Portuguese Phrase
Meu filho tá doente.
Meaning
A speaker is informing someone that their son is currently ill. The sentence is informal because of the contraction ‘tá’, which is common in everyday Brazilian Portuguese.
When to use
Use this phrase when talking to friends, family, or a casual acquaintance about your child's health. In a medical setting or with someone you don’t know well, switch to the full form ‘Meu filho está doente.’
✦Grammar Breakdown
Meufilhotádoente
Possessive adjective (Meu)
‘Meu’ agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies; here it is masculine singular to match ‘filho’.
Noun (filho)
‘Filho’ means ‘son’; it is masculine singular, so the possessive stays ‘meu’.
Colloquial ‘tá’ (está)
‘Tá’ is the informal spoken contraction of the verb ‘estar’ (to be) in the third‑person singular present.
Adjective (doente)
‘Doente’ means ‘sick/ill’; it follows the verb ‘estar’ and does not change for gender or number.
🗨In Conversation
Meu filho tá doente.
My son is sick.
Sinto muito. Ele precisa ir ao médico?
I’m sorry. Does he need to see a doctor?
✕Common Mistakes
Meu filho é doente.
‘É’ (ser) describes permanent traits; use ‘está’ for temporary conditions like illness.
Meu filho ta doente.
The accent is required; without it the word changes meaning (or becomes a typo).
Meu filho tá doente.
Make sure the gender matches the child you’re referring to; ‘filha’ means ‘daughter’.
↔Alternatives
Meu filho está doente.
My son is sick.
Meu filho está enfermo.
My son is ill.
Meu filho está mal.
My son is not well.
Meu filho tem febre.
My son has a fever.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, ‘tá’ is the everyday spoken form of ‘está’ and is perfectly natural among friends and family. However, in formal contexts—such as speaking with a doctor, a teacher, or in written communication—you should use the full verb form ‘está’. Also, ‘doente’ is the standard adjective for ‘sick’; ‘enfermo’ is understood but less common in casual speech.