Estou doente
Chapter Overview
This chapter closes Unit III by giving you the language to describe how you feel, say what you need, and talk about obligations. You will build on the request and help vocabulary from Capítulo 13 (Você pode me ajudar?, poder, saber, conseguir) and add the pattern estar com for physical states and symptoms, the verb precisar for needs, ter que and dever for obligation and advice, and reflexive se as a recognition item in common formulas like sentir-se. Together these systems let you describe basic symptoms, express what you need, and talk about what you or someone else must or should do.
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Describe basic physical states and symptoms using estar com.
- Express needs using precisar de and precisar + infinitive.
- Express obligation using ter que + infinitive.
- Give advice or express a softer obligation using dever + infinitive.
- Recognize reflexive se in the formula sentir-se without producing the full reflexive system.
- Combine these systems into a short spoken and written exchange about health and needs.
Communication Scenario
You are not feeling well, or a friend is not feeling well. You describe the symptoms, say what you need, and talk about what you have to do or should do about it — for example, resting, calling a doctor, or missing a class or a shift at work.
- This chapter activates estar com, precisar, ter que, and dever for the first time, and introduces reflexive se only as a recognition item.
- Full reflexive verb conjugation remains outside this chapter's scope; here, sentir-se and similar forms are learned only as fixed formulas.
- You may invent your own symptom or situation if you prefer not to describe a real one.
Core Vocabulary
The following vocabulary supports describing basic symptoms, needs, and obligations at a beginner level.
| Portuguese | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| estar com dor de cabeça, dor de barriga, dor de garganta | to have a headache, a stomachache, a sore throat | formulaic estar com + noun |
| estar com febre, estar com tosse, estar com gripe | to have a fever, a cough, the flu | formulaic estar com + noun |
| estar cansado, estar cansada | to be tired | estar + adjective; agreement with subject |
| a cabeça, a barriga, a garganta, o corpo | the head, the stomach/belly, the throat, the body | feminine and masculine body nouns |
| precisar de | to need (something) | regular -ar verb + de before a noun |
| precisar | to need to (do something) | same verb + infinitive, no preposition before a verb |
| ter que | to have to | irregular ter + que + infinitive; strong obligation |
| dever | should, ought to | regular -er verb + infinitive; advice or softer obligation |
| descansar, tomar remédio, ir ao médico, marcar uma consulta | to rest, to take medicine, to go to the doctor, to make an appointment | common health-related actions |
| o médico, a médica, o hospital, a farmácia | the doctor, the hospital, the pharmacy | masculine and feminine forms for profession nouns |
| sentir-se bem, sentir-se mal | to feel well, to feel bad | reflexive formula; recognition only in this chapter |
| faltar ao trabalho, faltar à aula | to miss work, to miss class | common obligation-related expressions |
All nouns are listed with gender information where relevant. Diacritics must be preserved in every written use of this vocabulary.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
Use estar com plus a noun to describe a temporary physical state or symptom. This recycles estar from earlier chapters in a new formulaic pattern.
- Meu amigo está com febre. My friend has a fever.
- Nós estamos com fome e com sede. We are hungry and thirsty. (recycled from earlier vocabulary)
Estar com is a fixed formula for temporary physical and emotional states. Do not confuse it with ter alone, which you already use for possession and age.
Precisar changes its pattern depending on whether it is followed by a noun or a verb.
- Eu preciso de um médico. I need a doctor. precisar de + noun
- Eu preciso descansar hoje. I need to rest today. precisar + infinitive, no preposition
Use precisar de before a noun and precisar alone before an infinitive. Do not insert de before a verb.
Both ter que and dever express obligation, but they differ in strength.
- Eu tenho que ir ao médico amanhã. I have to go to the doctor tomorrow. ter que — strong, often necessary obligation
- Você deve descansar mais. You should rest more. dever — advice or softer obligation
Do not treat ter que and dever as interchangeable. Ter que presents an action as necessary or required; dever presents an action as advisable or recommended.
Some Portuguese verbs use a reflexive pronoun to show that the action affects the subject. You will see this in the fixed expressions sentir-se bem and sentir-se mal ("to feel well," "to feel bad"). In this chapter, treat these as whole formulas to recognize and understand, not as a system to build new sentences with. Eu não estou me sentindo bem. ("I'm not feeling well.") The full reflexive system develops later in the series.
