French Phrase
Décris comment tu ressens les symptômes.
Meaning
The sentence asks someone to give a detailed account of the way they experience their symptoms. It is often used in medical contexts when a doctor wants to understand the intensity, timing, and nature of a patient's condition.
When to use
Use this phrase during a medical consultation, a health‑related interview, or when you need a precise description of how a person perceives their physical signs. It is informal (tu) and works best with people you know well or in a relaxed clinical setting.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Décriscommentturessenslessymptômes
Imperative (Décris)
Use the second‑person singular imperative of 'décrire' (décris) for informal commands; add an 's' for verbs ending in -er.
Comment (how)
The interrogative adverb 'comment' introduces a request for a description of manner or feeling.
Subject pronoun (tu)
In spoken French the subject pronoun is kept after 'comment' to avoid ambiguity.
Verb ressentir
'Ressentir' means 'to feel' in a physical or emotional sense; conjugate as 'tu ressens' in the present.
Definite article (les)
Use the plural article 'les' because 'symptômes' is plural.
🗨In Conversation
Bonjour, je suis le docteur Martin. Décris comment tu ressens les symptômes.
Hello, I'm Dr. Martin. Describe how you feel the symptoms.
J’ai une douleur sourde dans le dos qui s’intensifie le soir, et je sens des picotements dans les jambes.
I have a dull ache in my back that gets worse in the evening, and I feel tingling in my legs.
✕Common Mistakes
Décris comment vous ressentez les symptômes.
Mixing formal 'vous' with the informal imperative 'Décris' is inconsistent; use 'Décrivez' for formal address.
Décris comment tu ressent les symptômes.
The verb must agree with the subject 'tu' → 'ressens', not 'ressent'.
Décris comment tu ressens les symptôme.
The noun is plural, so the article must be 'les' and the noun 'symptômes'.
Décris comment tu sens les symptômes.
'Sentir' can be used, but 'ressentir' is more precise for internal sensations; using 'sentir' may sound less medical.
↔Alternatives
Explique comment tu perçois les symptômes.
Explain how you perceive the symptoms.
Parle-moi de la façon dont tu ressens tes symptômes.
Talk to me about the way you feel your symptoms.
Décris les sensations que tu éprouves avec tes symptômes.
Describe the sensations you experience with your symptoms.
Cultural Tip
In French medical conversations, the verb 'décrire' is preferred over 'expliquer' when the doctor wants a factual, sensory account. Using the informal 'tu' signals a friendly rapport; in a more formal setting you would say 'Décrivez comment vous ressentez les symptômes.' Also, French patients often differentiate between 'ressentir' (internal feeling) and 'sentir' (external perception).