Talking About Your Period in French

Wait! This is not a ladies’ topic at all. Keep on reading, guys!

Let us clarify any doubts, answer some questions you’ve never asked yourself (but should have), and learn more about periods, the woman’s cycle in general, and everything related to this topic. That could come in handy one day in a given situation.

This article will teach you vocabulary and phrases to help you gain confidence if you need help or have questions in a French-speaking country. We will also provide some tips to make it all easier!

How Do You Say “I Have My Period” in French?

Menstruation is part of the menstrual cycle, preparing the body for a pregnancy. The most common way to say you’re menstruating in French is:

• Avoir ses règles – to have one’s period

Important: This phrase is always used in the feminine plural!

Here are a few example sentences to help you use it naturally:

• J’ai mes règles. – I have my period.
• J’ai des règles douloureuses. – I have painful periods.
• Elle a ses règles cette semaine. – She’s on her period this week.
• Tu as encore tes règles ? – Are you still on your period?
• Tu as toujours tes règles abondantes ? – Do you always have strong periods?

You’ll hear this phrase in everyday conversation, both casually and in more serious contexts.

Other Common Expressions:

• Être indisposée – to be indisposed (a polite/formal way to say you have your period)
• Être dans sa période – to be in one’s period
• Être dans sa semaine – to be in one’s week
• Avoir ses ragnagnas – In English, you could say, “It’s shark week” (slang/informal)
• Avoir ses trucs – to have one’s “stuff” (very casual/slangy)

These phrases range from polite to casual and even humorous. Use them depending on who you’re talking to and the situation.

Useful Vocabulary for Period Symptoms and Treatment

Let’s take a look at key French terms for period symptoms and how to talk about treating them.

Français	Anglais
les ballonnements	Bloating
les crampes	Cramps
le flux abondant	Abundant flow
la fatigue / l’épuisement / le manque d’énergie	Fatigue / lack of energy
le mal de dos	Back pain
le mal de tête, la migraine	Headache / migraine
la douleur menstruelle, ovarienne	Menstrual / ovarian pain
la douleur au bas-ventre	Lower abdominal pain
les nausées	Nausea
les antidouleurs / les antalgiques	Painkillers
les remèdes naturels	Natural remedies
les règles / la menstruation	Period / menstruation
les sautes d’humeur, la susceptibilité, l’irritabilité	Mood swings / irritability

Types of Menstrual Products in French

Depending on preference, people can use disposable or reusable menstrual products.

Disposable:

• les serviettes hygiéniques – menstrual pads
• les protège-slips – panty liners
• les tampons hygiéniques – tampons

Reusable:

• les coupes menstruelles – menstrual cups
• les disques menstruels – menstrual discs

Speaking to a Doctor or Pharmacist About Your Period

Here are some common French phrases to help you explain your period symptoms and ask for advice or medication

Français	Anglais
Auriez-vous quelque chose pour soulager de fortes douleurs de règles ?	Do you have something to relieve period pain?
Quels antidouleurs sont les plus efficaces contre les douleurs de règles ?	Which painkillers work best for period pain?
J’ai souvent de très fortes crampes quand j’ai mes règles.	I often get very strong cramps when I’m on my period.
Existe-t-il des remèdes naturels contre les douleurs menstruelles ?	Are there natural remedies for menstrual pain?
Mes règles sont très irrégulières.	My period is very irregular.
Mon cycle est très irrégulier.	My cycle is very irregular.
Mes règles sont en retard. / J’ai du retard.	My period is late. / I’m overdue.
Mes seins me font mal / sont douloureux quand j’ai mes règles.	My breasts hurt / are sore when I’m on my period.
Ma poitrine me fait mal.	My breasts hurt.

Natural Remedies and Helpful Tips

Looking for relief during your period? Here are some natural remedies and helpful tips that can ease discomfort and help you feel better — no medication needed!

• Appliquer une bouillotte chaude sur le bas-ventre pour soulager la douleur. – Use a hot water bottle (une bouillotte) on the lower belly to relieve pain.
• Prendre des douches et des bains chauds relaxants. – Take relaxing hot baths and showers.
• Ne pas fumer et ne pas boire d’alcool ! – Don’t smoke or drink alcohol!
• Opter pour des activités physiques douces telles que la marche, les étirements, ou la natation. – Opt for gentle physical activities such as walking, stretching or swimming.

Some drinks are known to ease period pain and help you relax.

• Le thé vert, et en particulier le matcha permettent de détendre les muscles et soulager vos crampes menstruelles, c’est aussi un diurétique naturel qui permet de diminuer la rétention d’eau parfois très inconfortable pendant les règles. – Green tea, and matcha in particular, not only relaxes muscles and helps relieve menstrual cramps, it’s also a natural diuretic that helps reduce water retention, which can be very uncomfortable during periods.
• La tisane de camomille possède des propriétés calmantes et relaxantes qui peuvent aider à soulager les douleurs et les crampes, l’infusion de camomille est d’ailleurs un remède  classique contre les douleurs de règles – Chamomile tea: Thanks to its calming and antispasmodic properties, which can help relieve menstrual cramps, chamomile tea is a classic remedy for menstrual pain.

Conclusion: Feeling More at Ease?

Since menstruation is part of our lives—directly or indirectly—having the vocabulary to talk about it in French is definitely useful.

You should now feel more confident speaking about this topic in both informal and formal situations. And maybe some of these tips will help you or someone else in the future!

We hope you found this article helpful!