todo
“todo” means “all” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
all
Also: every, whole
📝 In Action
Leo todos los días.
A1I read every day.
Toda la familia fue a la playa.
A1The whole family went to the beach.
Limpié toda la casa.
A2I cleaned the whole house.
Todas mis amigas son inteligentes.
A2All my friends are smart.
everything
Also: everyone, all
📝 In Action
¿Entendiste todo?
A2Did you understand everything?
Gracias por todo.
A2Thanks for everything.
Todos están listos para salir.
A2Everyone is ready to leave.
He leído los libros. Todos son interesantes.
B1I've read the books. All of them are interesting.
completely
Also: all, entirely
📝 In Action
El niño volvió del parque todo sucio.
B1The boy came back from the park all dirty.
Después de correr, estaba toda sudada.
B1After running, she was all sweaty.
Se pusieron todos nerviosos antes del examen.
B2They all got very nervous before the exam.
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: todo
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly says 'Everything is ready'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word `tōtus`, which meant 'all, entire, whole.' It has kept this core meaning of completeness over centuries as it evolved into modern Spanish.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I have to say 'todos los días' instead of just 'todos días'?
It's a rule in Spanish. When you use `todo`, `toda`, `todos`, or `todas` to mean 'all' or 'every' right before a noun (like 'días'), you almost always have to put the word for 'the' (`el`, `la`, `los`, `las`) in between them. Think of it as literally saying 'all of the days'.
What's the difference between 'todo el mundo' and 'todos'?
They both can mean 'everyone', but they're used slightly differently. 'Todo el mundo' (literally 'all the world') is a very common set phrase for 'everybody'. 'Todos' (or 'todas') also means 'everyone' or 'all of them' and is a bit more flexible. You can use either in many situations, like 'Todo el mundo está aquí' or 'Todos están aquí'.
Can 'todo' mean 'anything'?
Not usually by itself. 'Anything' is typically 'cualquier cosa' or just 'algo' in questions ('¿Quieres algo?'). However, in the phrase 'más que todo' it can mean 'more than anything'.