Doctor and pharmacy in Portuguese: explaining what hurts

💡 You book a family doctor appointment at reception, by phone or online via the SNS; there may not be free dates straight away.

💡 On the phone they most often ask for your name, date of birth and patient number - keep them in front of you.

💡 Número de utente is your number in the public healthcare system; it's asked for almost everywhere in healthcare.

💡 The simplest formula: Dói-me... + the place. Dói-me a cabeça - my head hurts, dói-me a barriga - my stomach hurts.

💡 Constipação in Portugal means a cold, not constipation! And gripe is flu.

💡 It's useful to keep a list of your medicines and allergies on your phone in Portuguese or Latin (the names of the active substances).

💡 Prescriptions are usually electronic: the codes arrive by SMS, and you take them to the pharmacy.

💡 A sick note in Portuguese is baixa médica; the doctor issues it, and often a message with the document number is enough for your employer.

💡 Vaccinations are recorded in the boletim de vacinas; if you have a Ukrainian vaccination certificate, bring it with you.

💡 If you can't come, it's better to say so: that way someone else gets the slot.

💡 Doctors in Portugal are usually happy to repeat and write things down - asking is normal.

💡 At the pharmacy the pharmacist often advises: describe your symptoms and you'll be offered an over-the-counter remedy.

💡 Tosse seca - dry cough, tosse com expetoração - chesty cough; this is often asked at the pharmacy.

💡 At the pharmacy it's enough to show the SMS with the prescription codes; the state often covers part of the cost of prescription medicines.

💡 At the pharmacy a NIF on the receipt is optional too, but many people give it for their tax return.

💡 Antes das refeições - before meals, depois das refeições - after meals, em jejum - on an empty stomach.

💡 If a medicine is out of stock, the pharmacy often orders it for the next day - ask Pode encomendar?

💡 For children the pharmacist will always ask age and weight - the dose depends on them.

💡 A generic in Portuguese is genérico; by law the pharmacy must tell you if there's a cheaper option.

💡 A plaster (or Band-Aid) is a penso rápido in Portuguese.

💡 If you don't know where to go, you can call SNS 24 (808 24 24 24): they'll advise you.

💡 At triage you're given a coloured wristband: the colour shows urgency, so with a "green" one you can wait a long time.

💡 You're often asked to rate pain from 0 to 10: de zero a dez.

💡 Types of pain: dor aguda - sharp, dor constante - constant, vai e vem - comes and goes.

💡 In many hospitals the screens show a patient's number or name and the room - watch the screen.

💡 After the urgência you're given a discharge report (relatório) - show it to your family doctor afterwards.

💡 Large hospitals have a separate urgência pediátrica for children; check where exactly to go at the entrance.

💡 A hospital discharge report is usually also available in your SNS personal account - it's worth registering.

💡 Visiting hours depend on the ward; often only one visitor is let in at a time.

💡 SNS 24 is the state health line, 808 24 24 24: a nurse will assess your condition and tell you where to go.

💡 On the phone the questions are usually standard: temperature, pain, breathing, since when. Answer briefly: sim / não + a number.

💡 If SNS 24 refers you to the urgência, the hospital will already know about your call.

💡 Portuguese people often read long numbers out three digits at a time: nove, um, dois - três, quatro, cinco…

💡 On the phone you can say plainly that the line is bad: Não estou a ouvir bem - and ask them to repeat.

💡 Dentistry in Portugal is mostly private; for severe pain ask about an emergency appointment (consulta de urgência).

💡 Sensitivity to cold and hot is sensibilidade ao frio e ao quente; anaesthetic is anestesia.

💡 At the laboratory you usually take a ticket (senha) and wait to be called; bring the doctor's referral with you.

💡 For many blood tests you're asked not to eat for 8-12 hours; check this in advance.

💡 Test results are often emailed or you're given a code for the lab's website - ask which is more convenient.