Na Consulta Médica
At the doctor's office · a free Portuguese (Brazil) immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Estou me sentindo mal desde ontem.
I've been feeling sick since yesterday.
Literal I am feeling myself bad since yesterday.
Uses 'estar + se sentindo' (present progressive reflexive) to describe an ongoing physical state. 'Desde' marks the starting point in time.
- estar + gerúndio for ongoing states
- reflexive pronoun 'me' with sentir
- 'desde' + time reference for starting point
Tenho dor de cabeça e febre há dois dias.
I've had a headache and fever for two days.
Literal I have pain of head and fever for two days.
'Ter + symptom noun' expresses having a physical complaint. 'Há' before a time period means 'for' when describing how long a condition has lasted up to now.
- ter + symptom noun for describing complaints
- 'há' + time period for duration up to the present
- compound noun 'dor de cabeça' (headache — literally pain of head)
Você está tomando algum medicamento?
Are you taking any medication?
Literal You are taking any medication?
Present progressive question formed with 'estar + gerúndio'. 'Algum' agrees with the masculine noun 'medicamento'. In Brazilian Portuguese, questions often keep statement word order with rising intonation.
- estar + gerúndio for present progressive
- 'algum' as indefinite adjective (masculine singular)
- question formation by rising intonation in Brazilian Portuguese
Não tenho alergia a nenhum remédio.
I don't have an allergy to any medicine.
Literal I don't have allergy to no medicine.
Brazilian Portuguese requires double negation: 'não' before the verb and 'nenhum' in the noun phrase. Both negative markers are needed and grammatically correct together.
- double negation: não + nenhum is standard, not emphatic
- 'alergia a + noun' for allergy to something
- 'nenhum' agreeing in gender with masculine 'remédio'
O médico pediu para eu abrir a boca e falar 'aah'.
The doctor asked me to open my mouth and say 'aah'.
Literal The doctor asked for me to open the mouth and say 'aah'.
'Pedir para + eu + infinitive' reports a request or indirect command. 'Para eu' introduces the subject of the infinitive clause. Note that Brazilian Portuguese prefers this structure over 'pedir que + subjunctive' in speech.
- pedir para + eu + infinitive for reported requests (Brazilian preference)
- infinitive in subordinate clause after 'para'
- definite article 'o' with 'médico' — common in Brazilian Portuguese
Respire fundo e segure por um momento.
Breathe deeply and hold for a moment.
Literal Breathe deep and hold for a moment.
Formal imperative (você form) used for medical instructions. Both 'respire' and 'segure' are present-subjunctive forms used as polite commands, which is standard for the você imperative.
- formal imperative using the present-subjunctive stem for você
- 'fundo' as adverb meaning deeply
- sequential commands joined by 'e' (and)
Há quanto tempo você está com esses sintomas?
How long have you had these symptoms?
Literal There is how much time you are with these symptoms?
'Há quanto tempo' is the fixed phrase for asking 'how long'. 'Estar com + noun' is a very common Brazilian Portuguese pattern for experiencing a symptom or condition.
- 'há quanto tempo' as fixed interrogative phrase for duration
- estar com + noun for currently experiencing a symptom
- demonstrative 'esses' (these, near the listener)
Vou prescrever um antibiótico por sete dias.
I'm going to prescribe an antibiotic for seven days.
Literal I will prescribe an antibiotic for seven days.
'Vou + infinitive' (ir + infinitive) is the standard near-future construction in Brazilian Portuguese, equivalent to 'going to'. 'Por' with a time expression means 'for' a duration.
- ir + infinitive (vou + verb) for near future
- 'por' + duration for a set time period
- indefinite article 'um' with masculine noun 'antibiótico'
Você deveria evitar esforço físico por pelo menos três dias.
You should avoid physical exertion for at least three days.
Literal You should avoid physical effort for at least three days.
'Deveria' is the conditional of 'dever', used for polite recommendations or medical advice. 'Pelo menos' is the standard phrase for 'at least'.
- 'dever' in conditional (deveria) for gentle advice or recommendation
- 'pelo menos' = at least
- 'por pelo menos' + time for minimum duration
Pode marcar uma consulta de retorno para a próxima semana.
You can schedule a follow-up appointment for next week.
Literal Can schedule a consultation of return for the next week.
'Pode + infinitive' expresses permission or possibility (you can / you may). 'Consulta de retorno' is the standard medical term for a follow-up visit. The subject 'você' is dropped — very common in Brazilian Portuguese.
- poder + infinitive for possibility or permission
- subject drop (você omitted) — common in spoken Brazilian Portuguese
- definite article with time expressions: 'a próxima semana'
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
consulta
appointment / consultation
Marquei uma consulta para segunda-feira.
I scheduled an appointment for Monday.
