não dar sorte

Using não dar sorte is quite simple because it behaves like a normal verb phrase. You mainly need to conjugate the verb dar, which means 'to give.' If you want to talk about yourself, you say eu não dei sorte for the past or eu não dou sorte for a general habit. You will often follow it with the word com to specify what exactly went wrong. For example, não dei sorte com o tempo means you didn't have luck with the weather. It is very common in casual conversation, especially when telling stories. You can also use it to talk about someone else, like ele não deu sorte no jogo. Just remember that the 'luck' is something that either happens or it doesn't. You aren't actually giving anything away physically. It is more like a cosmic transaction that failed.

Imagine you are trying to buy tickets for a viral music festival. You log in at 10 AM sharp, but the site crashes. You would tell your friend: Cara, não dei sorte com o site hoje. Or think about a job interview on Zoom. Your internet cuts out right when they ask about your greatest strength. That is a classic não dar sorte moment. On social media, you might see someone post a photo of a dropped ice cream cone with the caption: Hoje eu não dei sorte. It is the ultimate 'fml' expression in Portuguese. Even in gaming, if you keep getting the worst loot boxes, you can complain to your squad: Eu nunca dou sorte nessas caixas. It is a very relatable way to share your minor tragedies with others.

You should use this phrase whenever you want to explain why something didn't work out. It is great for social situations where you don't want to sound too dramatic. It makes your misfortune sound temporary and almost a bit funny. Use it when talking about dating, like when a first date is a total disaster. Use it when talking about travel, especially if your flight is delayed or you lose your luggage. It is perfect for complaining about technology when your phone dies at the worst time. It is a very safe phrase for a Zoom call with colleagues too. It shows you are human and can handle a bit of bad timing with grace. Basically, if you feel like the protagonist of a comedy of errors, this is your phrase.

Avoid using não dar sorte for truly tragic or serious life events. If someone loses their home or has a major health crisis, this phrase is way too light. It would sound insensitive, like you are saying they just had a 'bad day' at the office. Also, don't use it if you are actually to blame for the mistake. If you failed a test because you didn't study, saying não dei sorte sounds like you are making excuses. Native speakers will see right through that. Use it for things that feel outside of your control. Don't use it in very formal legal documents either. It is a conversational tool, not a professional legal defense for why you missed a deadline.

A very common mistake for learners is trying to use the verb ter (to have).

While ter sorte exists, não dar sorte is much more idiomatic for specific failures. Another mistake is forgetting the preposition com.

You need that com to link your bad luck to the object. Some people also try to translate 'I am unlucky' literally.

The second one sounds much more natural and less like a dictionary translation. Don't worry, everyone makes these mistakes at first. Just keep practicing and you will sound like a Carioca in no time.

If you want to spice things up, you can use estar maré de azar. This means you are in a 'tide of bad luck,' which is perfect for when things go wrong for a whole week. Another one is estar com a macaca, which is a bit more old-school and funny. It implies a mischievous spirit is causing your trouble. You might also hear que azar!, which is a quick 'what bad luck!' exclamation. If you are into slang, dar ruim is a very popular way to say something went wrong. Deu ruim is the go-to phrase for Gen Z Brazilians when a plan fails. Each of these has a slightly different flavor, but they all live in the same neighborhood of misfortune.

You will often hear people add intensifiers to the phrase. Não dei sorte nenhuma means you had absolutely zero luck. You can also say não dei muita sorte to soften the blow, implying you had a little bit of luck, but not enough. Sometimes people use it in the future to express pessimism: Acho que não vou dar sorte. This is common when you are feeling a bit down about an upcoming event. In some regions, you might hear não dar pé, which is similar but means something 'didn't work out' or 'didn't reach the bottom.' Stick to não dar sorte as your foundation, as it is understood everywhere from Lisbon to Luanda.

Is it formal or informal? It is mostly neutral to informal. You can use it with friends or in a relaxed office setting without any issues. Does it mean I'm a loser? Not at all! It implies the situation was unlucky, not that you are a failure as a person. Can I use it for sports? Yes! It is very common to say a team não deu sorte if they hit the post three times and lost the game. Is there a positive version? Yes, dar sorte means to be lucky or to bring luck. For example, esse amuleto me dá sorte. It works both ways, like a cosmic light switch.