Portuguese Phrase
Tenho um check-up geral.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘I have a general check‑up.’ It is used to tell someone that you are scheduled for a routine medical examination that covers overall health, not a specific problem.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to inform a friend, colleague, or health professional that you are going for a routine health assessment, usually before or after the appointment, or when discussing preventive health habits.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tenhoumcheck-upgeral
Ter (presente do indicativo)
‘Tenho’ is the first‑person singular present of the verb ‘ter’, meaning ‘to have’.
Indefinite article ‘um’
‘um’ is the masculine singular indefinite article, used before a masculine noun.
Borrowed noun ‘check‑up’
‘check‑up’ is an English loanword pronounced with Portuguese phonology; it functions as a masculine noun.
Adjective agreement
‘geral’ is an adjective that agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies (masculine singular).
🗨In Conversation
Você tem algum compromisso hoje?
Do you have any appointment today?
Sim, tenho um check-up geral às 10h.
Yes, I have a general check‑up at 10 a.m.
✕Common Mistakes
Tem um check-up geral.
‘Tem’ is the third‑person singular form; you need the first‑person ‘tenho’ to say ‘I have’.
Tenho um cheque‑up geral.
The loanword is written ‘check‑up’, not ‘cheque‑up’, which mixes Portuguese spelling with English.
Tenho um check-up geralmente.
‘Geralmente’ means ‘generally’; the adjective ‘geral’ is required to modify ‘check‑up’.
↔Alternatives
Vou fazer um exame de rotina.
I’m going to have a routine exam.
Tenho uma avaliação médica completa.
I have a complete medical evaluation.
Preciso passar por um check-up geral.
I need to go through a general check‑up.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, a ‘check‑up geral’ is a common preventive practice, especially for people over 40 or those with a family history of disease. It usually includes blood tests, blood pressure measurement, and basic physical exams. The phrase is informal but perfectly acceptable in both casual conversation and when speaking with health‑care staff.