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hardly reach

[ˈhɑrdli riːtʃ]
verb phrase
mal alcançar
1. to barely manage to get to or touch something with difficulty
I can hardly reach the top shelf without a ladder.
Mal consigo alcançar a prateleira de cima sem uma escada.
2. to scarcely be able to contact or communicate with someone
She hardly reaches her family overseas anymore.
Ela mal consegue alcançar/contactar sua família no exterior agora.
3. to barely manage to arrive at a destination
We hardly reached the station before the train left.
Mal chegamos à estação antes do trem partir.
Synonyms
scarcely reachbarely reachjust reachcan barely get to
Antonyms
easily reachreadily reachquickly reach

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
mal alcançar
most common usage in Brazil
São Paulo
dificilmente alcançar
alternative phrasing
Portugal
mal conseguir alcançar
European Portuguese preference

Related Idioms & Phrases

can't reach to save one's life
reach for the stars
within reach
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