都 dōu Grammar

Grammar Point:
The adverb 都 dōu in Chinese is typically used to indicate “all” or “both” and can be placed before the verb or before the subject. It is commonly used in sentences to indicate that multiple things or people are involved in an action or state.

Structure

S + 都 dōu + V or SV

他們tāmen都dōu會huì說shuō中文zhōngwén他们tāmen都dōu会huì说shuō中文zhōngwén
They all can speak Chinese.

我們wǒmen家jiā的de人rén都dōu吃chī辣là我们wǒmen家jiā的de人rén都dōu吃chī辣là
Our family all eat spicy food.

我們wǒmen都dōu沒有méiyǒu錢qián我们wǒmen都dōu没有méiyǒu钱qián
We all don’t have money.

日本人rìběnrén都dōu會huì說shuō日文rìwén嗎ma？ 日本人rìběnrén都dōu会huì说shuō日文rìwén吗ma？
Do all Japanese people speak Japanese?

台灣Táiwān的de夏天xiàtiān都dōu很hěn熱rè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 or SV

狗gǒu、 貓māo， 我wǒ都dōu喜歡xǐhuān狗gǒu， 猫māo， 我wǒ都dōu喜欢xǐhuan
I like both dogs and cats.

咖啡kāfēi、 茶chá、 可樂kělè， 我wǒ都dōu不bù喝hē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、 韓文hánwén， 她tā都dōu會huì說shuō， 超chāo厲害lìhài！ 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hàn媽媽māma都dōu在zài台灣Táiwān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.

Negation

他們tāmen都dōu是shì中國Zhōngguó人rén他们tāmen都dōu是shì中国Zhōngguó人rén
They are all Chinese.

他們tāmen都dōu不bú是shì中國Zhōngguó人rén他们tāmen都dōu不bú是shì中国Zhōngguó人rén
None of them are Chinese.

他們tāmen不bù都dōu是shì中國Zhōngguó人rén他们tāmen不bù都dōu是shì中国Zhōngguó人rén
Not all of them are Chinese.

中國Zhōngguó人rén不bù都dōu會huì說shuō中文zhōngwén中国Zhōngguó人rén不bù都dōu会huì说shuō中文zhōngwén
Chinese people do not all speak Chinese?

FYI
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! Plus, there are also a bunch of minority languages and dialects spoken throughout China, making it one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world!

德國déguó人rén不bù都dōu喜歡xǐhuān喝hē啤酒píjiǔ德国déguó人rén不bù都dōu喜欢xǐhuan喝hē啤酒píjiǔ
Germans don’t all like beer

回教huíjiào徒tú都dōu不bù吃chī豬肉zhūròu回教huíjiào徒tú都dōu不bù吃chī猪肉zhūròu
Muslims don’t eat pork.

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, it is important to remember that in Chinese, sentences would never begin with 都 dōu.

都dōu我wǒ弟弟dìdi和hàn我wǒ不bú會huì開車kāichē都dōu我wǒ弟弟dìdi和hé我wǒ不bú会huì开车kāichē ❌
Both my brother and I do not drive.

我wǒ弟弟dìdi和hàn我wǒ都dōu不bú會huì開車kāichē我wǒ弟弟dìdi和hé我wǒ都dōu不bú会huì开车kāichē ✅
Both my brother and I do not drive.

Practice

TouchHover over the space to see the answers.

✔️ They are all close friends.

他們tāmen都dōu是shì好hǎo朋友péngyǒu他们tāmen都dōu是shì好hǎo朋友péngyou

✔️ Not all of us love pizza.

他們tāmen不bù都dōu喜歡xǐhuān披薩pīsà他们tāmen不bù都dōu喜欢xǐhuan比萨饼bǐsàbǐng

✔️ Both of you are so weird…

你們nǐmen都dōu好hǎo奇怪qíguài… 你们nǐmen都dōu好hǎo奇怪qíguài…