Lesson 2 - Grammar 3 - tout, toute, tous, toutes
tout, toute, tous, toutes can have different meanings according to their role in the sentence. For that reason, we find it simpler to study them in three steps.
Step 1- 'tout' meaning everything is invariable and can be subject or object.
French / Français | English / Anglais |
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Tout est ici. | Everything is here. |
Je prends tout. | I take everything. |
Step 2- 'tout' (masculine form)/ 'toute' (feminine form) meaning: the whole, the entire amount, all (followed by a noun in the singular) modifies a noun in the singular and agrees in gender with the noun it modifies.
French / Français | English / Anglais |
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J'ai passé toute la journée à travailler. | I spent the whole day working. |
J'ai besoin de tout mon temps. | I need all my time. |
Step 3-
a. 'tous' (masculine form)/ 'toutes' (feminine form) meaning all or all of them modifies a plural noun or pronoun.
French / Français | English / Anglais |
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J’ai tous mes bagages. | I have all my bags. |
Toutes mes amies sont ici. | All my friends are here. |
Tous les miens sont là. | All mine are there. |
b. 'tous' (masculine form) / 'toutes' (feminine form) meaning all of them can refer to items mentioned in a preceding sentence.
French / Français | English / Anglais |
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J'en apporte à tous. | I’m bringing some to all. |
Ils sont tous venus | They all came |
Notice that when ‘tous’ precedes a noun-marker the final s is not pronounced.