How do you say “Cover your bases” in French?
The closest natural French equivalent is parer à toute éventualité, which literally means “to guard against every eventuality”. English speakers use cover your bases to mean to prepare for the different things that might happen or need attention. A good planning phrase, slightly more formal than the English. Register: neutral. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural French
parer à toute éventualité
/paʁe a tut evɑ̃tɥalite/
- Literal meaning
- “to guard against every eventuality”
- Register
- neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
94 out of 100
What a native French speaker would actually say
French focuses on being ready for whatever might happen. A backup plan or spare equipment makes a clear example.
For checking that a list is complete, “ne rien oublier” is simpler. It covers the details without suggesting that every item is protection against a risk.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone4 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
We booked an indoor room too, to cover our bases in case it rained.
French
Nous avons aussi réservé une salle à l'intérieur en cas de pluie, pour parer à toute éventualité.
English
Take a spare battery to cover your bases.
French
Prends une batterie de rechange pour parer à toute éventualité.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-09-19