Mal à l’oreille où mal aux oreille?

AoedeA1Kwiziq community member

Mal à l’oreille où mal aux oreille?

This is in the lesson examples:

Sophie a mal à l'oreille.Sophie's ear aches. 
Sophie has an earache

But when I entered « Aurélie a mal à l’oreille » as the quiz answer it said I was wrong and should have answered « Aurélie a mal aux oreilles ». Which version is actually correct?

Asked 3 years ago
CélineKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Bonjour Aoede,

There is a difference 

Aurélie a mal à l’oreille Aurélie’s ear aches / Aurélie has an earache
(singular / the one ear)

The question from the kwiz was about the plural form: à + les

Aurélie's ears ache = Aurélie a mal aux oreilles (both of them hurt)

 

I hope this is helpful.

Bonne journée!

MaartenC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Singular: avoir mal à l'oreille 

Plural: avoir mal aux oreilles

Correct answer depends on the specific question, so best to report through the issue button, which links your answer to the quiz for clarification.

MaxC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

After wasting too much time researching this, I conclude that both work just fine. The only clear guidance I've found is in Word Reference which goes with "à l'oreille." I've found no support for "aux oreilles."

MaxC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

After wasting too much time researching this, I conclude that both work just fine. The only clear guidance I've found is in Word Reference which goes with "à l'oreille." I've found no support for "aux oreilles."

MaartenC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Wordreference has both listed under 'earache', as does Larousse bilingual.

https://www.wordreference.com/enfr/earache

https://www.larousse.fr/dictionnaires/anglais-francais/earache/577509

CélineKwiziq team member

Bonjour Max,

As a native speaker, there is a difference between both expressions: 'avoir mal à l'oreille' means that one ear is aching whilst 'avoir mal aux oreilles' involves both ears. 

See examples below:

Lucie a mal aux oreilles = Lucie's ears ache / Lucie has an earache

Lucie a mal à l'oreille = Lucie's ear ache / Lucie has an earache

J'ai mal à l'oreille my ear aches / I have an earache

J'ai mal aux oreilles = my ears ache / I have an earache

 

I hope this is helpful.

Bonne journée !

 

Mal à l’oreille où mal aux oreille?

This is in the lesson examples:

Sophie a mal à l'oreille.Sophie's ear aches. 
Sophie has an earache

But when I entered « Aurélie a mal à l’oreille » as the quiz answer it said I was wrong and should have answered « Aurélie a mal aux oreilles ». Which version is actually correct?

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