How do you say “The whole nine yards” in French?
The closest natural French equivalent is la totale, which literally means “the total package”. English speakers use the whole nine yards to mean everything possible or available, with nothing left out. A casual way to sum up a whole set of extras. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural French
la totale
/la tɔtal/
- Literal meaning
- “the total package”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
94 out of 100
What a native French speaker would actually say
“La totale” works especially well at the end of a list. It suggests that nothing has been left out, often with a playful sense of excess.
It does not always praise the result. A list of unwelcome extras can also end with “la totale,” so the surrounding sentence sets the mood.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
They arranged flowers, a band and dinner—the whole nine yards.
French
Ils ont prévu les fleurs, un groupe et le dîner : la totale.
English
For her birthday, we're going the whole nine yards.
French
Pour son anniversaire, on lui prépare la totale.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-09-19