都 dōu chinese grammar

Express all and both with 都 dōu

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都 dōu Grammar — OneDotDot Chinese
OneDotDot Chinese
Grammar · HSK 1
Grammar Point · HSK 1

都 dōu

The adverb 都 dōu in Chinese is typically used to indicate “all” or “both”.

It is placed before the verb or adjective to show that multiple people or things are involved in an action or state. Remember: Chinese sentences never start with 都 dōu!

1 Structure

S + 都 dōu + V / SV

解释tāmen都dōu会huì说shuō中文zhōngwén
They all can speak Chinese.
我们wǒmen家jiā的de人rén都dōu吃chī辣là
Our family all eat spicy food.
我们wǒmen都dōu没有méiyǒu钱qián
We all don’t have money.
日本人rìběnrén都dōu会huì说shuō日文rìwén吗ma？
Do all Japanese people speak Japanese?
台湾Táiwān的de夏天xiàtiān都dōu很hěn热rè
Summers in Taiwan are always hot.
我wǒ每天měitiān的de工作gōngzuò都dōu很hěn忙máng
My daily work is always busy.

O₁, O₂… + S + 都 dōu + V / SV

狗gǒu， 猫māo， 我wǒ都dōu喜欢xǐhuan
I like both dogs and cats.
咖啡kāfēi， 茶chá， 可乐kělè， 我wǒ都dōu不bù喝hē
I don’t drink coffee, tea, or cola.
中文zhōngwén， 英文yīngwén， 德文déwén， 韩文hánwén， 她tā都dōu会huì说shuō， 挺tǐng厉害lìhài！
She can speak Chinese, English, German, and Korean. She’s amazing!
我wǒ爸爸bàba和hé妈妈māma都dōu在zài台湾Táiwān
Both my dad and mom are in Taiwan.

2 Negation

They are all Chinese
他们tāmen都dōu是shì中国人Zhōngguórén
They are all Chinese.
None of them are Chinese
他们tāmen都dōu不bú是shì中国人Zhōngguórén
None of them are Chinese.
Not all of them are Chinese
他们tāmen不bù都dōu是shì中国人Zhōngguórén
Not all of them are Chinese.
中国人Zhōngguórén不bù都dōu会huì说shuō中文zhōngwén
Chinese people do not all speak Mandarin.
💬 Not all Chinese speak Mandarin

Hey guys, did you know that not all Chinese speak Mandarin? Yup, that’s right! China has a ton of different languages and dialects! Although Mandarin is the official language and the most widely spoken, there are other major language groups like Cantonese, Shanghainese, Hokkien, and many more!

德国人déguórén不bù都dōu喜欢xǐhuan喝hē啤酒píjiǔ
Germans don’t all like beer.
回教徒huíjiàotú都dōu不bù吃chī猪肉zhūròu
Muslims don’t eat pork.

3 Common Mistakes

Many English speakers tend to place 都 dōu at the beginning of a sentence because in English, we often start sentences with “both” or “all”. However, Chinese sentences never begin with 都 dōu.

❌都dōu我wǒ弟弟dìdi和hé我wǒ不bù会huì开车kāichē
✅我wǒ弟弟dìdi和hé我wǒ都dōu不bù会huì开车kāichē
都 dōu must come after the subject, never at the start of a sentence.

4 Practice

Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.

01They are all close friends.
他们tāmen都dōu是shì好hǎo朋友péngyou
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02Not all of us love pizza.
我们wǒmen不bù都dōu喜欢xǐhuan比薩餅bǐsàbǐng
👆 Tap to reveal
03Both of you are so weird…
你们nǐmen都dōu好hǎo奇怪qíguài…
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04We are all learning Chinese.
我们wǒmen都dōu在zài学xué中文zhōngwén
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05I like both tea and coffee.
茶chá， 咖啡kāfēi， 我wǒ都dōu喜欢xǐhuan
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06None of us have time today.
我们wǒmen今天jīntiān都dōu没有méiyǒu时间shíjiān
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07They are not all American.
他们tāmen不bù都dōu是shì美国人Měiguórén
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08Both my older sister and younger sister can swim.
我wǒ姐姐jiějie和hé妹妹mèimei都dōu会huì游泳yóuyǒng
👆 Tap to reveal
09Are all of you going to Japan?
你们nǐmen都dōu要yào去qù日本Rìběn吗ma？
👆 Tap to reveal
10Dishes in this restaurant are all very delicious.
这zhè家jiā餐厅cāntīng的de菜cài都dōu很hěn好吃hǎochī
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