都 means “all” or “both.” It goes right before the verb or adjective to show that more than one person or thing is involved. One rule to remember above everything else: a Chinese sentence never starts with 都.
一 Structure
Subject + 都 + Verb / Adjective
他們都會說中文他们都会说中文
They all can speak Chinese.
我們家的人都吃辣我们家的人都吃辣
Our whole family eats spicy food.
我們都沒有錢我们都没有钱
None of us have money.
台灣的夏天都很熱台湾的夏天都很热
Summers in Taiwan are always hot.
O₁, O₂… + Subject + 都 + Verb / Adjective
When listing things first and then saying how you feel about all of them, put the list at the front and 都 after the subject.
狗、貓猫，我都喜歡喜欢
I like both dogs and cats.
咖啡、茶、可樂可乐，我都不喝
I don’t drink coffee, tea, or cola.
中文、英文、德文、韓文韩文，她都會会說说，超挺厲害厉害！
She can speak Chinese, English, German, and Korean — she’s amazing!
我爸爸和和媽媽妈妈都在台灣台湾
Both my dad and mom are in Taiwan.
(In the example above, notice 和 “and” is read differently depending on the script — hàn in Taiwan, hé on the mainland.)
二 Negation
This is the part that trips people up: 都不 and 不都 mean two completely different things, just by swapping the order.
他們都是中國人他们都是中国人
They are all Chinese.
他們都不是中國人他们都不是中国人
None of them are Chinese.
他們不都是中國人他们不都是中国人
Not all of them are Chinese.
中國人不都會說中文中国人不都会说中文
Chinese people don’t all speak Mandarin.
德國人不都喜歡喝啤酒德国人不都喜欢喝啤酒
Germans don’t all like beer.
回教徒都不吃豬肉猪肉
Muslims don’t eat pork.
Not all Chinese people speak Mandarin — China has many different languages and dialects. Mandarin is the official language and the most widely spoken, but Cantonese, Shanghainese, Hokkien, and others are common too.
三 Common Mistakes
English speakers often want to put 都 at the very start of a sentence, since “both” or “all” often starts an English sentence. In Chinese, 都 can never be first.
❌ 都我弟弟和我不會開車都我弟弟和我不会开车
✅ 我弟弟和我都不會開車我弟弟和我都不会开车
都 has to come after the subject — never at the very start of a sentence.
❌ 他都很忙
✅ 他很忙
都 means “all” or “both,” so it needs more than one person or thing to point at. With a single subject like 他, there’s nothing for 都 to group together, so it doesn’t belong here.
❌ 他們都不是韓國人他们都不是韩国人(meaning: “not all of them are Korean”)
✅ 他們不都是韓國人他们不都是韩国人
都不 means “none of them,” but 不都 means “not all of them.” Swapping the order completely flips the meaning.
四 Practice
Try translating each sentence into Chinese in your head, then tap “Show Answer” to check yourself.
Card 1 of 10
1. They are all close friends.
他們都是好朋友他们都是好朋友
2. Not all of us love pizza.
我們不都喜歡披薩我们不都喜欢比薩餅
3. Both of you are so weird…
你們都好奇怪你们都好奇怪…
4. We are all learning Chinese.
我們都在學中文我们都在学中文
5. I like both tea and coffee.
茶、咖啡，我都喜歡喜欢
6. None of us have time today.
我們今天都沒有時間我们今天都没有时间
7. They are not all American.
他們不都是美國人他们不都是美国人
8. Both my older sister and younger sister can swim.
