Meaning of French tout de suite in English

Tout de suite is a common French phrase that translates to “right away” or “immediately” in English. It’s used to indicate that something will happen without delay. For example, if someone says, “J’arrive tout de suite,” they mean “I’m coming right away.”

Although the most direct English translations are “right away” and “immediately,” the phrase can sometimes have a softer meaning, closer to “in a moment” or “very soon.” For instance, if a waiter tells you “Je vous apporte ça tout de suite,” it doesn’t necessarily mean they will bring it instantly, but rather as soon as possible. In informal speech, the shortened version de suite is also used, though it’s slightly less common.

Interestingly, while tout de suite always conveys urgency, native French speakers pronounce it in a way that often sounds like “toot sweet.” This resemblance to English makes it easy to recognize, and in fact, an old-fashioned English expression “toot sweet” comes from this French phrase, even if it’s not commonly used today.