# General Health Vocabulary in Portuguese for Travelers and Learners
> Learn essential Portuguese medical vocabulary for doctor visits, emergencies, and healthcare. Body parts, symptoms, phrases, and terms you'll actually use.
**URL:** https://migaku.com/blog/language-fun/portuguese-medical-vocabulary
**Last Updated:** 2026-03-20
**Tags:** vocabulary, phrases
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You're traveling in Brazil, everything's going great, and then suddenly you wake up with a sore throat and a fever. You need to see a doctor, but explaining what's wrong in Portuguese feels impossible. [Learning Portuguese](https://migaku.com/learn-portuguese) medical vocabulary before you need it can save you from a stressful situation where you're trying to mime your symptoms to a confused healthcare professional. Whether you're planning to live in Brazil, traveling for a few weeks, or just want to [expand your Portuguese skills](https://migaku.com/blog/language-fun/best-portuguese-learning-apps), knowing basic medical terms is genuinely useful stuff.
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## Basic body parts and anatomy terms
Let's start with the fundamentals. You can't explain what hurts if you don't know how to say which part of your body is bothering you. These anatomy terms come up constantly in medical conversations.
The word for body in Portuguese is **"corpo" **. Here are the essential body parts you should learn first:
| Portuguese | English |
| - | - |
| cabeça | Head |
| olho | Eye |
| ouvido / orelha | Ear (ouvido refers to the inner ear, orelha to the outer part) |
| nariz | Nose |
| boca | Mouth |
| garganta | Throat |
| pescoço | Neck |
| ombro | Shoulder |
| braço | Arm |
| mão | Hand |
| dedo | Finger |
| peito | Chest |
| estômago | Stomach |
| costas | Back |
| perna | Leg |
| joelho | Knee |
| pé | Foot |
**Internal organs** matter too, especially when describing pain location:
| Portuguese | English |
| - | - |
| coração | Heart |
| pulmão | Lung |
| fígado | Liver |
| rim | Kidney |
| intestino | Intestine |
A useful phrase to practice: "Meu/Minha (body part) dói" means "My (body part) hurts." So "Minha garganta dói" tells the doctor your throat hurts. Pretty straightforward.
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## Common symptoms and complaints
When you're sitting in a doctor's office, you need to describe what's wrong. These symptom terms are what you'll use most often in medical situations.
**Basic symptoms include:**
| Portuguese | English |
| - | - |
| dor | Pain |
| febre | Fever |
| tosse | Cough |
| náusea | Nausea |
| tontura | Dizziness |
| cansaço | Fatigue |
| dor de cabeça | Headache |
| dor de estômago | Stomach ache |
| dor de garganta | Sore throat |
| coriza | Runny nose |
| espirro | Sneeze |
| vômito | Vomit |
| diarreia | Diarrhea |
| constipação | Constipation |
| falta de ar | Shortness of breath |
| inchaço | Swelling |
| coceira | Itching |
| erupção cutânea | Rash |
The verb **"ter" ** (to have) works for most symptoms: "Eu tenho febre" (I have a fever) or "Eu tenho dor de cabeça" (I have a headache).
You can also use **"estar" ** (to be) with some conditions: "Estou com náusea" (I'm nauseous).
**For describing pain intensity**, these terms help:
| Portuguese | English |
| - | - |
| leve | Mild |
| moderado | Moderate |
| forte | Strong / Severe |
| agudo | Sharp |
| constante | Constant |
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## Diseases and medical conditions
Beyond immediate symptoms, you might need to discuss existing conditions or understand a diagnosis. These are the most common diseases and conditions you'll encounter in Portuguese medical vocabulary.
**Everyday illnesses**:
| Portuguese | English |
| - | - |
| gripe | Flu |
| resfriado | Cold |
| infecção | Infection |
| alergia | Allergy |
| asma | Asthma |
| diabetes | Diabetes |
| hipertensão | High blood pressure |
| enxaqueca | Migraine |
| pneumonia | Pneumonia |
| bronquite | Bronchitis |
**Chronic conditions and serious diseases:**
| Portuguese | English |
| - | - |
| doença cardíaca | Heart disease |
| câncer | Cancer |
| derrame | Stroke |
| insuficiência renal | Kidney failure |
| artrite | Arthritis |
| depressão | Depression |
| ansiedade | Anxiety |
The term **"doença" ** means disease or illness in general. **"Condição médica" ** refers to a medical condition. When a doctor asks "Você tem alguma doença crônica?" they're asking if you have any chronic diseases.
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## Healthcare professionals and facilities
Knowing who to ask for and where to go matters just as much as describing symptoms. The Portuguese word for doctor is **"médico" ** (or **"médica" ** for female doctors), though people commonly say **"doutor" ** or **"doutora" ** as well.
**Types of medical professionals:**
| Portuguese | English |
| - | - |
| enfermeiro / enfermeira | Nurse |
| dentista | Dentist |
| farmacêutico | Pharmacist |
| cirurgião | Surgeon |
| pediatra | Pediatrician |
| cardiologista | Cardiologist |
| dermatologista | Dermatologist |
| oftalmologista | Ophthalmologist |
| psicólogo | Psychologist |
| psiquiatra | Psychiatrist |
**Healthcare facilities:**
| Portuguese | English |
| - | - |
| hospital | Hospital |
| clínica | Clinic |
| consultório | Doctor's office |
| pronto-socorro | Emergency room |
| farmácia | Pharmacy |
| laboratório | Laboratory |
A useful question: **"Quem é seu médico?" ** means "Who is your doctor?" You might also hear **"Onde fica o hospital mais próximo?" ** (Where is the nearest hospital?)
