Od glave do pete
From head to toe
Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use 'od glave do pete' to describe someone who is completely covered, dressed up, or feeling an emotion through their whole body.
- Means: Entirely or completely, literally 'from head to heel'.
- Used in: Describing outfits, getting soaked in rain, or being deeply in love.
- Don't confuse: With 'od ruke do ruke', which means passing something around.
Explanation at your level:
मतलब
Completely or entirely.
सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि
In Croatia, being 'skockan' (perfectly dressed) od glave do pete is a sign of respect for the person you are meeting, especially on Sundays or for coffee dates. In coastal regions, getting wet 'od glave do pete' in the sea is a daily summer occurrence, but doing so in a winter storm is considered a serious health risk due to 'bura' (cold wind). The 'Špica' culture in Zagreb is the ultimate runway for people to show off being dressed 'od glave do pete' in the latest fashion brands. Croatian fans are famous for their 'checkered' outfits. During the World Cup, you will see cars, dogs, and people covered in red and white checkers od glave do pete.
Use it for compliments
If a friend looks great, saying 'Sređena si od glave do pete!' is a very natural and warm compliment.
Check your cases
Make sure you say 'glave' and 'pete' (ending in -e). Saying 'glava' or 'peta' will sound very broken.
मतलब
Completely or entirely.
Use it for compliments
If a friend looks great, saying 'Sređena si od glave do pete!' is a very natural and warm compliment.
Check your cases
Make sure you say 'glave' and 'pete' (ending in -e). Saying 'glava' or 'peta' will sound very broken.
Combine with colors
It's very common to say 'u [color] od glave do pete' (in [color] from head to toe).
खुद को परखो
Fill in the missing words to complete the idiom.
Vani pada jaka kiša. Mokar sam od ______ do ______.
The correct form is 'glave' and 'pete' in the Genitive case.
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly to describe a professional person?
Kako ćemo opisati nekoga tko je pravi profesionalac?
'Od glave do pete' is the standard idiom for total embodiment of a trait.
Match the situation to the correct use of the idiom.
Situation: Someone is wearing only blue clothes.
We use colors with this idiom to describe a monochromatic outfit.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Jesi li vidio Marka? B: Da, sredio se za vjenčanje. Izgleda super ______.
'Od glave do pete' is the most natural way to finish this compliment.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल
10 सवालUsually no. It's for people. For a car, you'd say 'cijeli auto' or 'u potpunosti'.
It is 'pete' (Genitive singular). 'Peta' is the Nominative (dictionary) form.
It is neutral. You can use it in a job interview or with friends.
No, that's not the standard order in Croatian, unlike in Spanish.
Not always. It can also mean 'embodying a trait', like being a 'liar' or 'hero'.
Yes, very often! Many Croatian pop and rock songs use it to describe love or style.
There isn't a direct idiomatic opposite, but you could say 'nimalo' (not at all).
Yes, like 'zaljubljen od glave do pete' (in love from head to toe).
In this idiom, it's Genitive singular (of the heel).
It's understandable but sounds like a literal translation from English.
संबंधित मुहावरे
skroz naskroz
synonymThrough and through
u potpunosti
synonymCompletely
od korijena
similarFrom the roots
od a do ž
similarFrom A to Z
कहाँ इस्तेमाल करें
Caught in the rain
Ana: Isuse, pa ti si skroz mokar!
Marko: Da, pokisnuo sam od glave do pete.
Complimenting a friend's outfit
Iva: Vau, izgledaš odlično!
Maja: Hvala! Danas sam u sivoj boji od glave do pete.
Describing a professional
Direktor: Gospodin Horvat je naš najbolji radnik.
Klijent: Slažem se, on je profesionalac od glave do pete.
After a messy job
Mama: Što si radio u garaži?
Sin: Bojao sam bicikl, sad sam u boji od glave do pete.
Talking about a fan
Prijatelj 1: Ideš li na utakmicu?
Prijatelj 2: Naravno! Već sam u kockicama od glave do pete.
Medical checkup
Pacijent: Kako je prošao pregled?
Supruga: Doktor me pregledao od glave do pete, sve je u redu.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Imagine a giant 'H' for Head and 'H' for Heel. From H to H, you've got the whole person!
Visual Association
Picture a person standing in a heavy rainstorm wearing a bright yellow raincoat that covers them completely from their hat to their boots.
Rhyme
Od glave do pete, sve je čisto, dijete!
Story
A man named Goran wanted to be a professional sailor. He bought a blue captain's hat, a blue jacket, and blue boots. When his friend saw him, he said, 'Goran, you are a sailor od glave do pete!'
Word Web
चैलेंज
Go to a crowded place (or look at photos online) and describe three people's outfits using 'od glave do pete' based on the dominant color they are wearing.
In Other Languages
De pies a cabeza
The direction is bottom-to-top instead of top-to-bottom.
De la tête aux pieds
Uses the plural 'feet' instead of the singular 'heel'.
Von Kopf bis Fuß
Uses 'foot' (Fuß) instead of 'heel' (peta).
頭のてっぺんから足の先まで
Much longer and more anatomically precise.
من الرأس إلى أخمص القدمين
Focuses on the soles rather than the heels.
彻头彻尾
Uses 'tail' instead of 'feet' and is often used for negative traits.
머리끝부터 발끝까지
Emphasizes the 'tips' (ends) of the body parts.
Dos pés à cabeça
Direction is usually bottom-up.
Easily Confused
Both start with 'od' and describe a path.
Remember that 'ruka' is hand. This phrase is about passing something between people.
Both involve the word 'glava' (head).
'Glavom bez obzira' means to run away headlong/recklessly.
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (10)
Usually no. It's for people. For a car, you'd say 'cijeli auto' or 'u potpunosti'.
It is 'pete' (Genitive singular). 'Peta' is the Nominative (dictionary) form.
It is neutral. You can use it in a job interview or with friends.
No, that's not the standard order in Croatian, unlike in Spanish.
Not always. It can also mean 'embodying a trait', like being a 'liar' or 'hero'.
Yes, very often! Many Croatian pop and rock songs use it to describe love or style.
There isn't a direct idiomatic opposite, but you could say 'nimalo' (not at all).
Yes, like 'zaljubljen od glave do pete' (in love from head to toe).
In this idiom, it's Genitive singular (of the heel).
It's understandable but sounds like a literal translation from English.
