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French Phrase

Symptômes, médocs et antécédents.

/sɛ̃ptɔm, me.dɔk e ɑ̃.te.sedɑ̃/
Meaning"Symptoms, meds and medical history."
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Meaning

A concise way to refer to the three main categories of health information a doctor asks for: the patient's symptoms, the medications they are taking, and their past medical history.

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When to use

Use this phrase when filling out a medical questionnaire, during a quick check‑in with a healthcare professional, or when summarising a patient's case in a clinical note.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Symptômesmédocsetantécédents

1

Noun plural (Symptômes)

‘Symptômes’ is a masculine plural noun meaning ‘symptoms’; it takes an -s in the written form but is silent in speech.

2

Colloquial abbreviation (médocs)

‘Médocs’ is informal slang for ‘médicaments’; it is masculine plural and often used in spoken French.

3

Coordinating conjunction (et)

‘Et’ simply links items in a list; it is pronounced /e/ and never takes a liaison before a vowel.

4

Noun plural (antécédents)

‘Antécédents’ is a masculine plural noun meaning ‘medical history’; the final -s is silent.

🗨In Conversation

A

Pouvez‑vous me donner vos symptômes, vos médocs et vos antécédents ?

Can you give me your symptoms, your meds, and your medical history?

J’ai de la toux, je prends du paracétamol, et j’ai des antécédents d’asthme.

I have a cough, I take paracetamol, and I have a history of asthma.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Symptômes, medocs et antécédents.

    Missing accent on the ‘é’; the correct informal form is ‘médocs’.

  • Symptome, médocs et antécédents.

    Forgot the final ‘s’; ‘symptômes’ is plural in this context.

  • Symptômes, médocs et antécédent.

    ‘Antécédents’ must stay plural to match the list.

↔Alternatives

  • Symptômes, médicaments et antécédents.

    Symptoms, medications and medical history.

  • Les symptômes, les traitements et le passé médical.

    The symptoms, the treatments and the medical background.

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Cultural Tip

‘Médocs’ is informal and common in everyday conversation among patients and younger doctors, but in a formal medical report you should use ‘médicaments’. Also, French medical forms often separate these items into distinct fields, so the phrase works best as a spoken summary.