tout cela
In French, "all of this" is translated as tout cela.
The phrase is used to refer to a group of things or a situation that has just been mentioned.
What does it mean word for word?
tout means "all" and cela means "that/this" (referring to a concept or situation).
Which one should you use?
The phrase tout ça is a common, more informal alternative to tout cela.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase tout cela is grammatically masculine singular and is used to refer to an abstract situation or a collection of things.
Did you know?
- Depending on the context, tout cela can be used as a polite way to avoid naming a taboo or unpleasant subject, acting as a euphemism.
- The word tout shares a common ancestor with the English word 'total', both stemming from the Latin 'tōtus' which means 'whole'.
- While tout cela refers to an abstract situation, if you want to refer to 'all of these' physical objects, you must switch to the plural tous ces or toutes ces depending on the gender.
Examples in context
- Tout cela me stresse.All of this is stressing me out.This sentence is useful for showing how tout cela can be the subject of a sentence regarding an emotional state.Tatoeba #4063893 by Scorpionvenin14, translation #4063382 by Hybrid
- Tout cela est de ma faute.I'm to blame for all of this.This sentence is useful for using tout cela to assign blame for a situation.Tatoeba #13377929 by lbdx, translation #6262389 by CK
- Comment sais-tu tout cela ?How do you know all of this?This sentence is useful for asking how someone acquired knowledge about tout cela.Tatoeba #4878890 by sacredceltic, translation #3341626 by Hybrid
- Tout cela doit être pris en compte lors de la prise de décision.All of this must be taken into account when making a decision.
- Nous devons tenir compte de l'ensemble de ceci dans notre analyse.We must consider all of this in our analysis.
- Je ne comprends pas pourquoi il s'occupe de tout ça.I don't understand why he's dealing with all of this.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Léa are discussing the complicated terms of a new contract.
- GabrielEst-ce que tu as compris tout cela ?Did you understand all of this?
- LéaNon, tout cela est trop complexe.No, all of this is too complex.
- GabrielJe vais essayer de t'expliquer.I will try to explain it to you.
- LéaMerci, c'est très gentil de ta part.Thank you, that is very kind of you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cela, tout, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
