Portuguese Phrase
Como faço pra pedir licença médica?
Meaning
The sentence asks for the steps or procedure to request a medical leave from work or school. It is a practical, everyday question you might ask a HR representative, a supervisor, or a colleague who has already gone through the process.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to know the formal or informal steps to obtain a medical leave, whether you’re at a workplace, a university, or dealing with a public service that requires documentation of illness.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Comofaçoprapedirlicençamédica?
Como (question word)
‘Como’ means ‘how’ and introduces a question about the manner or method of doing something.
faço (first‑person present of fazer)
‘faço’ is the 1st person singular of the verb ‘fazer’ (to do/make). In questions it works like ‘do I …?’
pra (colloquial contraction of para)
‘pra’ is informal spoken Portuguese for ‘para’, meaning ‘to/for’. It is common in everyday speech but avoided in formal writing.
pedir (infinitive)
The infinitive ‘pedir’ means ‘to ask/request’. After ‘faço pra’, the infinitive expresses the action you want to perform.
licença médica (noun phrase)
‘licença’ = leave, ‘médica’ = medical. Together they refer to a period of time off work due to health reasons.
Question punctuation
In Portuguese the entire sentence, including the verb phrase, is enclosed by the opening (¿) and closing (?) question marks.
🗨In Conversation
Como faço pra pedir licença médica?
How do I go about requesting medical leave?
Você precisa levar o atestado ao RH e preencher o formulário de licença.
You need to bring the medical certificate to HR and fill out the leave form.
✕Common Mistakes
Como faço eu pra pedir licença médica?
The subject pronoun ‘eu’ is unnecessary because the verb conjugation already indicates the speaker.
Como faço para pedir licença médica?
‘Para’ is correct, but using ‘pra’ sounds more natural in spoken Brazilian Portuguese; avoid mixing formal ‘para’ with informal ‘faço’ in the same sentence.
Como faço pra pedir licença medica?
The adjective ‘médica’ needs an acute accent on the ‘e’ to keep the correct pronunciation.
↔Alternatives
Como solicito licença médica?
How do I request medical leave?
Qual o procedimento para pedir licença médica?
What is the procedure to ask for medical leave?
O que devo fazer para tirar licença médica?
What should I do to take medical leave?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, medical leave (licença médica) is regulated by the CLT (Consolidação das Leis do Trabalho) and by the INSS for public employees. Most companies require a doctor’s certificate (atestado) within 48 hours. In informal settings you might hear ‘prá’ instead of ‘para’, but in written requests it’s safer to use the full form. Also, be aware that some employers ask for a copy of the prescription, not just the certificate.