En faire tout un fromage

En faire tout un fromage
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Informal French Expression

Meaning to make a big fuss about it
Literally to make a whole cheese about it
Register informal
Pronunciation French sound files [ah(n) fehr too too(n) fruh mazh]
IPA   [ã fɛʀ tu tœ̃ fʀɔ maʒ]

Usage notes: Milk is a very simple product, but turning it into cheese is a big production. Likewise, people sometimes make a big deal about something that is actually very simple. In French, this overreaction is called tout un fromage – literally, "a whole cheese."

Par exemple…

Arrête, ça ne sert à rien d’en faire tout un fromage.   Stop, there’s no point in making a big fuss about it.
Il en a fait tout un fromage !   He made a whole song and dance about it!

 The adverbial pronoun en replaces the preposition de + noun, which means that you can leave out en in order to specify the cheesified noun.

Par exemple…

Ne fais pas tout un fromage de ce contretemps.   Don’t make a big deal about this setback.
Je sais qu’elle va faire tout un fromage de notre dispute.   I know she’s going to make a big stink about our argument.

Variations

  • faire un fromage de (quelque chose)
    en faire un fromage

     
  • faire tout un plat de (quelque chose)
    en faire tout un plat

     
  • faire tout un plat de fromage de (quelque chose)
    en faire tout un plat de fromage

Somewhat synonymous

 More French expressions with food

Related lessons

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N'en fais pas tout un fromage

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