J’en peux plus

Despairing French Expression

J'en peux plus
Share / Tweet / Pin Me!
Meaning I can’t take (it) any more
Literally I can’t [do] any more of it
Register informal
Pronunciation French sound files [zha(n) peu plu]
IPA   [ʒã pø ply]

Usage notes: The French expression j’en peux plus despairs that you’ve had enough: you’re at the end of your rope and can’t take it any more. That "it" is represented by the adverbial pronoun en; whatever has driven you to this despair—crying, whining, fighting, etc.—must be obvious from the context, as there is no verb after peux.

  Technically, the correct expression is je n’en peux plus, but ne is often dropped in informal expressions – learn more.

Par exemple…

Non, arrête, j’en peux plus !   No, stop, I can’t take any more!
Le bébé pleure tout le temps, j’en peux plus.   The baby cries all the time, I can’t take it any more.

 Je n’en peux plus can also indicate fatigue, impatience, and irritation.

Synonyms

Despair
   * je craque

Fatigue
   * je suis à bout de forces
   * je suis crevé
   * je suis épuisé

Irritation
   * je craque
   * je m’énerve

Somewhat synonymous

J’en peux plus indicates despair, so it’s not quite the same thing as ras-le-bol or j’en ai marre, which express frustration or anger.

 Related lessons

 Share / Tweet / Pin Me!

J'en peux plus !

  Lawless French Files:  

Stay up to date with Lawless French

Questions about French?

 Visit the Progress with Lawless French Q+A forum to get help from native French speakers and fellow learners.

More Lawless French

 Subscribe to my twice-weekly newsletter.

Support Lawless French

  This free website is created with love and a great deal of work.

If you love it, please consider making a one-time or monthly donation.

Your support is entirely optional but tremendously appreciated.

Leave a Reply