How do you say “Go the extra mile” in French?
The closest natural French equivalent is faire un effort supplémentaire, which literally means “to make an additional effort”. English speakers use go the extra mile to mean to do more than is expected or required. French lacks an exact colorful spatial idiom for this idea. Native speakers prefer direct, natural formulations like 'faire un effort supplémentaire' or 'en faire plus que prévu'. Register: neutral. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural French
faire un effort supplémentaire
/fɛʁ œ̃.n‿ɛ.fɔʁ sy.ple.mɑ̃.tɛʁ/
- Literal meaning
- “to make an additional effort”
- Register
- neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Close equivalent
85 out of 100
What a native French speaker would actually say
In English, "go the extra mile" is an ubiquitous, mildly figurative phrase derived from biblical origins that fits seamlessly into both everyday speech and professional performance reviews. It highlights a willingness to exceed standard duties out of diligence or care, without sounding overly dramatic or strained.
French does not share this spatial metaphor and generally relies on explicit phrasing. While *faire un effort supplémentaire* perfectly captures the neutral and professional tone, native speakers often shift to *se plier en quatre* or *se donner du mal* when emphasizing personal generosity and dedication rather than simply doing more work.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity2 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in French?
aller au-delà de ce qui est attendu
Literally: “to go beyond what is expected”
Professional and formal, ideal for workplace appraisals and corporate settings.
se plier en quatre
Literally: “to bend oneself into four”
More colloquial, closer to 'bend over backwards' to help someone out.
se décarcasser
Literally: “to debone / bust oneself”
Informal idiom meaning to go out of one's way and work extremely hard.
Common translation traps
faire le kilomètre supplémentaire / faire le mile en plus
This is an awkward corporate calque of the English idiom that native speakers instantly recognize as translationese.
The notes above explain why these versions do not work in this context in French.
In context
English
She always goes the extra mile to make sure her clients are happy.
French
Elle fait toujours un effort supplémentaire pour s'assurer que ses clients sont satisfaits.
English
If you want that promotion, you'll need to go the extra mile.
French
Si tu veux cette promotion, il va falloir en faire plus que ce qu'on te demande.
Related expressions
- What “Go the extra mile” means in English
- Cut corners, To skimp on quality to save time or money.
- Kill two birds with one stone, To solve two problems at once.
Last updated 2026-09-11