Portuguese Phrase
Que sintomas tens?
Meaning
Literally, 'What symptoms do you have?'. It is used to ask someone about the health problems they are experiencing, usually in a medical or caring context.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to check on someone's health – in a doctor's office, when a friend feels unwell, or when you are filling out a health questionnaire. It is informal because it uses the 'tu' form, so reserve it for people you know well or in regions where 'tu' is the norm.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Quesintomastens?
Que (interrogative)
Used to ask 'what' and introduces a question about a noun.
sintomas (noun, plural)
Means 'symptoms'; it is a masculine plural noun, so the article would be 'os' in a statement.
tens (2nd person singular of ter)
The verb 'ter' (to have) conjugated for 'tu'. In Portugal this is the informal form; in Brazil it would be 'você tem'.
Word order
With 'Que' the noun comes before the verb (Que + noun + verb), no inversion is needed.
🗨In Conversation
Que sintomas tens?
What symptoms do you have?
Tenho febre e dor de cabeça.
I have a fever and a headache.
✕Common Mistakes
Que sintoma tens?
The noun should be plural because you are asking about multiple possible symptoms.
Que sintomas tem?
Using 'tem' mixes the formal 'você' conjugation with the informal 'tu' pronoun; stick to 'tens' for informal speech.
Que tens sintomas?
Word order is reversed; after 'Que' the noun comes before the verb.
↔Alternatives
Quais são os teus sintomas?
What are your symptoms?
O que estás a sentir?
What are you feeling?
Que sintomas tem?
What symptoms do you have? (formal)
Cultural Tip
In Portugal the informal 'tu' is common among friends and family, so 'Que sintomas tens?' sounds natural in a casual setting. In Brazil the same idea would usually be expressed with the formal 'você' – 'Que sintomas você tem?'. Always consider the register: switch to 'tem' if you are speaking to a stranger, a patient you don't know well, or in a professional medical environment.