Falar sobre saúde e o hospital em português

Every week we send out an email with a weekly theme containing: words; a link to a Quizlet set to practise and play with the words; stories or dialogues at 3 different levels and an invitation to join the weekly chat group. Estava a pensar - I was thinking - that it would be good to put the content of this email online in an easy to access place for everyone to see, so thought I would revive the blog! ** If you’d like to sign up to the email, you can do so here.

This week’s theme is saúde e o hospital - health and hospital

We might want to chat about health and hopsital visits in European Portuguese.

Por exemplo - Preciso de tomar um antibiótico. Vou fazer análises amanhã. Estou de baixa porque tenho uma intoxicação alimentar. ( I need to take an antibiotic. I’m going to do blood tests tomorrow. I’m off work because I have food poisoning)

This week, we have some phrases about health and hospitals that may be useful.

baixar a febre - bring the fever down

tomar um antibiótico - take an antibiotic

fazer análises - do blood tests

fazer um raio X - take an X-ray, have an X-ray taken

fraturar um osso - fracture a bone

aliviar os sintomas - alleviate the symptoms

nariz entupido - blocked nose

tosse seca - dry cough

alergia ao pó - allergy to dust

nariz a pingar - runny nose

intoxicação alimentar - food poisoning

garganta inflamada - swollen throat

estar de baixo - to be off work sick

ter alta de hospital - to be discharged from hospital

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the phrases for you to play about with. Enjoy!

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

The stories for this week with the translations below are here:

A1 – No centro de saúde (125 palavras)

A Ana não se sente bem. Tem nariz entupido, tosse seca e garganta inflamada. Ela vai ao centro de saúde. Na receção, a enfermeira pergunta:
— Tem febre?
— Sim, um pouco — responde a Ana.
O médico mede a temperatura e diz que precisa de baixar a febre. Ele recomenda descanso, muita água e um xarope para aliviar os sintomas. Também diz para não ir trabalhar, e deve estar de baixo. A Ana liga ao chefe e explica a situação. Depois vai para casa, bebe chá com mel e descansa no sofá. Sente-se cansada, mas sabe que vai melhorar em breve.

A2 – Uma visita ao hospital (140 palavras)

O João joga futebol todos os fins de semana. Um sábado, cai no campo e sente uma dor forte na perna. Vai ao hospital, onde o médico decide fazer um raio X. A enfermeira ajuda-o a sentar-se e pergunta se tem dores. O resultado mostra que ele fraturou um osso. O médico coloca um gesso e explica que vai precisar de algumas semanas de recuperação. O João tem de estar de baixo durante esse tempo e tomar analgésicos para aliviar os sintomas. A família visita-o em casa e leva-lhe livros e filmes. Depois de algum tempo, o médico confirma que está melhor e o João fica feliz por tirar o gesso e poder voltar a jogar futebol com os amigos.

B1 – Um caso de intoxicação alimentar (145 palavras)

A Rita regressa de um jantar num restaurante novo e, algumas horas depois, começa a sentir-se muito mal. Tem dores de estômago, náuseas e febre alta. Vai às urgências e o médico suspeita de intoxicação alimentar. Para confirmar, decide tirar sangue e fazer alguns exames. Enquanto espera pelos resultados, a Rita recebe soro e medicamentos para baixar a febre e aliviar os sintomas. O médico explica que provavelmente comeu algo estragado e que precisa de tomar um antibiótico durante alguns dias. Ela fica internada uma noite, mas no dia seguinte sente-se melhor e tem alta do hospital. Em casa, descansa e promete escolher com mais cuidado onde comer. Apesar da má experiência, ficou aliviada por ter sido apenas uma infeção passageira.

Translations of the stories:

A1 – At the health centre

Ana doesn’t feel well. She has a blocked nose, dry cough, and a swollen throat. She goes to the health centre. At reception, the nurse asks:
 — Do you have a fever?
 — Yes, a little — Ana replies.
 The doctor takes her temperature and says she needs to bring the fever down. He recommends rest, plenty of water, and some syrup to alleviate the symptoms. He also says she shouldn’t go to work and she must be off sick. Ana calls her boss and explains the situation. Then she goes home, drinks tea with honey, and rests on the sofa. She feels tired but knows she’ll get better soon.

A2 – A visit to the hospital

João plays football every weekend. One Saturday, he falls on the pitch and feels a sharp pain in his leg. He goes to the hospital, where the doctor decides to have an X-ray taken. The nurse helps him sit down and asks if he’s in pain. The result shows he has fractured a bone. The doctor puts on a cast and explains that he’ll need a few weeks to recover. João has to be off work sick during that time and take painkillers to alleviate the symptoms. His family visits him at home and brings books and films. After a while, the doctor confirms he’s better, and João is happy to take off the cast and return to playing football with his friends.

B1 – A case of food poisoning

Rita comes back from dinner at a new restaurant and, a few hours later, starts feeling very unwell. She has stomach pains, nausea, and a high fever. She goes to A&E, and the doctor suspects food poisoning. To confirm, he decides to take blood and run some tests. While she waits for the results, Rita is given fluids and medicine to bring the fever down and alleviate the symptoms. The doctor explains that she probably ate something spoiled and needs to take an antibiotic for a few days. She stays in hospital overnight, but the next day feels better and is discharged. At home, she rests and promises to choose restaurants more carefully. Despite the bad experience, she’s relieved it was only a minor infection.