Model Dialogue
Note estou com dor de cabeça, você precisa descansar, eu tenho que ir, você deve ligar, and eu não estou me sentindo bem together in this exchange — each pattern doing a distinct communicative job.
Guided Practice
- Reread the model dialogue and underline every use of estar com, precisar, ter que, and dever.
- Choose precisar de or precisar: Eu ______ um médico. / Ela ______ descansar. / Nós ______ de água.
- Choose ter que or dever: Amanhã eu ______ ir ao trabalho, mesmo doente. (obligatory) / Você ______ tomar mais água. (advice)
- Write one sentence describing a symptom, using estar com + a body-related noun.
Listening Task
If no audio recording is available, ask a partner, instructor, or text-to-speech tool to read the script below aloud, or read it aloud to yourself slowly.
- What symptoms does the speaker describe?
- What does the mother recommend?
- What will happen if the throat doesn't improve by tomorrow?
Speaking Task
Prática controlada — Controlled practice: three sentences
Say each sentence aloud: Estou com ______. (a symptom); Eu preciso ______. (something you need to do); Eu tenho que ______ / Eu devo ______. (an obligation or a piece of advice)
Tarefa comunicativa — Communicative task: describe and advise
With a partner, take turns describing a symptom using estar com, then give advice or state an obligation using precisar, ter que, or dever.
Prática individual — Solo alternative
Record yourself describing a time you did not feel well, what you needed, and what you had to do or should have done, using at least three of the four patterns from this chapter.
Reading Task
Uma mensagem para o professor
Bom dia, professor. Desculpe incomodar. Eu não estou me sentindo bem hoje. Estou com dor de barriga e um pouco de febre. Eu preciso descansar em casa e acho que tenho que faltar à aula. Eu devo ir ao médico se a febre não melhorar. Eu preciso do material da aula de hoje, se possível. Muito obrigado pela compreensão.
Notice estou com dor de barriga, eu preciso descansar, tenho que faltar, and devo ir ao médico in this message, all recycled naturally into a single written request.
Tarefa de leitura — Reading task:
- What symptoms does the student describe?
- What does the student say they have to do?
- What does the student ask the teacher for?
Writing Task
Complete the following linked writing tasks in order to build a short message about not feeling well.
Tarefa 1 — Symptom: Write one sentence describing a symptom using estar com.
Tarefa 2 — Need: Write one sentence using precisar de or precisar + infinitive.
Tarefa 3 — Obligation and advice: Write one sentence with ter que and one sentence with dever, keeping their meanings distinct.
Tarefa 4 — Full message: Combine Tarefas 1–3 into one short message of five to six sentences explaining that you are not feeling well, following the model of the Reading Task passage.
- Draft each section separately. Write the symptom, the need, and the obligation/advice sentences one at a time before combining them.
- Combine the sections into one message. Add a greeting at the start, recycled from Capítulo 1.
- Check precisar de vs. precisar. Confirm you used de before a noun and no preposition before a verb.
- Check ter que vs. dever. Confirm the verb matches strong obligation or softer advice.
- Check diacritics. Confirm that forms such as é, não, and médico keep their correct spelling.
Lista de revisão — Editing checklist:
- The message includes a greeting, a described symptom, a need, and an obligation or advice sentence.
- estar com is used correctly with a body-related or symptom noun.
- precisar de and precisar + infinitive are used correctly.
- ter que and dever are used for their distinct functions.
- All diacritics are preserved.
Culture and Communication
In many Brazilian workplaces and schools, it is common and expected to notify a supervisor or teacher directly when illness prevents attendance, often with a brief message like the one in this chapter's Reading Task. Home remedies such as chás (teas) are frequently mentioned alongside formal medical advice, without one replacing the other.
In Brazil, pharmacies (farmácias) commonly offer informal guidance for minor symptoms and sell many over-the-counter medications without a prescription, a pattern that differs from some other Lusophone countries and from parts of Europe and North America. This is general cultural information, not medical guidance, and specific practices vary by country, region, and pharmacy.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: Saying Você deve ir ao médico agora mesmo, é urgente! when the situation actually requires strong necessity rather than a recommendation.
Correction: Use ter que for strong or necessary obligation: Você tem que ir ao médico agora mesmo. Reserve dever for advice or softer recommendations: Você deve descansar mais esta semana.
