toda
“toda” means “the whole” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
the whole, all of the
Also: entire
📝 In Action
Pasamos toda la tarde en la playa.
A1We spent the whole afternoon at the beach.
Ella se comió toda la pizza.
A1She ate the whole pizza.
He esperado toda mi vida este momento.
A2I have waited my whole life for this moment.
every
Also: each, any
📝 In Action
Toda persona tiene derecho a la felicidad.
B1Every person has the right to happiness.
Reviso mi correo electrónico toda mañana.
A2I check my email every morning.
Hay una excepción para toda regla.
B1There is an exception to every rule.
📝 In Action
Mi hermana se puso toda roja de la vergüenza.
B1My sister turned all red with embarrassment.
La niña estaba toda orgullosa de su dibujo.
B1The little girl was all proud of her drawing.
Después de trabajar en el jardín, terminé toda sucia.
A2After working in the garden, I ended up all dirty.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: toda
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'toda' to mean 'every'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'totus', which meant 'all, entire, or whole'. It has kept a very similar meaning for thousands of years as it evolved into Spanish.
First recorded: Before the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'toda' and 'cada'?
They can both mean 'every' or 'each,' but have a slightly different feel. 'Toda' often looks at the group as a complete set (like 'every student in the class'). 'Cada' focuses more on the individuals one-by-one ('each student received a diploma'). In many situations, you can use either one!
Why do I have to say 'toda la noche' instead of just 'toda noche'?
This is a key difference from English! When 'toda' means 'the whole', Spanish almost always puts a little word like 'la' (the), 'mi' (my), or 'esta' (this) after it. It helps to think of it as meaning 'all *of the* night'.