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- Topic: French >
- "Il est trop tôt."
47 Comments
I answered "He is too early" and it was accepted. Is there a way (besides context) to determine if the sentences means "He is too early" or "It is too soon"?
"he is too early" means that he has arrived before due time.
To translate it to French, you have to pay attention to the fact that "early" has two distinct translations in French:
- as an adverb, "early" = "tôt", to modify a verb in such sentences as "il est tôt" (it is early), "le train arrive tôt" (the train arrives early), etc., ie with dummy subject "it/il".
- as an adjective, to describe/qualify a real subject, you need to adjust to the fact that "tôt" cannot be used. You will have to use an adverbial phrase instead: "he is early" = il est en avance; "the train is early" = le train est en avance.
The same applies to "late":
- "il est tard" (late in the day) = it is late - "le train arrive tard" = the train arrives late
- "he/she is late" (behind schedule) = il/elle est en retard - "the train is late" = le train arrive en retard
1078
Sitesurf, there is actually a conflicting argument here (https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/2105078) for the example "C'est trop tard.", where it is implied that because "tard" is an adjective in that example, you use "il est" for people and "c'est" for things/situations. In this case "tôt" is the adjective, how does that example not apply here?
Both "tôt" and "tard" are adverbs.
And both "il est trop tôt/tard" and "c'est trop tôt/tard" are acceptable.
When someone or something is "early" or "late", other words are used: "en avance" or "en retard", both being adverbial phrases.
- Le train / tu es... en avance ("en" is a preposition and "avance" is a noun).
- Le train / tu es... en retard ("en" is a preposition and "retard" is a noun).
This is probably being asked elsewhere, but what's the difference between bientôt and tôt?
- 336
Bientôt = Soon /// Early = Tôt
I think you have a pretty good picture with that idea to when to use one or the other
I wrote "it is too early" but was told it's "it is too soon" but in an earlier example was told tôt meant early and soon is bientôt?
I feel like this sentence is incorrect. There are 2 adverbs in this sentence, making me think that 'C'est' should be used instead of 'Il est' Am I missing something here?
I answered "He is too early" for this translation and was graded wrong, why?
"Far" is an addition on your part that would require something like « beaucoup » in the French. Also, just as with « il est tard » (it is late) vs « il est en retard » (he is late), to say that he is early (ahead of schedule), I believe you want to use « en avance », with « il est (trop) tôt » reserved for the impersonal case.
No, because "tôt" is an adverb and as a consequence "il" is impersonal: it is too early.
"He is too early" is the translation for "Il est trop en avance", as the opposite of "he is too late" = "Il est trop en retard".
- 1078
If one were to say "C'est trop en advance." would that mean "It is too far ahead."? Likewise, "C'est trop en retard." would mean "It is too far behind."?
"C'est trop tôt" and "c'est trop tard" are simpler to mean "this/that is too early/late".
"Il/Elle est trop en avance/en retard" = he/she is too early/late.
- 1152
google translate says "he is too early" translates to this phrase. I see that it used to be accepted. Very confusing. I duolingo doesn't like google translate so what is another web site that can be used?
Google Translate is often wrong when it comes to full sentences, even short ones.
He is too early = Il est trop en avance (personal).
It is too early = Il est trop tôt (impersonal).
By the way, this has been explained several times already on this page, so please, next time, read the thread before repeating others' questions.
I was able to hear the "r" in "trop" fairly easily. Maybe slow it down or practice hearing more French sounds? Typing the phrase into Google Translate and having it pronounce it gives a second (still computerized) opinion.
There are nuances that I didn't hear at first that I do now, so it may just be that your ear needs to get used to it. There's still stuff that I have a hard time hearing.
Would "Il est trop tot dire" be correct if I want to say "It is too early to say?" Il - It; est - is; trop - too; tot - early; dire - (to) say
"Very" is « très » not « trop ». The former indicates that it's intensely (though not necessarily excessively) early; the latter indicates that it's excessively early (though not necessarily intensely).
I was I to be sure that Duo was referring to 'il' as 'It'. I'm quite confused.
When I put "He is too early" in Google Translates, it shows " Il est trop tot". What is going on?
- 1805
Have you considered that Google Translate may not have mastered this lesson (or many others) yet?
I answered He is too easy and it was NOT accepted. The comment below contradicts this????
- 147
OK then if "Il" is "it" (and only "it") in this instance. What would be the mechanism for saying "He is too early"? By my reckoning it is the exactly same sentence, and should therefore accepted.
He is too early = "il est trop en avance", "il vient/arrive trop tôt" or "il est trop précoce".
