Du tout


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Essential French Expression

Usage notes: The French phrase du tout often follows the negative adverb pas, to mean "not at all."

Par exemple…

Je ne veux pas du tout travailler.		I don’t want to work at all.
Elle n’aime pas du tout le chocolat.		She doesn’t like chocolate at all.

However, the three words do not have to be connected. Du tout can be placed at the end of the sentence to make the negation even stronger.

Je ne veux pas travailler du tout.		I really don’t want to work at all.
Elle n’aime pas le chocolat du tout.		She truly doesn’t like chocolate at all.

Moreover, du tout isn’t limited to pas; it can be used to emphasize other negative words:

Il ne veut plus du tout nous parler.		He doesn’t want to talk to us at all any more.
Je n’ai rien du tout.		I don’t have anything at all / I have nothing at all.

In fact, du tout can even be used all on its own, in response to a question.

– Tu veux aller à la plage ? – Du tout ! (Pas du tout !)		– Wanna go to the beach? – Not at all!
– Est-ce qu’il aime les sports ? – Du tout. (Pas du tout.)		– Does he like sports? – Not even a little.

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