troppo caro
/ˈtrɔp.po ˈka.ro/word by word
The Italian phrase for "too expensive" is troppo caro.
troppo caro is used to express that the price of something is higher than what is reasonable or affordable.
What does it mean word for word?
troppo is an adverb meaning "too much" or "too" when modifying an adjective.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes, so use troppo cara for feminine nouns and troppo cari for masculine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈtrɔp.po ˈka.ro/. The phrase has 4 syllables and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The word troppo comes from a Frankish word meaning a 'village' or 'cluster of houses'. It evolved to mean 'too much' by describing an overflow or an excess of a crowd.
- While caro means 'expensive' in a commercial sense, it is also the word used to address a loved one, much like calling someone 'dear' in English.
- In Italian markets, saying troppo caro is often the first step in a social negotiation rather than a final refusal to buy.
Examples in context
- Quello è troppo caro.That's too expensive.This sentence uses troppo caro to identify a specific item as being too expensive.Tatoeba #2487415 by Guybrush88, translation #42448 by CK
- Volare è troppo caro.Flying is too expensive.This sentence uses troppo caro to describe the cost of flying.Tatoeba #4514290 by Guybrush88, translation #4498732 by CK
- Il cibo è troppo caro.Food is too expensive.This sentence uses troppo caro to describe the cost of food.Tatoeba #5737022 by Guybrush88, translation #5720734 by CK
- Per me, è troppo costosoFor me, it is too expensive
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco and Martina are shopping for a new sofa.
- FrancescoQuesto divano è troppo caro.This sofa is too expensive.
- MartinaHai ragione, Francesco.You are right, Francesco.
- FrancescoCerchiamo qualcosa di più economico.Let's look for something cheaper.
- MartinaSì, troviamo un prezzo migliore.Yes, let's find a better price.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (troppo, caro) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries caro, troppo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
