French Phrase
Ton sac dépasse la limite.
Meaning
Literally, ‘Your bag exceeds the limit.’ It is used to tell someone that their bag is larger, heavier, or otherwise beyond the allowed size or weight, most often in travel contexts such as airports, train stations, or bus terminals.
When to use
Use this sentence when a security officer, airline staff, or a fellow traveler points out that a bag does not meet the permitted dimensions or weight. It is a neutral statement; you can soften it with ‘s’il vous plaît’ or a polite apology if you are the one delivering the news.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tonsacdépasselalimite.
Possessive adjective (Ton)
‘Ton’ is the informal singular possessive adjective meaning ‘your’ and agrees with the gender of the noun that follows (masculine ‘sac’).
Noun gender (sac, limite)
‘sac’ is masculine singular, while ‘limite’ is feminine singular; the article ‘la’ matches the feminine noun.
Verb conjugation (dépasse)
‘dépasser’ is conjugated in the third‑person singular present indicative to agree with the subject ‘ton sac’.
Verb‑object order
In French the verb precedes its direct object, so ‘dépasse la limite’ means ‘exceeds the limit’.
🗨In Conversation
Ton sac dépasse la limite.
Your bag exceeds the limit.
Oh, désolé ! Je vais le mettre dans le compartiment à bagages supplémentaires.
Oh, sorry! I’ll put it in the extra‑baggage compartment.
✕Common Mistakes
Ton sac dépasses la limite.
The verb must be conjugated to match the singular subject ‘sac’; use ‘dépasse’ not ‘dépasses’ or ‘dépasser’ as infinitive.
Ton sac est dépasser la limite.
Avoid using ‘être’ with ‘dépasser’; the correct construction is ‘dépasser’ directly after the subject.
Ton sac dépasse la limite.
If you refer to a specific limit (e.g., weight), you can say ‘la limite de poids’; omitting the qualifier can be vague.
↔Alternatives
Ton sac est trop lourd.
Your bag is too heavy.
Ta valise dépasse la limite de poids.
Your suitcase exceeds the weight limit.
Ce sac dépasse les dimensions autorisées.
This bag exceeds the allowed dimensions.
Cultural Tip
In French‑speaking airports, staff often use the formal ‘vous’ when speaking to passengers, even if the passenger is young. If you’re the passenger, replying with ‘Je suis désolé(e)’ or ‘Excusez‑moi’ shows politeness. Also, note that the word ‘bagage’ (baggage) is more formal than ‘sac’, which can refer to a simple backpack or tote.