surtout
/syʁ.tu/
The English phrase 'mostly' can be translated into French as surtout.
In French, surtout is used to mean 'for the most part' or 'mostly'. However, it is more frequently used to mean 'especially' or 'above all'.
Meaning: for the most part (adv)
Which one should you use?
While surtout can function as 'mostly', it often carries the sense of 'especially' or 'above all'. For a more formal way to emphasize a majority percentage, you can use majoritairement.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /syʁ.tu/ and consists of two syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
When you want to say 'mostly' in terms of quantity or proportion, or when you mean 'mainly' or 'for the most part', it is often more precise to use principalement instead of surtout.
Did you know?
- In French fashion, a surtout can also refer to a specific type of historical garment, such as a long coat or an overcoat.
- The word surtout is a cognate of the Italian soprattutto and the Spanish sobre todo, all of which combine the concepts of 'over' and 'all'.
- In casual spoken French, surtout is frequently used as a standalone reaction to emphasize a point or signal strong agreement in a conversation.
Examples in context
- Je ne veux surtout plus penser à rien.I mostly do not want to think about anything anymore.This sentence shows how to use surtout in a negative context.Tatoeba #934987 by sacredceltic, translation #1723263 by belgavox
- Les pic-verts picorent surtout les vieux arbres.Woodpeckers peck mostly old trees.This sentence illustrates using surtout to describe a specific target of an action.Tatoeba #12451231 by lbdx, translation #10808884 by sundown
- Les manifestations de lundi étaient surtout pacifiques.Monday's protests were mostly peaceful.This sentence demonstrates using surtout to describe the character of an event.Tatoeba #5375273 by Scorpionvenin14, translation #5375012 by CK
- La région est principalement connue pour ses magnifiques paysages.The region is mostly known for its beautiful landscapes.
- Le projet concerne essentiellement l'amélioration de nos processus internes.The project is mostly about improving our internal processes.
- Ce cours est majoritairement axé sur la grammaire française.This course is mostly focused on French grammar.
- Les résultats de l'enquête sont en grande partie positifs.The survey results are mostly positive.
- Les invités à la fête étaient des étudiants, pour la plupart.The party guests were mostly students.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Chloé are discussing their weekend plans.
- NathanTu fais quoi ce week-end ?What are you doing this weekend?
- ChloéJe vais surtout me reposer.I am mostly going to rest.
- NathanTu as l'air fatiguée, Chloé.You look tired, Chloé.
- ChloéOui, j'ai beaucoup travaillé.Yes, I have worked a lot.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry surtout, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries surtout, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