Used for doctor's appointments and any professional consultation. 'Consultório' is the physical office.
sintoma
symptom
Quais são os seus sintomas?
What are your symptoms?
Almost always plural 'sintomas' when describing a condition to a doctor.
febre
fever
Estou com febre desde ontem à noite.
I've had a fever since last night.
'Estar com febre' is the natural structure — not 'ter febre', though both occur.
remédio
medicine / medication
Preciso tomar o remédio três vezes ao dia.
I need to take the medicine three times a day.
Everyday word; 'medicamento' is the formal equivalent. Both are widely understood.
prescrever
to prescribe
O médico prescreveu repouso e muita água.
The doctor prescribed rest and plenty of water.
Regular -er verb. The more colloquial synonym 'receitar' is also very common.
alergia
allergy
Tenho alergia a penicilina.
I'm allergic to penicillin.
Pattern: 'ter alergia a + substance'. Can also say 'sou alérgico/a a' (I am allergic to).
exame
test / examination
O médico pediu um exame de sangue.
The doctor ordered a blood test.
'Exame de sangue' (blood test), 'exame físico' (physical exam), 'resultado do exame' (test result).
receita
prescription
Vou precisar da receita para comprar esse remédio.
I'll need the prescription to buy this medicine.
Context-dependent: 'receita' also means 'recipe'. In a pharmacy or clinic context, it means prescription.
dor
pain / ache
Estou sentindo dor no peito.
I'm feeling pain in my chest.
Key compounds: 'dor de cabeça' (headache), 'dor de garganta' (sore throat), 'dor de barriga' (stomachache).
tratamento
treatment
O tratamento dura cerca de duas semanas.
The treatment lasts about two weeks.
'Seguir o tratamento' means to follow the treatment plan. From the verb 'tratar' (to treat).
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
Ana foi ao consultório do médico porque estava se sentindo mal há três dias. Ela descreveu seus sintomas: dor de garganta, febre e muito cansaço. O médico a examinou com cuidado e pediu alguns exames de sangue. Depois de analisar os resultados, ele receitou um antibiótico e recomendou repouso. Ana saiu do consultório aliviada, com a receita na mão e uma consulta de retorno marcada para a semana seguinte.
Sentence by sentence
foi ao consultório do médico
went to the doctor's office
'Foi' is the preterite of 'ir'. 'Ao' is a contraction of 'a + o'. 'Consultório' specifically refers to a doctor's or professional's private office, distinct from a hospital.
estava se sentindo mal há três dias
had been feeling sick for three days
Past progressive 'estava + gerúndio' for an action ongoing in the past. 'Há três dias' shows how long the condition had already been going on at that moment.
descreveu seus sintomas
described her symptoms
'Descreveu' is the preterite of 'descrever' (to describe). 'Seus' is a possessive pronoun that refers back to the subject Ana.
o médico a examinou com cuidado
the doctor examined her carefully
'A' is a third-person direct object pronoun (her). 'Com cuidado' is an adverbial phrase meaning carefully — literally 'with care'.
receitou um antibiótico e recomendou repouso
prescribed an antibiotic and recommended rest
'Receitar' is the colloquial verb for prescribing. 'Repouso' (rest) is a formal word common in medical advice; everyday speech might say 'descanso'.
com a receita na mão
with the prescription in hand
'Na mão' (in the hand / in hand) is idiomatic for holding or possessing something. This phrase signals Ana actually has the physical prescription document.
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Describing Symptoms: 'Estar com' and 'Ter' + Noun
Brazilian Portuguese uses two natural structures to describe physical symptoms. 'Estar com + noun' emphasizes the current experience of a symptom (you are in that state right now), while 'ter + noun' focuses on having a condition. Both are correct and widely used. For duration, add 'há + time period' after either structure.
estar com + [symptom noun] | ter + [symptom noun] (+ há + [duration])
Estou com febre.
I have a fever.
Tenho dor de cabeça há dois dias.
I've had a headache for two days.
Ela está com tosse desde segunda-feira.
She has had a cough since Monday.
Você tem alergia a algum medicamento?
Do you have an allergy to any medication?
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to Portuguese (Brazil): 'I have had a headache and a fever for two days.'
Hint Use 'ter' + noun to describe symptoms, and 'há' for duration.
Translate to English: 'Vou prescrever um antibiótico por sete dias.'
Hint Focus on 'prescrever' (to prescribe) and 'por' (for a duration).
Complete the sentence: 'Não tenho _____ a nenhum remédio.' (I am not allergic to any medicine.)
Hint The word is a key vocabulary item from today's lesson.
Which sentence correctly uses 'estar com' to describe a symptom?
Rewrite this sentence using 'ter' instead of 'estar com': 'Estou com dor de cabeça.'
Hint Replace 'estou com' with the correct form of 'ter'.
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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