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dépasser

to overtake

verb deh-pah-SEH Less Common

Also means

to exceed

Usage Note

Dépasser can mean physically passing someone (overtaking on the road) or going beyond a limit: dépasser la limite de vitesse means 'to exceed the speed limit'. In conversation, ça me dépasse means 'it's beyond me' or 'I can't understand it' — a very handy idiom.

Examples

"Il est interdit de dépasser ici."

Natural Translation

Overtaking is forbidden here.

Literal Translation

It is forbidden to-overtake here

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