saúde
/saˈu.d͡ʒi/
The English word "health" is translated into Portuguese as saúde.
saúde is the most common and standard way to say "health" in Portuguese. For more specific medical contexts, such as referring to a person's specific health condition, you may use condição de saúde.
Meaning: state of being free of physical or psychological disease, illness, or malfunction (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cape Verde, the word força may be used to convey a message of well-being.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the expression "good for the health", the preposition a often contracts with the article a to form à, resulting in the phrase à saúde.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable. It is pronounced /saˈu.dʒi/.
When do people say it?
In informal social settings, Saúde! is used as a toast when drinking, functioning similarly to "Cheers!" in English.
Did you know?
- Because it comes from the Latin 'salutem', the Portuguese word saúde is a linguistic cousin to the English word 'salute', though they carry very different social meanings today.
- While saúde is the standard toast, Brazilians often use tim-tim, which mimics the sound of glasses clinking.
- The Portuguese word saúde shares the same ancient root as the English word 'whole', stemming from the Proto-Indo-European root *solh₂- which meant 'complete' or 'undamaged'.
Examples in context
- Cuide da sua saúde.Take care of your health.This sentence demonstrates how to use saúde when advising someone to take care of themselves.Tatoeba #891366 by brauliobezerra, translation #238962 by CK
- É bom para a saúde.It's good for your health.This sentence shows how to describe something being good for one's saúde.Tatoeba #996650 by alexmarcelo, translation #794925 by shekitten
- Nadar faz bem à saúde.Swimming is good for your health.This sentence illustrates how to say a specific activity is beneficial to your saúde.Tatoeba #868805 by alexmarcelo, translation #270880 by CK
- Eu desejo muita saúde para você e sua família.I wish you and your family good health.
- Manter o bem-estar é essencial para uma vida equilibrada.Maintaining well-being is essential for a balanced life.
- O médico avaliou sua condição de saúde e prescreveu o tratamento adequado.The doctor assessed your health condition and prescribed the appropriate treatment.
- 394 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their lifestyle choices at a park.
- GabrielA sua saúde é muito importante.Your health is very important.
- CamilaEu sei, por isso eu corro todo dia.I know, that is why I run every day.
- GabrielIsso é ótimo para manter a saúde.That is great for maintaining health.
- CamilaObrigada pelo conselho, Gabriel.Thanks for the advice, Gabriel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “health” translations and entries saúde, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries saúde, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
