Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| évidemment | /e.vi.da.mɑ̃/ |
| de toute évidence | /də tu.t‿e.vi.dɑ̃s/ |
| manifestement | /ma.ni.fɛs.tə.mɑ̃/ |
These terms are used to express that something is obvious or can be clearly seen. Évidemment is often used to mean 'of course' or 'obviously' in a way that can sound slightly dismissive or imply that the answer is self-evident. De toute évidence carries a stronger sense of 'it is clear from the evidence'. Manifestement is used when something is clearly visible or apparent to the senses or through observation.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase de toute évidence literally translates to 'of all evidence'.
Which one should you use?
Évidemment is the more conversational option and can imply a sense of 'of course'. In contrast, de toute évidence is more formal and emphasizes that the conclusion is drawn from available evidence. Manifestement differs by focusing on things that are clearly visible or apparent through observation.
How do you pronounce it?
/e.vi.da.mɑ̃/
Did you know?
- While 'évidence' looks like the English 'evidence', it is actually a 'false friend' that usually means 'obviousness' or 'clarity'. If you want to talk about a piece of evidence in a trial, you should use the word preuve instead.
- The word évidemment is a result of haplology, a linguistic shortcut where similar sounding syllables are merged to make the word easier to say.
- Depending on your tone, saying évidemment to mean 'of course' can be perceived as arrogant or condescending, as if you are calling the other person foolish for asking.
Examples in context
- De toute évidence, non.Evidently not.This sentence shows how to use de toute évidence to say 'Evidently not'.Tatoeba #10505543 by pkill, translation #5006686 by Lindoula
- De toute évidence, quelque chose de très important s'est produit cet après-midi-là.Evidently something very momentous had occurred that afternoon.This sentence uses de toute évidence to describe something momentous occurring.Tatoeba #11065017 by lbdx, translation #8828666 by Hybrid
- Évidemment, il va pleuvoir demain.Evidently, it's going to rain tomorrow.This sentence demonstrates the use of évidemment to indicate something is expected to happen.Tatoeba #792126 by melospawn, translation #38330 by CK
- Le nouvel employé, visiblement compétent, a terminé le projet à temps.The new employee, evidently competent, completed the project on time.
- Les résultats de l'étude étaient manifestement convaincants.The study's results were evidently convincing.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are talking about a colleague who is sick.
- HugoIl est malade, n'est-ce pas ?He is sick, isn't he?
- EmmaOui, évidemment, il a une forte fièvre.Yes, obviously, he has a high fever.
- HugoEst-ce qu'il va venir demain ?Is he coming tomorrow?
- EmmaNon, évidemment pas !No, obviously not!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “evidently” translations and entries évidemment, de toute évidence, manifestement, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, manifestement, évidemment, évidence, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
