doente in 30 Seconds
- Doente means sick or ill in Portuguese.
- It is gender-neutral (same for men and women).
- Usually used with 'estar' for temporary sickness.
- Can also mean 'patient' when used as a noun.
The Portuguese word doente is a primary adjective used to describe a state of physical or mental ill-health. At its core, it functions similarly to the English word 'sick' or 'ill'. However, its application in Portuguese carries specific grammatical nuances that are essential for learners to master early on. Unlike many Portuguese adjectives that change their ending based on gender, doente is an invariable adjective regarding gender; it remains the same whether you are describing a man, a woman, or a non-binary individual. This makes it a relatively 'safe' word for beginners to use without worrying about gender agreement, though it must still agree in number (singular doente vs. plural doentes).
- Primary Usage
- Used to describe a temporary or chronic state of being unwell.
When we look at the semantic range of doente, it covers everything from a minor cold to a severe, life-threatening condition. It is a broad term. In a clinical setting, it can also function as a noun, meaning 'the patient' (o doente / a doente), though 'paciente' is also frequently used, especially in Brazil. In Portugal, 'doente' is the standard term for a patient in a hospital context.
"O João não veio trabalhar porque está doente com gripe."
— Example of temporary illness
Understanding the difference between estar doente and ser doente is crucial. Estar is used for temporary conditions (the most common usage), while ser is used for chronic conditions or to describe someone who is 'sickly' by nature. This distinction is a fundamental part of Portuguese logic regarding permanent versus temporary states.
- Noun Form
- In hospital settings: 'Os doentes esperam na sala' (The patients wait in the room).
Furthermore, the word can be used figuratively. Just as in English we might say a society is 'sick' or a joke is 'sick', Portuguese uses doente to describe corrupt systems, twisted humor, or obsessive behaviors. For example, 'um amor doente' refers to an obsessive, unhealthy love. This figurative use is more common in B1 levels and above, but it is helpful to recognize that the word extends beyond biology.
"Ela tem um ciúme doente pelo namorado."
— Figurative: Unhealthy/Obsessive
- Pluralization
- Simply add an 's': 'Eles estão doentes' (They are sick).
In summary, doente is the cornerstone of health-related vocabulary. Whether you are at the pharmacy, the doctor's office, or calling out of work, this word will be your primary tool for communicating physical distress. It is simple, versatile, and grammatically friendly for new learners.
Using doente correctly requires attention to the verb that precedes it and the context of the illness. As an adjective, it follows the noun it modifies or follows a linking verb like estar, ser, ficar, or sentir-se.
1. With the Verb 'Estar' (Temporary State)
This is the most frequent construction. It describes how someone feels right now. If you have a headache, a fever, or the flu, you use estar.
- Estou doente. (I am sick.)
- Vocês estão doentes? (Are you guys sick?)
2. With the Verb 'Ser' (Permanent/Characteristic)
Use ser when the illness is a defining characteristic of the person or a long-term chronic condition. It can also be used for mental health in a more permanent sense.
- Ele é doente desde criança. (He has been [a] sick [person] since he was a child.)
- Aquela sociedade é doente. (That society is sick/corrupt.)
3. With the Verb 'Ficar' (To Become)
To describe the process of falling ill, use ficar. This is the equivalent of 'to get sick' in English.
- Eu fico doente sempre que viajo. (I get sick every time I travel.)
- Não saias sem casaco ou vais ficar doente. (Don't go out without a coat or you'll get sick.)
4. As a Noun
When used as a noun, it takes an article (o, a, os, as). It is very common in news reports or medical contexts.
- O doente foi transferido para outro hospital. (The patient was transferred to another hospital.)
Remember that doente does not change for gender. 'O homem doente' and 'a mulher doente' are both correct. Only the article and the verb (if plural) change.
You will encounter doente in a variety of everyday and formal settings. Understanding these contexts helps in recognizing the tone and urgency of the word.
In the Workplace
If a colleague is missing, you might hear: 'A Maria está de baixa porque está doente.' (Maria is on sick leave because she is ill). The phrase 'estar de baixa' is the standard way to say someone is officially off work for health reasons.
At the Doctor or Hospital
Doctors will use it to refer to patients or the state of a patient. 'Como está o doente?' (How is the patient?). You might also see signs like 'Prioridade para doentes graves' (Priority for seriously ill patients).
