How do you say "from cover to cover"?

Question

How can I translate “from cover to cover” in French? This means from the very beginning until the very end.

The typical context of using "from cover to cover" in English would be reading the book, though I want to use it (in French) in the context of watching a movie.

What phrase could I use?

score 12 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 29 '13 at 06:59

12

On peut dire lire un livre de bout en bout, ou regarder un film de bout en bout. On peut aussi dire du début à la fin, c'est un peu plus prosaïque. Comme on commence normalement au début, on peut aussi dire regarder un film jusqu'au bout.

answered Aug 29 '13 at 06:59

Gilles 'SO nous est hostile'

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score 5 · Answer 2 · edited Sep 02 '13 at 18:49

5

You can say: d'un bout à l'autre.

edited Sep 02 '13 at 18:49

Stéphane Gimenez

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answered Sep 02 '13 at 18:48

Cyber

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score 4 · Answer 3 · edited Jun 17 '20 at 09:38

4

On top of Gilles' answer, and only appliable to movies, you could use

jusqu'à la dernière minute

jusqu'à la dernière seconde

jusqu'à la (toute) fin

edited Jun 17 '20 at 09:38

Community

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answered Aug 29 '13 at 07:49

Alexis Pigeon

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Et au théatre, ne dirions-nous pas "jusqu'au dernier coup"? – Alexis Wilke Sep 03 '13 at 05:20

score 4 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 29 '13 at 08:13

4

Si c'est une corvée et qu'on se sent l'âme dramatique, on peut dire:

Boire le calice jusqu'à la lie.

answered Aug 29 '13 at 08:13

mouviciel

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score 2 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 29 '13 at 09:02

2

Dans un contexte plus familier, surtout à l'oral, on peut aussi utiliser :

[J'ai lu l'intégrale de cet auteur] de A à Z.

answered Aug 29 '13 at 09:02

mveroone

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-1 : Ça ne correspond ni à une traduction possible de from cover to cover, ni n'est applicable à un film. – Alexis Pigeon Aug 29 '13 at 10:12

score 1 · Answer 6 · answered Feb 19 '17 at 21:29

1

I'm not sure if "from cover to cover" can be intended to mean "in one reading/screening" (that is, not only reading the whole thing, but also without taking breaks). But if it does, then

d'une traite

conveys this idea.

You can combine:

J'ai regardé ce film jusqu'au bout, d'une traite.

answered Feb 19 '17 at 21:29

tarulen

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Good thought, but to the best of my knowledge, it doesn't carry that meaning. It's about exhaustiveness. Though it can certainly be combined to clarify a sentence like "I read it from cover to cover in one day" -- that is, "Don't assume I didn't read every page simply because I read it one day!" :) – Luke Sawczak Feb 20 '17 at 00:58

How do you say "from cover to cover"?

6 Answers6