Breakdown of Se eu tiver febre de novo, vou ligar para a médica.
eu
I
ter
to have
ir
to go (future auxiliary)
se
if
ligar para
to call
de novo
again
a febre
the fever
a médica
the doctor
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Questions & Answers about Se eu tiver febre de novo, vou ligar para a médica.
Why is it tiver and not tenho or tiver with a different ending?
Because after se (if) when you’re talking about a possible future situation, Portuguese typically uses the future subjunctive.
- Se eu tiver febre de novo = If I (happen to) have a fever again (in the future)
The verb ter (to have) in the future subjunctive is: eu tiver, você/ele tiver, nós tivermos, vocês/eles tiverem.
So what tense is vou ligar? Is it the future tense?
Vou ligar is the near future / “going to” future: ir (present) + infinitive.
- vou ligar = I’m going to call / I will call
It’s extremely common in Brazilian Portuguese and often preferred over the simple future ligarei (which sounds more formal).
Could I also say Se eu tiver febre de novo, ligarei para a médica?
Yes, that’s grammatically correct. Ligarei is the simple future and is more formal or written. In everyday speech, Brazilians usually choose vou ligar.
Why is it ligar para and not ligar a?
In Brazilian Portuguese, the most common pattern for “to call (someone)” is ligar para + person:
- ligar para a médica = to call the doctor
You may also see ligar pra (spoken contraction). In some contexts ligar a can appear, but ligar para is the safer, more natural choice in Brazil.
What’s the difference between para a médica and pra médica?
Meaning-wise, they’re the same.
- para a médica = standard / more careful
- pra médica = very common spoken contraction of para a
In writing (especially formal writing), para a is preferred.
Why is there an article a in para a médica? Could it be without it?
Portuguese often uses a definite article before professions when referring to a specific person.
- a médica = the (female) doctor (a particular doctor)
You can drop the article in some situations (especially after certain verbs or in more generic statements), but here para a médica sounds natural because it implies a specific doctor you’ll call.
Does a médica mean the doctor is definitely female?
Yes. médica is feminine. If the doctor is male, you’d say:
- o médico
If you don’t know the doctor’s gender, people often default to o médico (traditional generic) or rephrase (e.g., a pessoa médica is uncommon; more natural would be something like vou ligar para o consultório / para a clínica depending on context).
How do I pronounce médica and febre in Brazilian Portuguese?
Approximate pronunciations (Brazil):
- médica: MEH-djee-kah (the di often sounds like jee in many regions)
- febre: FEH-bree (final e often sounds like ee)
What does de novo mean here, and where can it go in the sentence?
de novo means again. It commonly goes after what it modifies:
- Se eu tiver febre de novo = If I get/have a fever again
You could move it for emphasis, but this placement is very natural.
Can I replace de novo with novamente?
Yes.
- de novo = more conversational / everyday
- novamente = a bit more formal or “written” sounding
Both mean again.
Is Se eu tiver febre more like “if I have a fever” or “if I get a fever”?
It can cover both depending on context. Portuguese uses ter febre for the state of having a fever, but in an “if” future scenario it often implies if I end up with a fever / if I get a fever again. If you want to stress “get,” you might also hear Se eu ficar com febre... (very common in Brazil).
Why is there a comma after de novo?
It separates the if-clause from the main clause, which is standard punctuation:
- Se X, Y.
In informal messages people sometimes skip it, but in standard writing the comma is expected.
Could I say vou telefonar instead of vou ligar?
Yes. Telefonar is understood everywhere, but ligar is usually more common and casual in Brazil.
- vou ligar para a médica = very natural spoken Brazilian Portuguese
- vou telefonar para a médica = slightly more formal / neutral