Tout ce dont

Aashpreet K.A1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Tout ce dont

Does Tout ce dont also have the same meanings - [everything that/ all that], or is there any additional meaning to it?? Please confirm. Also a few examples would be great.

'anything that' is also an additional meaning?

(of course that the context will differ with the inclusion of de in 'tout ce dont', than 'tout ce qui' and 'tout ce que')

Asked 7 months ago
Christian H.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

Hi Aashpreet, thank you for your these questions! I have learned a lot by trying to answer them.

What is the meaning of "tout ce dont"? Is "anything that" also an additional meaning?

I think the important point of the lesson "tout ce qui/tout ce que" is that you cannot use "tout" on its own but need to add "ce" when it is followed by relative pronoun referring to it. Now what is missing in the lesson is that the relative pronouns that can follow "tout ce" are not restricted to qui or que but also include dont, as you pointed out, but also followed by quoi (except de, dont is more common than de quoi). Now finally coming to the answer to your question: tout means in these cases what tout in general means: everything or anything (depending on the context). The same applies for the respective relative pronoun. For example:

Tu as tout ce dont je rêve. You have everything (that) I dream of. (rêver de = to dream of)
Dis-moi tout ce à quoi tu penses. Tell me everything (that) you think of. Demande-moi tout ce que tu veux. Ask me anything (that) you want.

Although it may be somewhat obvious, I think it would not hurt to point out in the lesson that "tout ce" is no restricted to "qui/que". The same comment would apply for the lesson on "ce qui/que" https://kwiziq.learnfrenchwithalexa.com/my-languages/french/view/737.

Furthermore, it was new to me that quoi can be used as a relative pronoun and I could not find any lesson on kwiziq on this subject but only on the partner site https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/indefinite-relative-pronouns-ce-dont-quoi/ and https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/indefinite-relative-pronouns/.

If I did not miss anything, I think this should be added also on the kwiziq site.

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

The relative pronomial construction ce dont is used to refer to a general idea (as opposed to a specific noun) in conjunction with a verb that uses de as a preposition. 

Je rêve de mes vacances. -- I dream of my vacation.

In this example the verb rêver uses the preposition de. Hence:

Mes vacances sont tout ce dont je rêve. -- My vacation is everything about which I dream. (rêver de...)

Tout ce dont tu parles me n'intéresse pas. -- Everything about which you're talking doesn't interest me. (parler de...)

Tout ce dont

Does Tout ce dont also have the same meanings - [everything that/ all that], or is there any additional meaning to it?? Please confirm. Also a few examples would be great.

'anything that' is also an additional meaning?

(of course that the context will differ with the inclusion of de in 'tout ce dont', than 'tout ce qui' and 'tout ce que')

Sign in to submit your answer

Don't have an account yet? Join today

Ask a question

Find your French level for FREE

Test your French to the CEFR standard

Find your French level
Thinking...