todo
/TOH-doh/
This image captures the concept of 'todo' (everything). Just as the entire city is reflected within the single marble, 'todo' is used to refer to the entirety or the whole of something.
todo (Adjective)
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Matching the Noun
Todo changes to match the thing you're talking about. Use todo for masculine singular things (todo el día), toda for feminine (toda la noche), todos for masculine plural (todos los libros), and todas for feminine plural (todas las mesas).
The 'the' Rule
Unlike in English, you almost always need to put 'the' (el, la, los, las) or a possessive (mi, tu) between todo and the noun. Think of it as 'all of the...'
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting 'the'
Mistake: "Hablo con mis amigos todos días."
Correction: Hablo con mis amigos todos `los` días. Remember to include `los` (or `el`, `la`, `las`) after `todos` when it's followed by a noun.
When 'todo' is used alone like this, it means 'everything'—all the things as one concept.
todo (Pronoun)
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
'Everything' vs. 'Everyone'
Use todo by itself to mean 'everything'. Use todos (for a group of males or a mixed group) or todas (for a group of females) to mean 'everyone' or 'all of them'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'todo' and 'todos'
Mistake: "Todo están aquí."
Correction: `Todos` están aquí. When talking about people ('everyone'), you need the plural form `todos` or `todas`.
⭐ Usage Tips
A Super Useful Phrase
Sobre todo is a great phrase that means 'above all' or 'especially'. For example: 'Me gusta la fruta, sobre todo las fresas' (I like fruit, especially strawberries).
Here, 'todo' acts like 'completely' or 'all over,' emphasizing how splattered the shirt is ('está toda manchada').
todo (Adverb)
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
An Adverb that Changes?
This is a special case. Even though it's used like 'completely' or 'very', it still changes to todo, toda, todos, or todas to match the person or thing it's describing.
⭐ Usage Tips
Adding Emphasis
Use this form to add extra emphasis. Instead of just 'estoy cansado' (I'm tired), you can say 'estoy todo cansado' to mean 'I'm completely wiped out'.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: todo
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly says 'Everything is ready'?
📚 More Resources
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'.