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How to Say ‘How long have you had this pain?’ in Portuguese

Há quanto tempo tem essa dor?

ah KWAHN-too TEM-poo tayng EH-sah dor

[ah KWAHN-too TEM-poo tayng EH-sah dor]

Phrase Breakdown

Há quanto tempo

ah KWAHN-too TEM-poo

How long

Asks about duration. The 'h' is silent: 'a KWAN-tu TEN-pu'.

Example

Há quanto tempo está doente?

How long have you been ill?

Words in this phrase

Há

[ah]

for (time duration)

Used with time to say how long something has lasted.

Example

Moro aqui há dois anos.

I've lived here for two years.

quanto

[KWAHN-too]

how much / how long

With 'tempo' it asks about duration.

Example

Há quanto tempo mora aqui?

How long have you lived here?

tempo

[TEM-poo]

time

Refers to the other person's availability or minutes spent with you.

Example

Agradeci o «tempo» que dedicou à nossa conversa.

I thanked the “time” that you dedicated to our conversation.

tem essa dor?

tayng EH-sah dor

have you had that pain?

Portuguese uses the present tense here, not the past. Let your voice rise for the question.

Example

Tem essa dor à noite?

Do you have that pain at night?

Words in this phrase

tem

[tayng]

you have (formal)

Form of 'ter' (to have) used with 'você' or the polite third person to address a stranger.

Example

O senhor tem um carro bonito.

You have a nice car, sir.

essa

[EH-sah]

that

"Essa" is a feminine demonstrative meaning that, referring to something near the listener or already mentioned.

Example

Essa oportunidade parece interessante para a tua carreira.

That opportunity seems interesting for your career.

dor

[dor]

pain

Feminine noun for pain or ache.

Example

Tenho uma dor nas costas.

I have a pain in my back.

Guides for Portuguese learners

The Portuguese You Actually Need in Your First Month in PortugalThe European Portuguese phrases for your first weeks in Portugal: paperwork, renting a flat, the bank, the health centre, cafés, trains and your new neighbours.

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