When you think of the word “hospital” in French, hôpital is probably the first word that comes to mind. And you'd be right! It's the most common and general term.

However, the French language has several other words to describe places of healing and care, each with its own specific meaning. Whether you're navigating a medical situation abroad, watching a French film, or simply want to enrich your vocabulary, knowing these different terms can be incredibly helpful.

Let’s dive into the various ways to say “hospital” in French and understand the nuances of each one!

1. The Standard 'Hospital' – Un Hôpital

The most direct and common word for 'hospital' in French is un hôpital. It is a masculine noun, so it is always preceded by masculine articles like un or le.

A crucial grammar point is that the 'h' in hôpital is a h muet (mute h). This means it behaves like a vowel. Consequently, you must use elision: it's l'hôpital (the hospital), not le hôpital. This also applies to prepositions, for example: à l'hôpital (at/to the hospital).

The plural of un hôpital is des hôpitaux. This follows a common pattern in French where many nouns ending in -al change to -aux in the plural. For example, un journal (a newspaper) becomes des journaux.

Use hôpital to refer to a general, public, or large medical institution offering a wide range of services, especially emergency care (les urgences). It's the standard term you would use in most situations.

It's helpful to distinguish hôpital from une clinique. A clinique is typically a smaller, private, and often specialized medical facility. For major surgery or an emergency room visit, you would almost certainly go to an hôpital.

💡 * Je dois aller à l'hôpital pour voir un spécialiste.

Il a été transporté d'urgence à l'hôpital le plus proche.

Les hôpitaux de la région sont très modernes.

Elle travaille comme infirmière dans un grand hôpital.

Le patient a été transféré d'une clinique à l'hôpital central.

The 'hospital center' (a common official term) – un centre hospitalier

When dealing with the French healthcare system, you'll often encounter the term un centre hospitalier. This is the common official and administrative term for a hospital or a medical center.

While you might say « Je vais à l'hôpital » (I'm going to the hospital) in everyday conversation, the official name of the institution itself is frequently Centre Hospitalier. You will see this term on buildings, official documents, and road signs.

The term literally translates to "hospital center." Centre means "center," and hospitalier is the adjective form of hôpital, meaning "related to a hospital." This phrasing emphasizes the facility as a central hub for various medical services.

A very common variation is CHU, which stands for Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (University Hospital Center). These are major teaching hospitals affiliated with a university, often providing specialized care and conducting research.

Recognizing centre hospitalier is key for practical tasks like finding a hospital on a map, understanding a bill, or following directions to a specific medical campus. While you may not use it in daily speech, it's essential for navigating official healthcare situations.

💡 * Le Centre Hospitalier de la ville a un excellent service d'urgence.

Elle a été admise au centre hospitalier pour une chirurgie programmée.

Pour vous rendre au centre hospitalier, prenez la deuxième sortie au rond-point.

Le CHU (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire) est réputé pour sa recherche en cardiologie.

The 'university hospital' – un centre hospitalier universitaire (CHU)

In France, a major public hospital that is linked to a university's medical school is called a centre hospitalier universitaire. This is the equivalent of a 'teaching hospital' or 'university hospital' in English-speaking countries.

While the full name is descriptive, in everyday conversation and even in official contexts, you will almost always hear and see its abbreviation: CHU (pronounced say-ash-oo).

Let's look at the components: centre hospitalier means 'hospital center,' and universitaire means 'related to a university.' Together, they literally form 'university hospital center.'

A CHU is more than just a hospital. It has three core missions: providing patient care (les soins), teaching medical students (l'enseignement), and conducting research (la recherche). This makes them centers for specialized and advanced medical treatment.

You'll typically encounter this term when discussing specialized medical procedures, medical education, or referring to a specific major hospital in a city, like the CHU de Bordeaux or the CHU de Lyon.

💡 * Mon médecin m'a envoyé au CHU pour voir un spécialiste.

Elle est interne en chirurgie au centre hospitalier universitaire.

