Subject + 都 + Verb/Adjective
Reach for 都 when you want to say 'all,' 'both,' or 'every one of them' applies to whatever comes next. It scoops up the subject (or sometimes the object) and signals 'this is true for ALL of them.' 都 always sits in front of the verb or adjective, never before the noun. It's one of the most-used adverbs in Chinese because almost every plural statement and many question patterns rely on it.
Structure
Subject + 都 + Verb / Adjective
dōu + [verb / adj]
How to Think About It
Think of 都 as a 'whole-group seal.' It tells the listener: 'whatever I'm about to say applies to every member of the subject.' It sits BEFORE the verb, not after the subject and not at the end. Crucial detail: 都 always points BACKWARDS — to the subject already mentioned, not to anything coming after it. So 我们都去 = all of us go. To express 'all of them' in the object position, 都 still follows the subject reference, not the object: 这些书我都看过 = I've read all these books (都 follows 我, not 这些书).
Examples
我们都是学生。
Wǒmen dōu shì xuésheng.
We are all students.
孩子们都在玩。
Háizimen dōu zài wán.
The kids are all playing.
这些菜都很好吃。
Zhèxiē cài dōu hěn hǎochī.
All these dishes are delicious.
Common Mistake
Learners put 都 in front of the noun, copying English 'all the people came.' Chinese says 'people-都-came': 大家都来了. Putting 都 in the noun slot is the single most common error with this word. 都 is an adverb, not an adjective — it modifies what follows it (the verb), not what precedes it.
都我们去了。
我们都去了。
Don't Confuse With
也 (also)
也 = 'also/too' (one more case). 都 = 'all/both' (every case in the group). 我也去 = I'm going too. 我们都去 = all of us are going. Don't substitute one for the other.
全 (all / whole)
全 emphasizes completeness as a whole unit (全班 = the whole class). 都 emphasizes that each member fits the description. 全班都来了 = the whole class came (and each member did).
每 + Measure + Noun + 都...
每 means 'each' and very often pairs with 都. 每个人都喜欢 = every person likes it. 每 sets up the 'each-by-each' subject; 都 closes the sentence with the universal verb. They almost always travel together.
Practice
我们 ___ 喜欢吃中国菜。
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都
每个学生 ___ 有书。
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都
Put in order: [都 / 我们 / 去 / 学校]
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我们都去学校。
Translate to Chinese: 'All of my friends like music.'
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我的朋友都喜欢音乐。
Write a sentence about a group of people doing something, using 都.
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Example answer: 我们家都喜欢看电影。 (Everyone in my family likes watching movies.)
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode:
Related Grammar Patterns
Acquire by listening
Hear Subject + 都 + Verb/Adjective in real Chinese, not in a textbook.
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