Portuguese · Body & Health
"Sick" in Portuguese: doente
doente
Sick in Portuguese is doente. Say estou doente when you feel ill. Ficar doente is to get sick; doente can also mean a sick person as a noun.
Morning message
Estou doente e não vou à aula.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce doente
Say it
doh-EN-chee
/ˈdoẽ.tʃi/
doh-EN-chee
"Sick" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| doente | sick / ill Default adjective. | Default adjective. |
| estar doente | to be sick State. | State. |
| ficar doente | to get sick Change. | Change. |
| atestado de doente | sick note (informal idea) Work—usually atestado médico. | Work—usually atestado médico. |
How to use doente in real life
- 1Morning message
Estou doente e não vou à aula.
I’m sick and I’m not going to class.
Excuse.
- 2Care visit
Ele ficou doente depois da viagem.
He got sick after the trip.
Onset.
- 3Family check
A criança parece doente desde ontem.
The child has seemed sick since yesterday.
Observation.
Mistakes English speakers make with doente
Incorrect: Estou sick hoje.
Correct: Estou doente hoje.
Use doente, not English sick.
Incorrect: Eu sou doente. (temporary illness)
Correct: Eu estou doente.
Temporary illness uses estar, not ser.
Good to know
Estou doente is the standard call-out. Brazilians may also say não estou bem before naming symptoms. For work, ask for an atestado médico rather than inventing paperwork slang.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Canceling plans
ChatPal
Você está doente de verdade?
Are you really sick?
You
Estou doente: febre e tosse.
I’m sick: fever and cough.
ChatPal
Melhor descansar. Doente não sai.
Better rest. Sick people shouldn’t go out.
You
Vou dormir cedo hoje.
I’ll sleep early today.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Sick" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Sick" in Portuguese
I’m sick?
Estou doente.
I got sick?
Fiquei doente.
Ser or estar?
Estar for temporary illness.
Sick note?
Atestado médico.
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
