il est trop tard

/il ɛ tʁo taʁ/

it is too late

Il est trop tard pour partir maintenant.

It is too late to leave now.

informal

It is too late; the appropriate time has passed.

Je voulais appeler, mais il est trop tard.

I wanted to call, but it is too late.

Often used to express regret about a missed opportunity.

Collocations

it is too late (more colloquial)

In everyday conversation French speakers often say 'c'est trop tard' instead of 'il est trop tard'.

Use 'il est' when stating facts about time; avoid using it for personal opinions.

Composed of the pronoun 'il', the verb 'être' (est), the adverb 'trop' (too), and the adjective 'tard' (late), all of Latin origin.

Use this phrase to indicate that the moment for an action has passed, often accompanied by a sense of regret or apology.

Dictionnaire Français-Anglais