Portuguese Phrase
Tenha à mão seu histórico médico e seus medicamentos atuais.
Meaning
The sentence advises someone to keep their medical history and current medications readily available, typically for emergencies or doctor visits. It emphasizes preparedness and organization of health information.
When to use
Use this phrase when reminding a patient, a caregiver, or a traveler to bring their health documents and medication list, especially before appointments, surgeries, or trips abroad.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tenhaàmãoseuhistóricomédicoeseusmedicamentosatuais
Imperative form
‘Tenha’ is the formal imperative of ‘ter’, used to give a polite command or suggestion.
Preposition ‘à’
‘à’ = a + a (contraction of the preposition ‘a’ and the feminine definite article ‘a’), meaning ‘at’ or ‘within’.
Possessive adjectives
‘seu’ and ‘seus’ agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify (histórico – singular, medicamentos – plural).
Adjective placement
Adjectives like ‘médico’ and ‘atuais’ usually follow the noun they describe in Portuguese.
🗨In Conversation
Você tem tudo pronto para a consulta?
Do you have everything ready for the appointment?
Sim, já deixei tudo aqui. Tenha à mão seu histórico médico e seus medicamentos atuais.
Yes, I’ve already left everything here. Keep your medical history and current medications handy.
✕Common Mistakes
Tenha a mão seu histórico médico...
Missing the preposition 'à' changes the meaning; 'à mão' means 'handy' or 'within reach'.
Tenha à mão seu histórico médico e seus medicamentos atuais.
If referring to a single person, use 'seu' for both items; avoid mixing singular/plural possessives.
↔Alternatives
Tenha seu histórico médico e medicamentos atuais à disposição.
Have your medical history and current medications available.
Mantenha seu prontuário e a lista de remédios atualizados e acessíveis.
Keep your medical record and medication list updated and accessible.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, it’s common for doctors to ask patients to bring a printed list of medications, especially if they see multiple specialists. Having a physical copy can speed up consultations and avoid prescription errors.