passar mal
to feel sick
Littéralement: to pass badly
Use it for sudden physical discomfort, like nausea or dizziness, to get immediate help or explain an exit.
En 15 secondes
- Used for sudden physical sickness like nausea or dizziness.
- Works in both formal and informal social settings.
- Not for long-term illnesses like a cold or flu.
Signification
It is the go-to way to say you are feeling physically unwell, whether you have a stomachache, dizziness, or just feel like you might faint.
Exemples clés
3 sur 6At a restaurant after a heavy meal
Acho que o camarão não estava bom, estou passando mal.
I think the shrimp wasn't good, I'm feeling sick.
In a crowded, hot subway car
Está muito quente aqui, sinto que vou passar mal.
It's very hot in here, I feel like I'm going to faint.
In a formal business meeting
Peço desculpas, mas não estou bem e comecei a passar mal.
I apologize, but I'm not well and I've started to feel sick.
Contexte culturel
In Brazil, 'passar mal' is often associated with 'queda de pressão' (a drop in blood pressure), a very common cultural explanation for feeling faint in the heat. It is a phrase that often prompts an immediate offer of 'água com açúcar' (sugar water), a traditional Brazilian home remedy for nerves or feeling unwell.
The Sugar Water Cure
If you tell a Brazilian 'estou passando mal', don't be surprised if they offer you 'água com açúcar'. It's the local placebo for everything from nerves to dizziness!
Not for the Flu
Avoid using this for a common cold or the flu. Use 'estou doente' or 'estou gripado' instead. 'Passar mal' is for sudden 'episodes'.
En 15 secondes
- Used for sudden physical sickness like nausea or dizziness.
- Works in both formal and informal social settings.
- Not for long-term illnesses like a cold or flu.
What It Means
Passar mal is your universal 'I don't feel good' card. It covers everything from a sudden dizzy spell to a full-blown food poisoning episode. It describes a physical transition from feeling fine to feeling sick. Think of it as your body hitting the 'emergency' button.
How To Use It
You use it like a regular verb. If you ate too much feijoada, you say eu passei mal. If you see someone looking pale, ask você está passando mal?. It is incredibly flexible. It works for nausea, heatstroke, or even low blood pressure. It is the perfect 'catch-all' phrase for physical distress.
When To Use It
Use it at a restaurant if the shrimp tastes suspicious. Use it in a meeting if the room is too hot and you feel faint. It is perfect for texting a friend to cancel plans. It sounds natural in almost any setting. If you are at the gym and overdo it, this is the phrase you need.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use it for a long-term illness like the flu or a cold. For those, use estou doente. Passar mal is usually for sudden, acute feelings of sickness. Also, do not use it for emotional sadness. If your heart is broken, you are triste, not passando mal (unless you are literally nauseous from the drama).
Cultural Background
Brazilians are very expressive about physical well-being. If you say passei mal, people will immediately offer you water or a place to sit. It is a phrase that triggers instant empathy. In some regions, it is also used hyperbolically. You might 'passar mal' from laughing too hard at a joke. It shows how much something affected your physical state.
Common Variations
You might hear passar mal de rir for laughing uncontrollably. Another common one is passar muito mal, which adds emphasis. If it is about food, people often say me caiu mal. But passar mal remains the king of these expressions. It is simple, effective, and understood by everyone from Porto Alegre to Manaus.
Notes d'usage
The phrase is neutral and safe for all contexts. Remember that 'passar' is the verb being conjugated, so it changes based on time (passei, passava, passarei) and person.
The Sugar Water Cure
If you tell a Brazilian 'estou passando mal', don't be surprised if they offer you 'água com açúcar'. It's the local placebo for everything from nerves to dizziness!
Not for the Flu
Avoid using this for a common cold or the flu. Use 'estou doente' or 'estou gripado' instead. 'Passar mal' is for sudden 'episodes'.
Hyperbole is Key
You can use it to describe being overwhelmed by something good, like 'passar mal de tanta beleza' (sick from so much beauty).
Exemples
6Acho que o camarão não estava bom, estou passando mal.
I think the shrimp wasn't good, I'm feeling sick.
Focuses on immediate digestive discomfort.
Está muito quente aqui, sinto que vou passar mal.
It's very hot in here, I feel like I'm going to faint.
Used here to indicate feeling faint or dizzy.
Peço desculpas, mas não estou bem e comecei a passar mal.
I apologize, but I'm not well and I've started to feel sick.
A polite way to excuse oneself from a professional setting.
Amiga, não vou conseguir ir. Passei mal a noite toda.
Friend, I won't be able to go. I was sick all night.
Common way to explain an absence due to health.
Para com isso! Estou passando mal de tanto rir!
Stop it! I'm dying of laughter!
A hyperbolic, non-literal use of the phrase.
Meu filho passou mal depois do treino de futebol.
My son felt sick after soccer practice.
Expressing concern about someone else's physical state.
Teste-toi
Choose the correct form to say you felt sick yesterday.
Ontem eu ___ depois do jantar.
Since the sentence starts with 'Ontem' (Yesterday), you need the past tense 'passei'.
Complete the sentence for someone currently feeling dizzy.
Você está pálido. Você está ___?
The auxiliary verb 'está' requires the gerund 'passando' to describe a current state.
🎉 Score : /2
Aides visuelles
Formality of 'Passar Mal'
Telling a friend you ate too much.
Tô passando mal, cara.
Standard use in most daily situations.
Eu passei mal no ônibus.
Excusing yourself from a meeting.
Licença, estou passando mal.
When to use 'Passar Mal'
Food Poisoning
Comi algo ruim.
Extreme Heat
Muito sol na praia.
Intense Laughter
Rindo de uma piada.
Dizziness/Fainting
Pressão baixou.
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsUsually, no. For a headache, say estou com dor de cabeça. Passar mal implies a more general body discomfort or nausea.
Not quite. Estar doente means you have an illness (like the flu). Passar mal means you are currently experiencing a physical crisis or feeling unwell.
Not at all. It is a polite and clear way to explain that you need to leave for health reasons without giving too much detail.
They are very similar, but passar mal sounds more like a sudden event, while me sentir mal can sometimes refer to feeling guilty or emotionally bad.
No, if you are just tired, use estou cansado. Use passar mal only if you feel physically sick or faint.
You use the past tense: Eu passei mal ontem. It's a very common way to explain why you missed an event.
No, it can mean nausea, dizziness, or just a general feeling that you might collapse. It's vague on purpose.
In some regions, people might say dar um teto preto, which specifically refers to the moment your vision goes dark before fainting.
Yes! If you are on a boat and feeling nauseous, estou passando mal is the perfect phrase.
It means to laugh so hard that your stomach hurts or you can't breathe. It's a very common hyperbolic expression.
Expressions liées
Estar enjoado
To feel nauseous
Ter um mal-estar
To have a general feeling of being unwell
Desmaiar
To faint
Cair mal
When food doesn't sit well with you
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