Ask a Doctor or Pharmacist How to Take Medicine in Portuguese — Practice
A guided practice lesson with English explanations, Brazilian Portuguese examples, and answers you can check. Read the examples, recall the meaning, then say a version of your own.
Show the label and ask for an explanation
A medication label can contain unfamiliar abbreviations or timing instructions. Show the package or written prescription to a qualified professional and ask them to explain the directions for that specific medicine.
Use como devo tomar? (how should I take it?) to open the conversation. Avoid relying on a translation app alone when a dose or instruction is unclear.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Você pode me explicar esta orientação, por favor? | Could you explain this instruction to me, please? |
| Como devo tomar este medicamento? | How should I take this medicine? |
| Pode escrever a orientação para eu conferir depois? | Could you write down the instruction so I can check it later? |
Confirm the timing and wording you heard
If you heard a number or time but are unsure, repeat it back as a question. Ask whether the instruction refers to a time of day, a meal, or another detail that appears on your prescription.
This is a language guide, not a medication recommendation. Follow the instructions from the professional responsible for your care and ask them to resolve any ambiguity.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Entendi que está escrito duas vezes ao dia. Está correto? | I understood that it says twice a day. Is that correct? |
| Preciso tomar com comida ou isso não está indicado? | Do I need to take it with food, or is that not specified? |
| Por quantos dias devo seguir esta orientação? | For how many days should I follow this instruction? |
Ask what to do if you missed or misunderstood a direction
If you missed an instruction or cannot read part of the label, say exactly which part is unclear. Ask the professional what to do instead of doubling, skipping, or changing a dose based on a guess.
Bring the package or a photo of the label when you ask a follow-up question. The name and strength printed on the package can help the professional identify what you mean.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Não entendi o que devo fazer se esquecer um horário. | I didn’t understand what I should do if I miss a dose time. |
| Esta parte da receita está difícil de ler. | This part of the prescription is difficult to read. |
| Você pode confirmar se o nome do medicamento é este? | Could you confirm whether this is the name of the medicine? |
Check how to contact the clinic or pharmacy again
Before leaving, ask how to reach the clinic or pharmacy if you need the directions clarified later. Keep the phone number and written instructions with the medication packaging.
If you have a new or worsening health concern, contact a qualified healthcare professional or local emergency service as appropriate; a language phrase cannot replace personal medical guidance.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Qual telefone devo usar se tiver outra dúvida? | Which phone number should I use if I have another question? |
| A farmácia pode conferir esta receita comigo? | Can the pharmacy review this prescription with me? |
| Vou guardar a orientação junto com a embalagem. | I’ll keep the instructions with the package. |
Remember: Ask the healthcare professional to explain the exact written directions, then repeat the key details back for confirmation.
Check your understanding
Choose the English meaning of each Portuguese example. Answer before looking back at the tables. These questions check the written examples in this guide; they are not a listening or proficiency test.
Recall the Portuguese, then say it
Read the English prompt and say a Portuguese version before opening the answer. The answer shows the example from the lesson; other natural translations may also work. Compare the meaning and the situation rather than counting a different word as automatically wrong.
Could you explain this instruction to me, please?
Show a Portuguese answer
Você pode me explicar esta orientação, por favor?
How should I take this medicine?
Show a Portuguese answer
Como devo tomar este medicamento?
Could you write down the instruction so I can check it later?
Show a Portuguese answer
Pode escrever a orientação para eu conferir depois?
I understood that it says twice a day. Is that correct?
Show a Portuguese answer
Entendi que está escrito duas vezes ao dia. Está correto?
Do I need to take it with food, or is that not specified?
Show a Portuguese answer
Preciso tomar com comida ou isso não está indicado?
For how many days should I follow this instruction?
Show a Portuguese answer
Por quantos dias devo seguir esta orientação?
Make the phrase useful to you
Choose one example you could actually use. Say it once from memory, then change one detail that fits your life, such as the person, place, time, or object. Check whether your change also needs a different verb form, article, or adjective ending. If it does, compare it with the pattern in the explanation.
Ask the healthcare professional to explain the exact written directions, then repeat the key details back for confirmation.
Return to two prompts tomorrow without opening the answers first. If a phrase still feels difficult, shorten it to a useful chunk and build the complete sentence again.
Sources and your next lesson
This I Speak Portuguese practice guide builds on our Ask a Doctor or Pharmacist How to Take Medicine in Portuguese lesson on Real Life Portuguese, with written recall tasks and additional speaking practice. The explanations and examples are teaching material; the practice questions are exercises, not a transcript of a recording.
To add Brazilian audio to your routine, choose a lesson in the Real Life Portuguese app. The app offers its own lessons and practice; this page does not imply that every example here has an app recording.
Browse all learning guides
