Portuguese Vocabulary: Healthcare and Sexual Health

The Healthcare System

SNS — Serviço Nacional de Saúde — the National Health Service. Free at point of use for residents and EHIC holders.

Utente — "User" — effectively your patient status within the SNS. You have a número de utente (utente number), which is your SNS identifier.

Número de utente — your SNS number. Needed for free public healthcare. If you live in Portugal, you get this at the Centro de Saúde. Tourists use their EHIC.

EHIC — European Health Insurance Card — gives EU/EEA citizens access to medically necessary SNS care at the same terms as Portuguese nationals.

Médico de Família — family doctor / GP. Your assigned primary care doctor within the SNS. Not all Portuguese residents have one assigned — waiting lists for Médico de Família allocation are long in some areas.

Centro de Saúde — local health centre / GP surgery. Where your Médico de Família is based. Also where you access vaccinations, basic screening, and referrals.

Especialista — specialist. You usually need a referência (referral) from the Médico de Família to see one, though GAT/CheckpointLX can refer you directly.

Doenças Infecciosas — Infectious Diseases — the hospital department that handles PrEP, PEP, and HIV care.

Dermatovenereologia — Dermatology and Venereology — another department at some hospitals that handles STI care and PrEP.

Farmácia Hospitalar — hospital pharmacy — where PrEP is dispensed (not at street pharmacies).

Farmácia — street pharmacy / chemist.

Urgência — emergency department / A&E. Where you go for PEP.

Triagem — triage — the initial assessment process in Urgência.

Key Medical Terms

VIH — HIV (Vírus da Imunodeficiência Humana)

IST — Sexually transmitted infection (Infeção Sexualmente Transmissível). "STI" in Portuguese.

PPE — PEP (Profilaxia Pós-Exposição). Note that the Portuguese acronym for post-exposure prophylaxis is PPE, not PEP. Staff will understand "PEP" but the official term is PPE.

PrEP — same term as in English (Profilaxia Pré-Exposição)

Gonorreia — gonorrhoea

Clamídia — chlamydia

Sífilis — syphilis

Hepatite — hepatitis

Anticorpos — antibodies

Resultado — result

Análises — blood/lab tests

Swab Terms — Important for Three-Site Testing

Gay and bisexual men need swabs from three sites. These are the terms to use:

Zaragatoa — swab (the instrument and the test)

Zaragatoa faríngea — throat swab (for gonorrhoea and chlamydia in the throat). You may also hear zaragatoa da garganta.

Zaragatoa retal — rectal swab (for gonorrhoea and chlamydia in the rectum). You may also hear zaragatoa anal.

Zaragatoa uretral — urethral swab (for gonorrhoea and chlamydia in the urethra).

Colheita de urina — urine sample. This alone is not sufficient for a full STI screen — it will miss throat and rectal infections.

Key Phrases

At testing: "Quero fazer um rastreio completo de ISTs, incluindo zaragatoas faríngea, retal e uretral." "I want a complete STI screen, including throat, rectal, and urethral swabs."

"Tenho relações sexuais anais receptivas e orais regularmente." "I regularly have receptive anal sex and oral sex." (Establishes clinical context for three-site testing)

At Urgência for PEP: "Tive uma exposição de risco ao VIH e preciso de profilaxia pós-exposição." "I had a risk exposure to HIV and I need post-exposure prophylaxis."

"Preciso de PEP para o VIH — foi há menos de 72 horas." "I need PEP for HIV — it was less than 72 hours ago."

For PrEP: "Quero iniciar a PrEP. Tenho fatores de risco elevado." "I want to start PrEP. I have high-risk factors."

"Podem encaminhar-me para Doenças Infecciosas para iniciar a PrEP?" "Can you refer me to Infectious Diseases to start PrEP?"

For vaccines: "Gostaria de me vacinar contra o Mpox / hepatite A / hepatite B." "I would like to be vaccinated against Mpox / hepatitis A / hepatitis B."

"Enquadro-me nos grupos de risco para a vacinação." "I fall within the risk groups for vaccination."

General: "Não falo bem português — há alguém que fale inglês?" "I don't speak Portuguese well — is there someone who speaks English?"

Emergency Numbers

Number	Service
112	Emergency services (ambulance, police, fire)
808 24 24 24	SNS 24 — health advice line (24h)
218 870 025	CheckpointLX (GAT Lisbon)