Meaning
To express that one is unwell or ill.
Cultural Background
In Brazil, 'Tô doente' (shortened) is extremely common in text messages. In Portugal, people might say 'Estou indisposto' for a more formal or vague sense of illness. It is considered polite to provide a brief reason for being sick in professional settings.
Estar vs Ser
Always use 'estar' for health states. It's temporary!
Gender
Don't add an 'a' to 'doente'. It's already neutral.
Meaning
To express that one is unwell or ill.
Estar vs Ser
Always use 'estar' for health states. It's temporary!
Gender
Don't add an 'a' to 'doente'. It's already neutral.
Context
If you want to sound more natural, add the symptom: 'Estou doente com dor de cabeça'.
Test Yourself
Which verb is correct?
Eu ___ doente.
Illness is a temporary state.
Fill in the blank.
Ela está ___.
Doente is gender-neutral.
Complete the response.
A: Você vem à aula? B: Não, ___.
You are speaking about yourself.
Match the state.
Temporary vs Permanent
Estar is for temporary states.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesEu ___ doente.
Illness is a temporary state.
Ela está ___.
Doente is gender-neutral.
A: Você vem à aula? B: Não, ___.
You are speaking about yourself.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Estar is for temporary states.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
8 questionsYes, it is becoming more common, but 'não estou bem' is often preferred.
No, it is a standard, polite way to explain absence.
It is an adjective ending in 'e', which is invariant.
You can say 'Estou resfriado'.
Yes, it's neutral.
The grammar is the same, but the pronunciation of 'te' is different.
Você está doente?
Estamos doentes.
Related Phrases
Estou mal
synonymI feel bad
Estou gripado
specialized formI have the flu
Não me sinto bem
similarI don't feel well
