Parler de la durée d'un symptôme en anglais : quand il a commencé, depuis combien de temps, s'il revient
Les expressions temporelles en anglais sont faciles à confondre : « two days ago » utilise ago, « for two days » utilise for, « since Monday » utilise since. Ce guide clarifie la chronologie des symptômes afin que vous puissiez répondre aux questions comme « When did it start? » et « How long has it been going on? » sans vous figer.
Cet article enseigne la communication en anglais dans les situations de santé. Il ne s'agit pas d'un diagnostic médical ni d'un conseil de traitement. Si vos symptômes sont soudains ou s'aggravent, contactez immédiatement les services d'urgence locaux ou consultez sans tarder.
Vocabulaire de base
| Terme | Sens | Exemple |
|---|---|---|
| onset | le moment où commence un symptôme | The onset was very sudden. |
| sudden | qui survient rapidement, sans prévenir | It came on suddenly. |
| gradual | qui s'installe lentement | The pain was gradual at first. |
| since | depuis un point précis dans le temps jusqu'à maintenant | I've had it since Monday. |
| for | sur une durée | I've had it for two days. |
| ago | une durée avant maintenant (au passé) | It started three hours ago. |
| recurring | qui revient sans cesse | It's a recurring pain. |
| on and off | qui va et vient, intermittent | It's been on and off for a week. |
| first time | la première occurrence | This is the first time it happened. |
Phrases incontournables
- It started [TIME] ago.
- I've had it since [TIME / DAY].
- I've had it for [DURATION].
- It came on suddenly.
- It started gradually and got worse.
- It's been on and off for [DURATION].
- This is the first time this has happened.
- It's happened before, about [TIME] ago.
- It usually lasts about [DURATION].
- It hasn't gone away.
- It comes back every [INTERVAL].
- I woke up with it this morning.
Since, for, ago — les trois mots que tout le monde mélange
- since + un point dans le temps : since Monday, since 7 a.m., since last week
- for + une durée : for two days, for an hour, for a week
- ago + une durée (au passé) : two days ago, an hour ago, a week ago
- Exemple : The pain started two days ago. = I've had the pain for two days. = I've had the pain since Monday (si on est mercredi).
Formulations maladroites vs naturelles
| Maladroit | Naturel |
|---|---|
| I have pain from Monday. | I've had pain since Monday. |
| It happens before two days. | It started two days ago. |
| Long time pain, three weeks. | I've had this pain for three weeks. |
| Sometimes have, sometimes no. | It's on and off. / It comes and goes. |
| First time never happen. | This is the first time it's happened. |
Dialogue de mise en situation
Doctor: When did the symptoms start?
Patient: They started about three days ago, on Tuesday morning.
Doctor: Have you had this before?
Patient: Yes, something similar happened about six months ago, but it went away after a week.
Doctor: Is it constant or does it come and go?
Patient: It comes and goes. It's worse in the morning and better at night.
Modèles de phrases à adapter
- I've had [SYMPTOM] for [DURATION].
- I've had a sore throat for four days.
- It started [TIME] ago, [SUDDENLY / GRADUALLY].
- It started two hours ago, suddenly.
- It [LASTS / COMES BACK] every [INTERVAL].
- It comes back every few weeks.
- The last time this happened was [TIME] ago.
- The last time this happened was about a year ago.
Exercices
- Dites ceci en anglais naturel : un mal de tête qui a commencé hier soir et qui ne s'est pas arrêté.
- Reformulez ceci pour que cela sonne naturel en consultation : douleur à l'estomac depuis environ une semaine, par intermittence.
- Dites ceci en anglais naturel : c'est la première fois que cela se produit.
Réponses de référence
- I've had a headache since last night.
- I've had stomach pain for about a week, on and off.
- This is the first time this has happened.
Check-list pré-rendez-vous à recopier
- Symptom timeline
- Started: ___ (date / time)
- Onset: sudden / gradual
- Duration so far: ___
- Constant / on and off: ___
- Has happened before: yes / no
- If yes, last time: ___ ago
- Has it changed since it started: better / worse / same
Lectures complémentaires
- Décrire ses symptômes en anglais : 7 informations que les médecins veulent vraiment entendre
- Décrire l'évolution des symptômes en anglais : aggravé, amélioré, récurrent, sans soulagement
- Facteurs soulageants et aggravants en anglais : ce qui améliore ou empire les symptômes
Un dernier rappel : cet article porte sur la communication en anglais, pas sur le jugement médical. Si les symptômes sont soudains, sévères ou s'aggravent vite, consultez sans tarder.