Breakdown of O utente não consegue encontrar a senha.
não
not / no
encontrar
to find
conseguir
to manage / to get / obtain
o utente
the user / the patient (of a public service)
a senha
the queue ticket / the password (e.g. PIN)
Questions & Answers about O utente não consegue encontrar a senha.
Why is utente translated as 'patient' here instead of paciente?
In Portugal, utente literally means 'user' (someone who uses a service). In the Portuguese healthcare system, it is the standard administrative term for a 'patient'. While you will also hear doente (sick person) or paciente, utente is the word you will see on official documents and hear from clinic receptionists.
Why use consegue instead of pode for 'cannot'?
The verb conseguir focuses on the ability or success in doing something (managing to do it). Here, the patient is physically trying to locate the ticket but failing. Poder is mostly used for permission or general possibility. When translating 'can' or 'cannot' in the sense of 'managing to', always use conseguir.
I thought senha meant 'password'. Why does it mean 'queue ticket' here?
You are right that senha translates to 'password' for things like email or bank accounts. However, in everyday life in Portugal, it is also the standard word for the numbered paper ticket you pull from a machine to wait your turn at places like pharmacies, hospitals, or the post office.
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