não dar razão
to agree
Littéralement: not to give reason
Use this to say you aren't siding with someone because their logic or behavior is flawed.
En 15 secondes
- Used when you refuse to validate someone's incorrect or dramatic behavior.
- Literally means 'not giving reason' to someone during an argument.
- Common in friendships, parenting, and casual debates about who is right.
Signification
This phrase is used when you refuse to give someone the satisfaction of being right or when you withhold validation during an argument.
Exemples clés
3 sur 6Talking about a friend's breakup
Ela está errada, eu não dou razão a ela.
She is wrong; I'm not taking her side.
A colleague complaining about a fair boss
O chefe foi justo, não posso te dar razão.
The boss was fair; I can't say you're right.
Texting about a celebrity scandal
Nesse caso, ninguém dá razão para ele.
In this case, nobody is siding with him.
Contexte culturel
In Brazil and Portugal, 'razão' is treated like a currency you can give or take away. The phrase highlights a cultural emphasis on 'justice' within personal arguments, where being 'right' is a social status to be granted by others.
The 'Preposition' Trick
Always remember to use 'a' or 'para' after the phrase to point to the person you disagree with. 'Não dou razão PARA você' is very common in Brazil.
Don't be too blunt
Saying 'Não te dou razão' can end a conversation quickly. If you want to be softer, say 'Entendo, mas não posso te dar razão'.
En 15 secondes
- Used when you refuse to validate someone's incorrect or dramatic behavior.
- Literally means 'not giving reason' to someone during an argument.
- Common in friendships, parenting, and casual debates about who is right.
What It Means
Não dar razão is about withholding validation. In Portuguese, ter razão means to be right. When you não dá razão to someone, you are refusing to admit they are correct. It is often used when someone is acting out or being dramatic. You don't want to encourage their behavior by agreeing with them. It is like saying, "I'm not going to tell you that you're right."
How To Use It
You use this phrase like a standard verb. The verb dar (to give) changes based on who is doing the action. If your friend is complaining about a ticket they deserved, you não dá razão to them. It works with the preposition a (to). For example: Eu não dou razão a ele. It is simple, punchy, and very common in daily life.
When To Use It
Use this when a friend is being unreasonable. It is perfect for workplace gossip where you want to remain neutral. Use it when someone is fishing for a compliment they don't deserve. It is great for parenting too. If a child is crying for a toy, you não dá razão to the tantrum. It keeps you in control of the conversation.
When NOT To Use It
Avoid this in high-stakes legal or strictly professional settings. In those cases, use discordar (to disagree). It can sound a bit dismissive if used with a grieving person. Don't use it if you actually agree with the person! That would just be confusing. It is a tool for disagreement, not for polite small talk.
Cultural Background
Portuguese speakers value social harmony but also love a good debate. Admitting someone has razão is a sign of respect. Withholding it is a subtle power move. It reflects the culture's focus on logic and justice in personal relationships. It is not just about facts; it is about who deserves the moral high ground in that moment.
Common Variations
You might hear tirar a razão. This means to do something that makes a person lose their right to complain. For example, if you are right but start screaming, you tira a sua própria razão. Another one is dar razão a quem tem. This means giving credit where credit is due. These variations all circle around the idea of who owns the "truth" in a social interaction.
Notes d'usage
The phrase is neutral and very versatile. In Brazil, 'dar razão para' is more common in speech, while 'dar razão a' is more common in writing.
The 'Preposition' Trick
Always remember to use 'a' or 'para' after the phrase to point to the person you disagree with. 'Não dou razão PARA você' is very common in Brazil.
Don't be too blunt
Saying 'Não te dou razão' can end a conversation quickly. If you want to be softer, say 'Entendo, mas não posso te dar razão'.
Lose your reason
If you are right but you start shouting, Brazilians will say 'Você perdeu a razão'. It means your bad behavior canceled out your correct argument!
Exemples
6Ela está errada, eu não dou razão a ela.
She is wrong; I'm not taking her side.
Shows you aren't validating her behavior.
O chefe foi justo, não posso te dar razão.
The boss was fair; I can't say you're right.
Professional but honest disagreement.
Nesse caso, ninguém dá razão para ele.
In this case, nobody is siding with him.
Used to describe public opinion.
Ketchup na pizza? Jamais te darei razão!
Ketchup on pizza? I will never admit you're right!
Playful use during a silly debate.
Se você gritar, eu não vou te dar razão.
If you scream, I'm not going to give in to you.
Setting boundaries with a child.
Eu queria te apoiar, mas não consigo te dar razão.
I wanted to support you, but I can't agree with you here.
Expressing honest disappointment.
Teste-toi
Choose the correct form of the verb 'dar' for 'I don't agree with him'.
Eu não ___ razão a ele.
The first-person singular 'Eu' requires the verb form 'dou'.
Complete the sentence to say 'We don't agree with her'.
Nós não ___ razão a ela.
The first-person plural 'Nós' requires the verb form 'damos'.
🎉 Score : /2
Aides visuelles
Formality of 'Não dar razão'
Used with friends during gossip.
Não dou razão pra ele!
Standard daily use.
Eu não daria razão a essa atitude.
Better to use 'discordar' here.
Não concordo com sua posição.
When to use 'Não dar razão'
Bad behavior
Child throwing a fit
Unfair complaints
Friend complaining about a fine
Office drama
Colleague being lazy
Debates
Arguing about sports
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsIt means to refuse to agree with someone or to withhold validation of their argument, like saying Eu não dou razão a ele.
Mostly, but não dar razão is more about the social act of withholding agreement during a conflict, whereas discordar is a simple factual disagreement.
It's a bit direct. In a formal meeting, it's better to say Eu não concordo totalmente instead of Não te dou razão.
Yes, it is used in both Brazil and Portugal with the same meaning of not validating someone's stance.
The opposite is dar razão, which means to agree or admit someone is right, as in Você tem razão, eu te dou razão.
Usually, it's used for people or their actions. You wouldn't 'dar razão' to a book, but you would to the author's argument.
It can be firm. If you say it with a smile, it's a debate; if you say it coldly, it's a shut-down.
Just like the normal verb dar: eu dou, você dá, nós damos, eles dão.
It means to lose the moral high ground, usually by overreacting, even if you were originally right.
No, it's a standard neutral collocation used by everyone from teenagers to news anchors.
Expressions liées
ter razão
to be right
perder a razão
to lose the moral high ground
tirar a razão
to invalidate someone's argument
dar o braço a torcer
to finally give in/admit you are wrong
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