Le service des urgences du CHU est toujours très occupé.

La recherche sur ce nouveau traitement est menée au CHU de Montpellier.

The 'private hospital' or 'clinic' – une clinique

The 'private hospital' or 'clinic' – une clinique

In French, une clinique refers to a private hospital or clinic. It is a privately owned and operated healthcare facility, which distinguishes it from a public hospital, or un hôpital.

The main difference lies in ownership and often specialization. While un hôpital is state-run, une clinique is a private enterprise. Cliniques can be general but are often smaller and may specialize in specific areas like maternity (clinique d'accouchement), cosmetic surgery, or rehabilitation.

The word clinique is a feminine noun. Therefore, it is always used with feminine articles such as une (a) or la (the). You would say je vais à la clinique (I'm going to the clinic).

💡 * Elle a accouché dans une clinique privée. (She gave birth in a private clinic.)

Je dois aller à la clinique pour un rendez-vous avec le spécialiste. (I have to go to the clinic for an appointment with the specialist.)

Mon père se remet de son opération dans une clinique de rééducation. (My father is recovering from his surgery in a rehabilitation clinic.)

Cette clinique est réputée pour sa chirurgie cardiaque. (This clinic is renowned for its cardiac surgery.)

The 'polyclinic' – une polyclinique

The French term for a 'polyclinic', a clinic with multiple specialties, is une polyclinique. As a direct cognate, it's a straightforward term for English speakers to learn and recognize.

A polyclinique is a private healthcare institution that houses various medical and surgical specialists under one roof. It functions like a smaller, multi-specialty hospital, distinct from a single-practice doctor's office (cabinet médical) or a large public hospital (hôpital).

It is crucial to remember that polyclinique is a feminine noun in French. Always use feminine articles and agreements, such as une polyclinique (a polyclinic) or la polyclinique est moderne (the polyclinic is modern).

You will typically use or hear this term when referring to appointments for specialized care, minor surgeries, or diagnostic tests that require facilities beyond a standard doctor's office but perhaps not the scale of a major public hospital.

💡 * Je dois me rendre à la polyclinique pour une consultation avec le dermatologue.

Cette polyclinique a une excellente réputation pour sa maternité.

Mon médecin m'a recommandé une polyclinique spécialisée dans le sport.

L'opération aura lieu dans une polyclinique privée en centre-ville.

The 'public hospital' – un hôpital public

The direct and correct translation for 'public hospital' in French is un hôpital public. The plural form is des hôpitaux publics. This term refers to a hospital that is owned, funded, and operated by the state as a key part of France's national healthcare system, the Sécurité Sociale.

In France, the healthcare system includes both public and private facilities. Un hôpital public provides care to all citizens and is the backbone of the system, especially for emergency services (les urgences). This contrasts with une clinique privée, a private clinic or hospital, which may specialize in certain treatments and can be for-profit.

When discussing public hospitals, you might encounter specific acronyms. For example, the massive public hospital system in Paris is known as AP-HP (Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris). Understanding such acronyms is key to navigating discussions about healthcare in specific regions.

In daily conversation, French speakers often just say l'hôpital (the hospital). Because public hospitals are the default for most emergency and general care, it's usually implied that one is referring to a public institution unless they specify it's a clinique.

💡 * Il a été admis aux urgences de l'hôpital public.

Le gouvernement a annoncé plus de financement pour les hôpitaux publics.

Ma tante travaille comme médecin dans un hôpital public à Lyon.

La différence de coût entre un hôpital public et une clinique privée peut être importante.

The 'health establishment' (a formal, administrative term) – un établissement de santé

The phrase un établissement de santé is a formal, administrative term for a 'health establishment' or 'healthcare facility.' It's a broad, official term used to encompass any institution providing medical care.

This is an umbrella term that includes places like hospitals (hôpitaux), clinics (cliniques), and specialized care centers. You will typically encounter this term in official documents, news reports, or government announcements rather than in everyday conversation, where a more specific word like l'hôpital would be used.

