A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "I sprained my ankle" in French
Expresses a twisted or sprained ankle in French, useful for medical situations or explaining an injury.
Je me suis tordu la cheville.
zhuh muh swee toor-DOO lah shuh-VEE-yuhneutral
French TTS · 0:01
Use this if you've injured your ankle by twisting it, perhaps during sports or a clumsy fall. You'd say this to a doctor, pharmacist, or a friend helping you.
Alternatives
- J'ai une entorse à la cheville.More formal, like saying 'I have a sprain of the ankle'.
- Ma cheville est foulée.Slightly less common, but also understood for a sprain.
Ways to get it wrong
Pronouncing 'tordu'
The 'r' sound is in the back of the throat, not a hard English 'r', and the final 'u' is like 'oo' in 'moon'.
Missing the reflexive 'me'
You must use 'Je me suis...' for body parts you've injured yourself.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
How to say I hurt my ankle in French?
The most common way is 'Je me suis tordu la cheville.' If you want to be more specific about a sprain, you can say 'J'ai une entorse à la cheville.'
What's the difference between 'tordu' and 'foulé' for ankle?
'Tordu' implies the action of twisting, while 'foulé' is more about the resulting injury, a sprain.
How to ask for help with a sprained ankle in France?
You can say 'Je me suis tordu la cheville, est-ce que vous pouvez m'aider ?' (I sprained my ankle, can you help me?).
