Portuguese · Body & Health

"to hurt" in Portuguese: doer

doer

Say it: do-EHR / DOYverb/ˈdoeʁ/

Note: "it hurts": dói

To hurt in Portuguese is doer. The form you hear constantly is dói: A cabeça dói. For people as subject, English I hurt often becomes Me dói…

After the gym

Meu joelho dói quando eu desço escada.
My knee hurts when I go downstairs.
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How to pronounce doer

Say it

do-EHR / DOY

/ˈdoeʁ/

do-EHR. Dói is DOY.

"to hurt" in Portuguese: quick reference

PortugueseEnglish
doerto hurt

Dictionary form.

dóiit hurts

Most common present.

doemthey hurt

Plural subjects.

doeuit hurt

Past.

me dói a cabeçamy head hurts

Body-part pattern.

How to use doer in real life

  1. 1After the gym

    Meu joelho dói quando eu desço escada.

    My knee hurts when I go downstairs.

    Dói counts for doer.

  2. 2Pharmacy chat

    A garganta dói desde ontem à noite.

    My throat has hurt since last night.

    Desde = since.

  3. 3Kids playing

    Doeu quando ele caiu da bicicleta.

    It hurt when he fell off the bike.

    Doeu = it hurt.

Mistakes English speakers make with doer

Incorrect: Eu doer a perna.

Correct: A perna dói. / Me dói a perna.

The body part is usually the subject with dói.

Incorrect: It hurts muito.

Correct: Dói muito.

Lead with dói.

Good to know

Brazilians describe pain simply with dói aqui and a pointing finger at the clinic. Machucar is to injure someone; doer is the pain sensation itself.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

After a long walk

  1. ChatPal

    Seu dói?

    Does your foot hurt?

  2. You

    Dói um pouco o calcanhar.

    My heel hurts a little.

  3. ChatPal

    Quer sentar e beber água?

    Want to sit and drink water?

  4. You

    Quero sim.

    Yes, I do.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

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"to hurt" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "to hurt" in Portuguese

How do I say it hurts?

Dói.

My head hurts?

Minha cabeça dói / me dói a cabeça.

They hurt (plural)?

Doem—e.g. meus pés doem.

Hurt someone?

Machucar someone; doer is the pain.

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