The noun établissement is masculine, so the phrase is always un établissement de santé. Its formal tone means it's used to convey official information about the healthcare system.

💡 * Le patient a été admis dans un établissement de santé local. (The patient was admitted to a local healthcare facility.)

Les règles sanitaires s'appliquent à tous les établissements de santé. (Health regulations apply to all health establishments.)

Il travaille comme administrateur dans un grand établissement de santé. (He works as an administrator in a large healthcare facility.)

The 'care center' (a general term for a place of treatment) – un centre de soins

The term un centre de soins translates to a 'care center' or 'treatment center.' It's a general phrase used to describe a variety of healthcare facilities where treatment is provided.

This is a versatile, broad term. It doesn't refer to just one type of place but can encompass everything from a small local clinic to a large rehabilitation facility or a wellness center. The key is that 'soins' (care/treatment) is administered there.

While un centre de soins is correct, you'll often hear more specific terms in daily conversation. For example, people usually say l'hôpital for a hospital or la clinique for a private clinic. Centre de soins is a good catch-all term when the specific type of facility isn't known or important.

💡 * Il a été admis dans un centre de soins pour sa convalescence. (He was admitted to a care center for his recovery.)

La ville prévoit d'ouvrir de nouveaux centres de soins pour les personnes âgées. (The city plans to open new care centers for the elderly.)

Ce centre de soins est spécialisé dans les traitements de physiothérapie. (This care center specializes in physiotherapy treatments.)

1. The 'maternity hospital' – une maternité

The most common and direct way to say 'maternity hospital' or 'maternity ward' in French is une maternité. This is a feminine noun, as indicated by the article une, and it specifically refers to a hospital or a specialized unit within a hospital for childbirth.

Une maternité is the standard term used throughout the French-speaking world. It encompasses both standalone maternity hospitals and dedicated departments within larger general hospitals. For instance, you might ask for directions by saying, Où se trouve la maternité, s'il vous plaît? (Where is the maternity ward, please?).

Understanding une maternité is easier with related vocabulary. The act of giving birth is accoucher. A woman who has just given birth is une accouchée. A midwife is une sage-femme, and a newborn is un nouveau-né. These terms are frequently used within the context of a visit to the maternité.

💡 * Elle a choisi d'accoucher à la maternité la plus proche de chez elle. (She chose to give birth at the maternity hospital closest to her home.)

La visite de la maternité est prévue pour le mois prochain. (The tour of the maternity ward is scheduled for next month.)

Mon amie travaille comme sage-femme dans une grande maternité à Paris. (My friend works as a midwife in a large maternity hospital in Paris.)

Après la naissance, la mère et le bébé restent quelques jours à la maternité. (After the birth, the mother and baby stay for a few days at the maternity hospital.)

Are there other ways to say 'hospital' in French?

Our list features the most common and crucial terms for 'hospital' in French, such as hôpital and clinique. But the world of French medical terminology is vast, with specific names for different types of care centers you might encounter.

You can expand your knowledge by searching for specific types of facilities. For instance, try looking up “centre hospitalier universitaire (CHU)” for university hospitals or “maison de santé” for a local health center.

Pay close attention to context. The distinction between a public hôpital and a private clinique is important in France. Understanding these nuances will not only improve your vocabulary but also your cultural understanding of the French healthcare system.

When you watch French news reports or TV shows, listen for how these terms are used. This real-world exposure is the best way to grasp the subtle differences and gain confidence in using the right word at the right time.

For more detailed definitions and related medical terms, the WordReference entry for hôpital is an excellent starting point. You can also explore official French health websites for more specialized vocabulary.

I hope this guide has been helpful. While we hope you only ever need these words for your vocabulary lists, being prepared is always a good idea. Bonne continuation et bonne santé ! (Good luck with your studies and good health!)

'9 ways to say "hospital" in French'