Français — Definite article with body parts
When talking about parts of the body, French normally uses the definite article (le, la, les), not the possessive: il se lave les mains, not «ses mains». The owner is understood from the subject or a reflexive pronoun.
How it works
Use the definite article for a body part whose owner is already clear. To feel or express pain, use avoir mal à + article: j'ai mal à la tête, j'ai mal aux dents. For actions on oneself, use a reflexive verb + article: il se lave les mains, elle se brosse les dents. When simply describing, the article is normal too: les yeux bleus, il a les cheveux longs.
Examples
| French | Meaning |
|---|---|
| j'ai mal à la tête | my head hurts / I have a headache |
| j'ai mal aux dents | my teeth hurt / I have a toothache |
| il se lave les mains | he washes his hands |
| elle se brosse les dents | she brushes her teeth |
| il a les yeux bleus | he has blue eyes |
| elle a les cheveux longs | she has long hair |
| lève la main | raise your hand |
Good to know
The possessive returns when the body part is modified by an adjective or when there is a real risk of ambiguity: elle a levé sa main tremblante. Also, don't translate English «my hands» literally — «il lave ses mains» sounds wrong; the natural French is il se lave les mains.