How do you say "If it's not possible." in Portuguese?

"If it's not possible." in Portuguese is "Se não der.". This phrase is commonly used in Portugal.

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How to Say ‘If it's not possible.’ in Portuguese

Q: What does "Se não der." mean in English?

"Se não der." means "If it's not possible." in English. Usage tip: [Dar] often gets used where English would say "work" or "be possible." So [se não der] is literally "if it doesn't give," but in real use it means "if it doesn't work" or "if it's not possible."

Se não der.

suh nowng dair

[suh nowng dair]

💬 Usage Tip: [Dar] often gets used where English would say "work" or "be possible." So [se não der] is literally "if it doesn't give," but in real use it means "if it doesn't work" or "if it's not possible."

Phrase Breakdown

[suh]

Used to introduce a condition.

Example

Se houver trânsito, avise-me antes.

If there is traffic, let me know first.

Não der

nowng dair

Doesn't work / isn't possible

From dar in a conditional sense; used to mean if it does not work out.

Example

Se não der, voltamos amanhã.

If it doesn't work, we'll come back tomorrow.

Words in this phrase

não

[nowng]

not

Negates the following verb.

Example

Se não der para parar em frente, tudo bem.

If it's not possible to stop in front, that's fine.

der

[dair]

works out, is possible

Shows whether something can be done in the situation.

Example

Se não der para chegar à porta, deixe-me na esquina.

If it isn't possible to get to the door, drop me off at the corner.

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