In the News
During health crises or when reporting on hospital conditions, the word is ubiquitous. 'O número de doentes aumentou este inverno.' (The number of sick people/patients increased this winter).
In Daily Conversation
Friends and family use it to express concern. 'Pareces doente, queres um chá?' (You look sick, do you want some tea?). It is a word of empathy and observation.
Figurative/Slang Contexts
In a more modern or informal setting, someone might say 'Tu és doente!' to a friend who makes a very dark joke or does something crazy. It's similar to saying 'You're sick!' in English, meaning 'You're crazy' or 'That's twisted'.
Even though doente is an A1 word, several common pitfalls exist for English speakers and learners of other Romance languages.
Mistake 1: Confusing 'Doente' with 'Dor'
Learners often say 'Eu estou dor' when they mean 'Eu estou doente'. Dor is a noun meaning 'pain'. You have pain (ter dor), but you are sick (estar doente).
Mistake 2: Gender Agreement
Because many adjectives end in -o or -a, learners often try to say 'doenta' for a woman. This is incorrect. Doente ends in -e, making it gender-neutral. Always use doente for everyone.
Mistake 3: Ser vs. Estar
Saying 'Eu sou doente' when you just have a cold. This sounds like you have a permanent disability or a chronic illness. If it's just a temporary flu, always use 'Estou doente'.
Mistake 4: Confusing with 'Mal'
In English, we say 'I feel bad'. In Portuguese, 'Estou mal' can mean you are sick, but it can also mean you are sad or in a bad situation. 'Estou doente' is more specific to health.
Mistake 5: Using 'Doente' for 'Injured'
If you break your arm or cut your finger, you are ferido (injured) or magoado (hurt), not necessarily doente. Doente usually implies an internal illness, virus, or systemic condition.
To enrich your vocabulary, it's helpful to know words related to doente that offer more specific meanings.
- Indisposto/a
- Means 'unwell' or 'upset stomach'. It is milder than 'doente'. Use this if you just feel a bit 'off'.
- Enfermo/a
- A more formal, slightly old-fashioned or literary synonym for 'doente'. You will see this in religious texts or formal medical reports.
- Paciente
- The technical term for a patient. While 'doente' is common in Portugal, 'paciente' is the standard in Brazil and in clinical documentation.
- Malsão / Insalubre
- Used to describe environments that make people sick (unhealthy conditions), rather than the people themselves.
- Debilitado/a
- Means 'weakened'. A person who is 'doente' for a long time becomes 'debilitado'.
Choosing the right word depends on the intensity. If you have a slight headache, say 'Estou um pouco indisposto'. If you have a high fever, say 'Estou doente'. If you are discussing a clinical case, use 'O paciente' or 'O doente'.
How Formal Is It?
Difficulty Rating
Grammar to Know
Estar vs Ser
Adjective-Noun agreement (number only)
Subjunctive with expressions of necessity
Pretérito Perfeito vs Imperfeito
Reflexive verbs (sentir-se)
Examples by Level
Eu estou doente.
I am sick.
Verb 'estar' (temporary state) + adjective.
A Maria está doente.
Maria is sick.
No change in 'doente' for feminine gender.
Nós estamos doentes.
We are sick.
Plural form 'doentes'.
Tu estás doente?
Are you sick?
Question form with 'estar'.
O meu gato está doente.
My cat is sick.
Used for animals too.
Eles não estão doentes.
They are not sick.
Negative sentence structure.
O menino está doente.
The boy is sick.
Definite article 'o' + noun + verb + adjective.
Hoje estou doente.
Today I am sick.
Adverb of time 'hoje'.
Ontem eu fiquei doente.
Yesterday I got sick.
Pretérito Perfeito of 'ficar' (to become).
Eu estive doente na semana passada.
I was sick last week.
Pretérito Perfeito of 'estar'.
O doente precisa de descansar.
The patient needs to rest.
'Doente' used as a noun.
Ela parece doente.
She looks sick.
Verb 'parecer' (to look/seem).
Não quero ficar doente.
I don't want to get sick.
Infinitive 'ficar' after 'querer'.
Muitos doentes estão no hospital.
