De trop

Essential French Expression

Une valise de trop
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Meaningtoo much, too many; unwanted
Registernormal
PronunciationFrench sound files [deu troh]
IPA  [də tʀo]

Usage notes: The French expression de trop means "too much" or "too many" when it follows a noun or verb.

Par exemple…

Tu as une valise de trop. You have one too many suitcases / one suitcase too many
J’ai acheté deux billets de trop. I bought two tickets too many.
Il mange de trop quand il est nerveux. He eats too much when he’s nervous.
Vous vous plaignez de trop. You complain too much.

  De trop vs trop (de)

These two phrases mean more or less the same thing, but they are different grammatically.

1) With nouns – de trop vs trop de

  De trop Trop de
Placement Follows the noun Precedes the noun
  dix litres de trop
ten liters too many
 trop de litres
too many liters
Amount Required Optional
  une rame de papier de trop
one ream of paper too many
 trop de papier, trop de rames de papier
too much paper, too many reams of paper

2) With verbs – de trop vs trop

  De trop Trop
Simple conjugation Follows the verb Follows the verb
  Tu bois de trop.
You drink too much.
 Tu bois trop.
 
Compound conjugation Follows the past participle Follows the helping verb
  J’ai bu de trop.
I drank too much.
 J’ai trop bu.
 
Dual-verb conjugation Follows the infinitive Follows the semi-auxiliary verb
  Je ne veux pas boire de trop.
I don’t want to drink too much.
 Je ne veux pas trop boire.
 

Metaphorically speaking

De trop can also have a negative meaning: unwanted, unnecessary, uncalled-for, over the top:

Par exemple…

Elle se sentait de trop. She felt unwanted.
Cette observation est de trop ! That comment is uncalled-for!

  En anglais

The figurative meaning is also found in English:

Her last party was a bit de trop.

Don’t you think five cars are rather de trop?

Your comment was de trop.

 Related lessons

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De trop

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