Error: Writing Eu preciso de descansar instead of the correct pattern.
Correction: Use de only before a noun: Eu preciso de um remédio. Before an infinitive, drop de: Eu preciso descansar.
Error: Trying to attach se freely to other verbs, as if the full reflexive system were already active.
Correction: At this stage, recognize se only in the fixed formula sentir-se bem/mal. Broader reflexive verb production develops in later volumes.
Chapter Summary
O que você praticou — What you practiced
This chapter activated estar com for symptoms, precisar for needs, and ter que and dever for obligation and advice, while introducing reflexive se as a recognition item in sentir-se. You practiced these systems by describing symptoms, expressing needs, and giving or receiving advice across listening, speaking, reading, and writing tasks.
Chapter Review
Parte A — Compreensão (Comprehension)
1. Return to the Model Dialogue, and answer these short questions.
- What symptoms does Rafael describe?
- What does Marina suggest he do?
Parte B — Escrita (Writing)
1. Write one sentence each with estar com, precisar, ter que, and dever, keeping their meanings distinct.
2. Write one sentence using the recognition formula sentir-se bem or sentir-se mal.
Parte C — Leitura (Reading)
1. Return to the Uma mensagem para o professor passage in the Reading Task, and list the symptom, the need, and the obligation.
Parte D — Fala (Speaking)
1. Tell a partner about a time you did not feel well and what you needed to do, using at least two of the four patterns from this chapter.
Practical Performance Task
Chapter 14 Practical Check
Estou doente: Describing Symptoms, Needs, and Obligations
Complete the following connected tasks, in order, as one integrated performance.
- Read the Uma mensagem para o professor passage. Answer the comprehension questions above before continuing.
- Describe a symptom. Use estar com + a body-related noun.
- Express a need. Use precisar de or precisar + infinitive.
- Use both ter que and dever. Distinguish strong obligation from advice correctly.
- Include the recognition formula sentir-se. Use sentir-se bem or sentir-se mal as a fixed expression.
- Combine all steps into one spoken and written exchange about health and needs, applying the editing checklist from the Writing Task.
| Criterion | What is assessed |
|---|---|
| Symptoms | The learner uses estar com appropriately to describe a physical state. |
| Precisar | The learner distinguishes precisar de + noun from precisar + infinitive. |
| Ter que/dever | The learner distinguishes strong obligation from advice correctly. |
| Reflexive recognition | The learner uses sentir-se only as a fixed formula, without inventing new reflexive forms. |
| Message organization | The learner combines symptom, need, and obligation/advice into one coherent message. |
| Diacritics and spelling | The learner preserves diacritics throughout, including médico, não, and é. |
This checkpoint uses only material activated through Chapter 14.
Answer Key
Guided Practice
- Sample: estou com dor de cabeça, você precisa descansar, eu tenho que ir, você deve ligar — other correct identifications from the dialogue are also acceptable.
- preciso de / precisa / precisamos
- tenho que / deve
- Sample: Estou com dor de garganta. / Estou com febre. (other accurate sentences are also correct)
Listening Task — Comprehension
- The speaker has a sore throat, a bit of a cough, and feels very tired (estou com dor de garganta e um pouco de tosse).
- The mother recommends resting, drinking plenty of water, and maybe a hot tea (você deve tomar bastante água e talvez um chá quente).
- If the throat doesn't improve by tomorrow, the speaker has to go to the doctor (você tem que ir ao médico).
Reading Task
- The student has a stomachache and a slight fever; the student has to miss class and rest at home, and says they should go to the doctor if the fever doesn't improve; the student asks the teacher for today's class material.
Chapter Review
- Rafael has a headache and a bit of a fever; Marina suggests he rest, go to the pharmacy or call the doctor, and miss work.
- Sample: Estou com dor de cabeça. / Eu preciso descansar. / Eu tenho que ir ao médico. / Você deve tomar água. (other accurate sentences following the same patterns are also correct)
- Sample: Eu não estou me sentindo bem. (other accurate sentences are also correct)
Looking Ahead
O que você já sabe fazer — What you can do now
You can describe basic symptoms with estar com, express needs with precisar, distinguish strong obligation from advice with ter que and dever, and recognize the reflexive formula sentir-se.