Many patients are in the hospital.
Plural noun 'doentes'.
Ele está gravemente doente.
He is seriously ill.
Adverb 'gravemente' modifying the adjective.
A minha mãe ficou doente com o frio.
My mother got sick with the cold.
Cause indicated by 'com'.
Se eu estivesse doente, não viria.
If I were sick, I wouldn't come.
Imperfect Subjunctive.
É importante que o doente coma bem.
It is important that the patient eats well.
Present Subjunctive after 'é importante que'.
Ele tem um vício doente por jogos.
He has a sick addiction to games.
Figurative use.
O médico examinou o doente com cuidado.
The doctor examined the patient carefully.
Direct object 'o doente'.
Embora esteja doente, ele quer trabalhar.
Although he is sick, he wants to work.
Conjunction 'embora' + subjunctive.
Ela sente-se doente há três dias.
She has been feeling sick for three days.
Reflexive verb 'sentir-se'.
A sociedade está doente de corrupção.
Society is sick with corruption.
Figurative/Abstract use.
Ninguém gosta de estar doente.
Nobody likes being sick.
Impersonal 'ninguém'.
O sistema de saúde não consegue atender todos os doentes.
The healthcare system cannot assist all the patients.
Complex noun phrase.
Ele foi diagnosticado como doente crónico.
He was diagnosed as a chronic patient.
Passive voice + adjective phrase.
A empresa paga o salário enquanto o funcionário está doente.
The company pays the salary while the employee is sick.
Temporal clause with 'enquanto'.
É um amor doente que não faz bem a ninguém.
It's a sick love that does no one any good.
Metaphorical adjective.
Os doentes terminais recebem cuidados paliativos.
Terminal patients receive palliative care.
Specific medical terminology.
Ficar doente nas férias é o meu maior medo.
Getting sick on vacation is my biggest fear.
Gerund-like infinitive subject.
A enfermeira cuida dos doentes com dedicação.
The nurse cares for the patients with dedication.
Preposition 'de' + 'os' = 'dos'.
Ele fingiu estar doente para não ir à festa.
He pretended to be sick to not go to the party.
Verb 'fingir' (to pretend).
A precariedade dos hospitais deixa os doentes em risco.
The precariousness of hospitals puts patients at risk.
Abstract noun subject.
Trata-se de uma mente doente e perversa.
It is a matter of a sick and perverse mind.
Pronominal 'tratar-se de'.
O autor descreve uma Lisboa doente e decadente.
The author describes a sick and decadent Lisbon.
Literary personification of a city.
Não se deve marginalizar o doente mental.
One should not marginalize the mentally ill.
Impersonal 'se' + specific noun phrase.
A economia, doente há décadas, precisa de reformas.
The economy, sick for decades, needs reforms.
Appositive adjective phrase.
A narrativa foca-se na perspetiva do doente.
The narrative focuses on the patient's perspective.
Genitive case with 'do'.
Sinto-me doente só de pensar nessa injustiça.
I feel sick just thinking about that injustice.
Figurative emotional reaction.
O diagnóstico tardio é fatal para o doente.
Late diagnosis is fatal for the patient.
Adjective 'tardio' modifying 'diagnóstico'.
A fenomenologia do ser doente transcende a biologia.
The phenomenology of being sick transcends biology.
Substantive use of the infinitive 'ser'.
Eis um exemplo de uma política doente de populismo.
Here is an example of a policy sick with populism.
Demonstrative 'eis'.
O doente imaginário de Molière é um clássico.
Molière's 'The Imaginary Invalid' is a classic.
Literary reference.
A alma doente busca refúgio na arte.
The sick soul seeks refuge in art.
Poetic personification.
A patologia social revela-se em comportamentos doentes.
Social pathology reveals itself in sick behaviors.
Sociological terminology.
Instaurou-se um clima doente de desconfiança.
A sick climate of distrust was established.
Passive 'se' with 'instaurar'.
A ética médica exige o respeito absoluto pelo doente.
Medical ethics requires absolute respect for the patient.
Formal academic tone.
O fardo de estar doente é tanto físico como existencial.
The burden of being sick is as much physical as existential.
Comparative 'tanto... como'.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
Often Confused With
Idioms & Expressions
Easily Confused
Sentence Patterns
How to Use It
Doente is more common than enfermo.
