Tout d'un coup - Lawless French Expression


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French Expression

Usage notes: The French expression tout d’un coup is used with two kind of similar meanings, but one of them is wrong.

The real meaning of tout d’un coup is “all at once, in a single move, in one fell swoop.”

Par exemple…

Le séisme a détruit le village tout d’un coup.		The earthquake destroyed the town in one fell swoop.
Tout d’un coup, il a saisi ses affaires et est parti.		All at once, he grabbed his things and left.

Variation: d’un coup

C’est assez sombre les traboules et tout d’un coup, paf !		The traboules are quite dark and suddently, bam!
Video: Secret passages: the traboules of Lyon

Ça s’allume d’un coup et ça éclaire le monde et la vie différemment		It lights up suddenly and it illuminates the world and life differently
Video: Grand Corps Malade & Camille Lellouche – Mais je t’aime

25 % d’un coup à un moment où les vins partent, eh ben…		25% all of a sudden, just when wines are sent, well…
Video: French wine threatened by US tariffs

Jean Sulpice obtient deux étoiles d’un coup.		Jean Sulpice gets two stars at once.
Video: 2018 Michelin stars celebrate France’s best restaurants

Synonyms

Tout d’un coup is an indicator that you need the passé composé rather than imparfait.

Faux synonym

Native French speakers commonly – but mistakenly – use tout d’un coup to mean tout à coup.

xxx Tout d’un coup, la voiture s’est retournée. xxx		xxx All of a sudden, the car flipped over. xxx Really means: In a single move, the car flipped over.
xxx Je lisais quand tout d’un coup j’ai eu une idée. xxx		xxx I was reading when I suddenly had an idea. xxx Really means: I was reading when I had an idea all at once.