feeling as if everything is spinning | She felt dizzy and sat down. |
| fever | a body temperature above normal | He has a fever of 39. |
| cough | when you push air out of your throat loudly | This cough won't go away. |
| cold | a common illness with a runny nose | I caught a cold last week. |
| flu | a strong illness with fever and aches | Half the office has the flu. |
| sore throat | pain in your throat | I have a sore throat. |
| injury | damage to a part of your body | The injury kept him off the field. |
| bruise | a dark mark on the skin after a bump | She has a bruise on her arm. |
At the doctor's
A medical appointment in English always follows the same pattern: make an appointment, describe your symptoms, receive a diagnosis, then leave with a prescription. Memorise "I'd like to make an appointment" — it is the only sentence you need to get the whole thing started.
| English | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| doctor | a person who treats illnesses | The doctor will see you now. |
| appointment | a planned meeting with the doctor | I'd like to make an appointment, please. |
| symptoms | the signs that show you are ill | What are your symptoms? |
| diagnosis | the name the doctor gives to your illness | The diagnosis was just a cold. |
| prescription | the paper that lets you buy medicine | The doctor gave me a prescription. |
| medicine / pill | something you take to get better / a small tablet of medicine | Take this pill twice a day. |
| pharmacy | the shop where you buy medicine | The pharmacy is on the corner. |
| treatment | the care given to cure an illness | She started a new treatment. |
| check-up | a general health examination | I have a check-up every year. |
| surgery | an operation done by a doctor | He needs knee surgery. |
| emergency | an urgent medical problem | Call an ambulance, it's an emergency! |
| patient | the person receiving medical care | The patient is recovering well. |
Healthy habits
Talking about health is not only talking about illness: the vocabulary of well-being — sleep, exercise, food — is at the heart of everyday conversations. It also lets you give and receive simple advice in English.
| English | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| sleep | rest with your eyes closed | I need more sleep. |
| exercise | physical activity to stay healthy | Regular exercise keeps you healthy. |
| diet | what you eat every day | A balanced diet is important. |
| healthy | good for your body | Walking is a healthy habit. |
| hygiene | habits that keep you clean | Good hygiene prevents infections. |
| rest | time without work or effort | You need some rest. |
| breathe | to take air in and out | Breathe slowly and relax. |
| stretch | to extend your muscles | Stretch your arms and legs. |
| stress | pressure or worry | Work stress is common. |
| energy | the strength to do things | I have no energy today. |
| tired | needing rest | I'm too tired to cook. |
| fit | in good physical condition | He stays fit by cycling. |
Expressions to know
Six everyday expressions about health and the body — none of them translates word for word, which is exactly why they are gold in a conversation.
- To have a cold / to catch a cold — the nuance: have describes the state, catch the moment you pick it up: I caught a cold on the plane, and now I have a cold.
- I'm feeling under the weather — a polite and very common way to say you are a bit unwell, without going into detail: I can't come today, I'm feeling under the weather.
- A pain in the neck — an annoying person or situation, literally "a pain in the neck": This form is a real pain in the neck.
- To get back on your feet — to recover, after an illness or a hard time: It took her two weeks to get back on her feet. Notice the possessive that changes: my feet, his feet.
- To be in good shape — to be in good physical condition. It also works in the negative: I'm not in great shape this winter.
- To sleep it off — to sleep through your tiredness or headache until it passes: I have a headache, I'll just sleep it off.
Common mistakes
- "I have a cold" has nothing to do with being blocked: cold = a runny nose. And constipated means blocked in the intestinal sense — a far more "medical" word than it sounds to French or Spanish speakers. Saying "I'm constipated" when you mean "I have a cold" creates a real misunderstanding.
- "A chemist" (UK) = a pharmacy, not a scientist: when a British person says "I'm going to the chemist", they are going to pick up medicine. The word chemist also means the scientist, but the context — and often the word pharmacist — clears up the ambiguity.
- "Sensible" in English = reasonable — not "sensitive": to say you are emotional, use sensitive. "She is sensible" means "she is reasonable", which is something else entirely. A classic false friend that makes people smile when you are talking about your feelings after a tiring day.
Progress with Saloo
A vocabulary list only helps if it turns into a speaking reflex. In Saloo English, you reuse these words in conversation with Emma and Alex — describing where it hurts, role-playing a doctor's visit, talking about your health routine — and the AI tutor corrects your pronunciation live. Ten minutes a day is enough to turn these 48 words into sentences that come out on their own. To go further, work on the vocabulary of emotions and feelings too: talking about your body and about how you feel covers most everyday conversations.
Want to revise differently? Take the example sentences on this page and practise your pronunciation with our guide small talk in English: examples and phrases, then repeat each example sentence out loud until it sounds natural.
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FAQ
How do I say I have a cold in English?
Use the expression 'I have a cold' — for example, 'I have a cold, so I'll stay home today.' Watch out for the trap: 'I am constipated' does not mean you have a cold; it means you are blocked, in the intestinal sense.
How do I make an appointment with a doctor in English?
With the phrase 'I'd like to make an appointment, please'. Never translate 'prendre rendez-vous' word for word. During the appointment, describe your symptoms: 'I have a headache and a fever since yesterday.'
What is the difference between 'pain', 'ache' and 'sore'?
'Pain' is the general word for suffering: 'I have pain in my leg.'; 'ache' is for a dull, continuous pain (headache, backache, stomachache); 'sore' describes a painful or irritated area: 'I have a sore throat.'