Doente 'de' or 'com' (e.g., doente com gripe).
- Saying 'Eu estou doenta' (Wrong gender agreement).
- Using 'ser' for a temporary flu.
- Confusing 'doente' with 'dor' (e.g., 'Eu tenho doente').
- Forgetting the 's' in the plural 'doentes'.
- Using 'doente' when you mean 'injured' (ferido).
Tips
Gender Neutrality
Don't try to change the ending to 'a'. It's always 'doente'.
Estar vs Ficar
Use 'estar' to be sick and 'ficar' to become sick.
Noun Use
Remember that 'o doente' means 'the patient'.
Ending 'e'
In Portugal, the final 'e' is very soft. In Brazil, it sounds like 'ee'.
Empathy
Saying 'Sinto muito' (I'm sorry) when someone says they are doente is polite.
Hospitals
Look for signs with 'doentes' in hospitals for directions.
Adverbs
Use 'muito doente' for 'very sick'.
Common Question
Ask 'Estás doente?' if someone looks tired.
Root Word
Connect it to 'dolor' in Spanish or 'dolorous' in English.
Figurative
Use it to describe something 'twisted' or 'crazy' in informal settings.
Memorize It
Word Origin
From Latin 'dolens, -entis', present participle of 'dolere' (to feel pain/grieve).
Cultural Context
Often prefers 'paciente' in formal medical settings, but 'doente' is common in speech.
Uses 'doente' as the standard word for patient in hospitals.
The phrase 'estar de baixa' is essential in Portugal for sick leave.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Conversation Starters
"Estás doente? Pareces um pouco pálido."
"O que fazes quando ficas doente?"
"Conheces alguém que esteja doente agora?"
"Já estiveste gravemente doente?"
"É fácil ir ao médico quando estás doente no teu país?"
Journal Prompts
Descreve a última vez que estiveste doente.
O que é que te faz sentir doente (comida, tempo, stress)?
Como cuidas de um amigo que está doente?
Escreve sobre um 'doente imaginário' que conheces.
Achas que a nossa sociedade está doente? Porquê?
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsIt is both! It is an invariable adjective, so you use the same form for all genders.
Yes, but it means you have a chronic condition or are a 'sick person' by nature. For a cold, use 'estou doente'.
The plural is 'doentes'.
You say 'Eu fiquei doente'.
Yes, 'doente mental' is a common term, though 'pessoa com doença mental' is more modern and polite.
Doente is more common in Portugal and in general speech; paciente is more formal and common in Brazil.
Yes, 'O meu cão está doente' is perfectly correct.
No, 'doente' is the person. 'Dor' is the pain.
It can be both. 'Ele está doente' (adjective) or 'O doente está aqui' (noun).
In Portugal, it is 'baixa médica' or 'estar de baixa'.
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Summary
The word 'doente' is a versatile, gender-neutral adjective and noun essential for discussing health. Remember to use 'estar' for temporary illnesses and 'ficar' for the process of falling ill.
- Doente means sick or ill in Portuguese.
- It is gender-neutral (same for men and women).
- Usually used with 'estar' for temporary sickness.
- Can also mean 'patient' when used as a noun.
Gender Neutrality
Don't try to change the ending to 'a'. It's always 'doente'.
Estar vs Ficar
Use 'estar' to be sick and 'ficar' to become sick.
Noun Use
Remember that 'o doente' means 'the patient'.
Ending 'e'
In Portugal, the final 'e' is very soft. In Brazil, it sounds like 'ee'.
Example
Ele ficou doente e não pôde ir trabalhar hoje.
Related Content
Related Phrases
More health words
abaixar
A2To move (something) to a lower position.
abdómen
B1The part of the body between the chest and the pelvis; belly.
abdômen
A2The part of the body containing the digestive organs; the belly.
abortar
A2To terminate a pregnancy.
abstinência
A2The fact or practice of restraining oneself from indulging in something.
abstinente
A2Refraining from an indulgence or pleasure.
acalmar-se
A2To become quiet and less agitated.
acamado
A2Bedridden; confined to bed by illness or infirmity.
acaso
A2By chance; perhaps.
acidentar
A2To have an accident; to experience an unfortunate incident.
