that won't work

[ðæt woʊnt wɜrk]
phrase/verb expression
isso não vai funcionar
1. An expression indicating that a proposed plan, idea, or solution is not feasible or will not succeed
I suggested we take the back road, but he said that won't work because it's closed for construction.
Sugeri que pegássemos o caminho de trás, mas ele disse que isso não vai funcionar porque está fechado para construção.
2. A dismissal of a suggestion or proposal as impractical or ineffective
That won't work because we don't have enough budget for it.
Isso não vai funcionar porque não temos orçamento suficiente para isso.
This is a common, straightforward expression used in both American English and Brazilian Portuguese to politely or directly reject ideas. In Brazilian culture, the phrase 'isso não vai dar' is often used informally in Rio de Janeiro, reflecting the region's more relaxed speech patterns. In American contexts, this phrase is neutral and objective, used in professional and casual settings alike to indicate practical or logistical impossibility.
NYC Slang
nah, that ain't gonna work; that's a no-go
Synonyms / Sinônimos
that won't doit won't workthat's not going to workthat's impracticalthat won't succeed
Antonyms / Antônimos
that will workthat's a good ideathat should workthat's feasible

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
isso não vai funcionar
Most common and widely understood translation
Rio de Janeiro
isso não vai dar
More colloquial, informal usage common in Rio
São Paulo
isso não vai funcionar
Standard usage, similar to general Brazilian Portuguese
Portugal
isso não vai resultar
European Portuguese variant using 'resultar' instead of 'funcionar'

Related Words

feasibleviablepracticalimpracticalplansolution

Related Idioms & Phrases

it won't fly
that's a non-starter
that's dead on arrival
no dice
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →