← Back to Fala2Me

insufficient time

[/ɪnsəˈfɪʃənt taɪm/]
noun phrase
tempo insuficiente
1. An inadequate or inadequately short amount of time to complete a task or meet a deadline
We had insufficient time to finish the project before the deadline.
Tínhamos tempo insuficiente para terminar o projeto antes do prazo.
2. A lack of adequate duration for a particular purpose or activity
The student complained about insufficient time on the exam.
O aluno reclamou sobre o tempo insuficiente na prova.
NYC Slang
not enough time / tight on time
Synonyms
lack of timenot enough timelimited timeinadequate timeshortage of time
Antonyms
sufficient timeample timeplenty of timeadequate time

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
tempo insuficiente
Standard usage across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
tempo insuficiente / pouco tempo
Both forms commonly used; pouco tempo is more colloquial
São Paulo
tempo insuficiente
Formal business and academic contexts
Portugal
tempo insuficiente / tempo escasso
tempo escasso is also used in formal Portuguese

Related Idioms & Phrases

against the clock
running out of time
time is of the essence
in the nick of time
beat the clock
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →