toda
/toh-dah/
"Toda la casa está limpia" means "The whole house is clean." Here, 'toda' describes the entire, complete house.
toda (Adjective)
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Matches the Noun
'Toda' is the version for feminine, singular things (like 'la casa'). For a masculine thing, you'd use 'todo' ('todo el día'). It always has to match!
Don't Forget 'la', 'mi', or 'esta'
In Spanish, you almost always need a little word like 'la' (the), 'mi' (my), or 'esta' (this) between 'toda' and the noun. Think of it as 'the whole of the house' ('toda la casa').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Leaving out 'la'
Mistake: "Leí *toda novela* en dos días."
Correction: Leí *toda la novela* en dos días. Remember to include words like 'la', 'el', 'mi', etc. after 'toda' when it means 'the whole'.
"Toda mujer es fuerte" means "Every woman is strong." In this sense, 'toda' refers to each individual member of a group.
toda (Adjective)
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
No 'la' or 'el' Needed
Unlike the 'whole' meaning, when 'toda' means 'every', you usually don't put 'la' or 'el' after it. You say 'toda persona' (every person), not 'toda la persona'.
⭐ Usage Tips
'Toda' vs. 'Cada'
'Toda' (every) often talks about a group as a complete unit, while 'cada' (each) focuses more on the individuals one by one. They're often very similar in meaning.
"Estaba toda mojada" means she was "all wet" or "completely wet." Here, 'toda' just adds emphasis to the adjective 'mojada' (wet).
toda (Adjective (used as an intensifier))
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
It Still Has to Match!
Even when you use it for emphasis, 'toda' must still match the person or thing it describes. For a boy, you would say 'estaba todo sucio' (he was all dirty).
⭐ Usage Tips
Sound More Expressive
Using 'toda' this way is a great trick to make your Spanish sound more natural and expressive. It's very common in everyday speech.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: toda
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'toda' to mean 'every'?
📚 More Resources
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'.