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## Treatments, medications, and procedures
Once you've explained your symptoms, you need to understand what the doctor recommends. This vocabulary covers treatments and medications you'll encounter.
**General treatment terms:**
| Portuguese | English |
| - | - |
| tratamento | Treatment |
| remédio / medicamento | Medicine / Medication |
| receita | Prescription |
| dose | Dose |
| comprimido | Pill / Tablet |
| cápsula | Capsule |
| xarope | Syrup |
| pomada | Ointment |
| injeção | Injection |
| vacina | Vaccine |
| antibiótico | Antibiotic |
| analgésico | Painkiller |
| anti-inflamatório | Anti-inflammatory |
**Common procedures:**
| Portuguese | English |
| - | - |
| exame | Examination / Test |
| exame de sangue | Blood test |
| raio-X | X-ray |
| ultrassom | Ultrasound |
| cirurgia | Surgery |
| curativo | Bandage / Dressing |
| ponto | Stitch |
| gesso | Cast |
Instructions you might hear:
- Tome este remédio três vezes por dia.
*Take this medicine three times a day.*
- Antes das refeições / Depois das refeições.
*Before meals / After meals.*
- Com água.
*With water.*
- Em jejum.
*On an empty stomach.*
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## Essential medical phrases for conversations
Vocabulary lists help, but you need complete phrases to communicate. These are the most practical expressions for medical situations in Portuguese.
**Questions doctors commonly ask:**
- O que você está sentindo?
*What are you feeling?*
- Onde dói?
*Where does it hurt?*
- Quando começou?
*When did it start?*
- Você tem alergias?
*Do you have allergies?*
- Está tomando algum medicamento?
*Are you taking any medication?*
- Já teve isso antes?
*Have you had this before?*
**Phrases you might need to say:**
- Não estou me sentindo bem.
*I'm not feeling well.*
- Preciso de um médico.
*I need a doctor.*
- É urgente.
*It's urgent.*
- Sou alérgico a (medication).
*I'm allergic to (medication).*
- Tenho seguro de saúde.
*I have health insurance.*
- Não falo português muito bem.
*I don't speak Portuguese very well.*
- Pode falar mais devagar?
*Can you speak more slowly?*
These phrases give you a foundation for basic communication. The content here focuses on practical use rather than just memorizing isolated words.
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## Medical abbreviations and prefixes
Understanding medical abbreviations and common prefixes helps you decode unfamiliar terms. This is especially useful when reading prescriptions or medical documents in Portuguese.
**Common abbreviations:**
| Abbreviation | Portuguese | English |
| - | - | - |
| Dr./Dra. | doutor/doutora | Doctor |
| Enf. | enfermeiro/enfermeira | Nurse |
| mg | miligrama | Milligram |
| ml | mililitro | Milliliter |
| comp. | comprimido | Tablet |
| cx. | caixa | Box |
**Medical prefixes** that appear frequently:
| Prefix | Meaning | Example | English |
| - | - | - | - |
| cardio- | heart | cardiologia | Cardiology |
| neuro- | nerve | neurologia | Neurology |
| gastro- | stomach | gastrite | Gastritis |
| dermato- | skin | dermatologia | Dermatology |
| hiper- | high / excessive | hipertensão | Hypertension |
| hipo- | low / under | hipotensão | Hypotension |
| anti- | against | antibiótico | Antibiotic |
Recognizing these patterns makes it easier to guess meanings of new medical terms you encounter. The translation between medical English and Portuguese often follows similar Latin roots, which makes learning these terms a bit easier than everyday vocabulary.
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## How to learn and practice this vocabulary in Portuguese
Knowing what Portuguese medical vocabulary you should learn is one thing. Actually memorizing it and being able to use it under stress is another. Here are practical ways to learn this content effectively.
1. Start with the terms most relevant to your personal health situation. If you have a chronic condition, learn those specific terms first. If you're generally healthy, focus on common symptoms and basic anatomy. This targeted approach helps you remember vocabulary you're more likely to use.
2. Practice building complete sentences, not just memorizing isolated words. Say phrases out loud: "Minha cabeça dói" (My head hurts), "Preciso de um médico" (I need a doctor). Speaking these phrases helps them stick better than passive reading.
3. Create realistic scenarios in your mind. Imagine you're at a Brazilian clinic with a fever. What would you say? How would you describe your symptoms? This mental practice prepares you for real situations.
4. Group related terms together. Learn all the body parts in one session, then symptoms, then treatments. This thematic organization makes the vocabulary easier to remember and recall when needed.
5. Use the vocabulary in context with other Portuguese content you're consuming. If you're reading news articles or [watching shows in Portuguese](https://migaku.com/blog/language-fun/best-portuguese-shows-language-learners), medical topics come up regularly. Pay attention to how native speakers use these terms naturally.
If you want to practice this vocabulary with real Portuguese content, Migaku's browser extension and app let you look up medical terms instantly while reading news articles or watching shows. You can build custom flashcard decks from the exact vocabulary you encounter. There's a 10-day free trial if you want to check it out.
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## The Portuguese medical vocabulary covered here gives you a solid foundation
You've got body parts, symptoms, diseases, treatments, healthcare professionals, and essential phrases. That's enough to handle the most common medical interactions you'll face. After going through the lists, and if you are interested in medical topics, you can read articles, watch videos, or listen to podcasts of relevant topics to reinforce your memory!
> If you consume media in Portuguese, and you understand at least some of the messages and sentences within that media, you will make progress. _Period_.
Always prepare ahead!