embarras du choix
/ɑ̃.ba.ʁa dy ʃwa/masculine
The French phrase for 'embarrassment of riches' is embarras du choix.
This phrase is commonly used when someone is presented with a wide variety of excellent possibilities, such as a large menu or many career paths. It describes the sensation of having too much of a good thing.
Meaning: too much of a good thing (noun)
Which one should you use?
While the English 'embarrassment of riches' can sometimes imply a surplus of wealth or resources, the French embarras du choix specifically focuses on the difficulty of making a decision due to having too many options.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun embarras is masculine. If you need to use an indefinite article before the phrase, use un embarras du choix.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɑ̃.ba.ʁa dy ʃwa/
Did you know?
- The French word embarras shares a root with the English word 'barrier'. It originally described the act of placing a physical obstacle or a barricade in someone's way.
- In French, the word embarras can describe a physical blockage or a traffic jam, not just a mental state of indecision.
- While the English phrase sounds like a problem of wealth, the French choix comes from an Old French root meaning 'to distinguish' or 'to see clearly'.
Examples in context
- L'entreprise avait une abondance de richesses, ce qui rendait la sélection du projet difficile.The company had an embarrassment of riches, making project selection difficult.
- C'est l'heure de choisir votre dessert, et vous faites face à un embarras du choix.It's time to choose your dessert, and you're faced with an embarrassment of choices.
- Avec tous ces livres, c'est un embarras du choix.With all these books, it is an embarrassment of riches.
- Il y a un véritable embarras du choix ici.There is a true abundance of choices here.
Example conversation
Chloé and Nathan are looking at a menu with many options.
- ChloéRegarde tout ce menu, c'est l'embarras du choix !Look at this whole menu, it's an embarrassment of riches!
- NathanC'est vrai, je ne sais plus quoi choisir.It's true, I don't know what to choose anymore.
- ChloéTout a l'air délicieux, Nathan.Everything looks delicious, Nathan.
- NathanJe vais prendre un peu de temps pour décider.I'm going to take a little time to decide.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “embarrassment of riches” translations and entries embarras du choix, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries choix, du, embarras, CC BY-SA 4.0.
