Portuguese · Body & Health
"Doctor" in Portuguese: médico / médica
o médico / a médica
Doctor in Portuguese is o médico for a man and a médica for a woman. When you speak to a doctor directly, Brazilians usually say doutor or doutora, as in Doutora, estou com febre. You can see a médico at a clinic, a hospital, or a public posto de saúde.
Messaging your boss
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How to pronounce médico / médica
Say it
MEH-jee-koo
/ˈmɛdʒiku/
The accent marks the stress on the first syllable: MEH-jee-koo. In much of Brazil, d before an i sound is pronounced like the j in "jeep". In Portugal and some parts of Brazil you will hear a plain d instead: MEH-dee-koo.
"Doctor" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| o médico / a médica | doctor The word for the profession: Ela é médica. | The word for the profession: Ela é médica. |
| doutor / doutora | doctor (title) When you address a doctor: Bom dia, doutor. Often used with a first name. | When you address a doctor: Bom dia, doutor. Often used with a first name. |
| o clínico geral | general practitioner The doctor you see first for common problems. | The doctor you see first for common problems. |
| ir ao médico | to go to the doctor The everyday phrase: Preciso ir ao médico. | The everyday phrase: Preciso ir ao médico. |
| o pronto-socorro | emergency room Brazil. In Portugal, people say as urgências. | Brazil. In Portugal, people say as urgências. |
How to use médico / médica in real life
- 1Messaging your boss
Hoje vou chegar mais tarde. Tenho consulta com a médica às nove.
I'll be in later today. I have an appointment with the doctor at nine.
A consulta is a medical appointment. For a business meeting, say uma reunião.
- 2In the exam room
Médico, estou com dor de garganta há três dias.
Doctor, I've had a sore throat for three days.
Estar com + symptom is the natural way to describe how you feel. Há means "for" here. Doutor is the usual title; médico names the profession.
- 3Talking about family
Minha irmã é médica e trabalha num hospital em Recife.
My sister is a doctor and works at a hospital in Recife.
With ser and a job, Portuguese drops the article: é médica, not é uma médica.
Mistakes English speakers make with médico / médica
Incorrect: Ela é uma médico.
Correct: Ela é médica.
A woman doctor is médica. After ser, jobs usually take no article, so drop uma as well.
Incorrect: Tenho um apontamento com o médico.
Correct: Tenho uma consulta com o médico.
Apontamento is a false friend: it means a note you write down. A doctor's appointment is uma consulta.
Good to know
In Brazil, doutor goes far beyond medicine. People may call lawyers, bosses, or an older man in a suit doutor as a sign of respect, even if he has no doctorate. Brazil also has a public health system, the SUS, which offers free care at local clinics called postos de saúde and at public hospitals.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Booking an appointment at a clinic
ChatPal
Clínica Bem-Estar, bom dia. Em que posso ajudar?
Bem-Estar Clinic, good morning. How can I help?
You
Bom dia. Queria marcar uma consulta com um médico, por favor.
Good morning. I'd like to book an appointment with a doctor, please.
ChatPal
Temos horário amanhã às nove com a doutora Paula, médica de família. Pode ser?
We have a slot tomorrow at nine with Dr. Paula, a family doctor. Does that work?
You
Pode ser, sim. Até amanhã!
That works. See you tomorrow!
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Doctor" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Doctor" in Portuguese
Is it médico or médica for a woman doctor?
Médica. Say a médica or uma médica for a woman, and o médico for a man. A group with at least one man is os médicos.
Should I say médico or doutor?
Use médico or médica when you talk about the job: Ele é médico. Use doutor or doutora when you speak to the doctor: Obrigado, doutora.
How do I say "I need a doctor" in Portuguese?
Say Preciso de um médico. In an emergency in Brazil, call 192 for SAMU, the ambulance service. In Portugal, the emergency number is 112.
Why does médico sound like "MEH-jee-koo"?
In much of Brazil, di sounds like "jee" and ti like "chee", and the final o sounds like "oo". Put together, médico becomes MEH-jee-koo. In Portugal there is no j sound, so the d stays a d.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
