Tout, Tous, Toutes


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The French word tout can be used as two different kinds of pronouns. It has three different forms, each of which is pronounced differently.

Like all French pronouns, tout is used in place of nouns. It can be two different types of pronoun.

As a neuter pronoun, tout has meanings like "all" and "everything."

Par exemple…

Elle ignore tout de cette décision.		She knows nothing about this decision.
Il sait tout de ce qui se passe ici.		He knows everything that happens here.

à tout prendre		everything considered
avant tout		above all
avoir tout de	(inf)	to have all of the characteristics of
C’est tout		That’s all, That’s everything.
comme tout		very, extremely
en tout		completely
malgré tout		despite everything
plus que tout au monde		more than anything in the world
pour tout dire		in summary
Tout ce qui brille n’est pas or.		All that glitters isn’t gold.
Tout est bien qui finit bien.		All’s well that ends well.
Tout est en règle.		Everything is in order.
Tout est là.		There’s the problem. (literally, "Everything is there")
Tout va bien		Everything is fine.
Voilà tout.		That’s it, there’s your explanation.

The plural pronouns, tous and toutes, mean "all" or "everyone":

Par exemple…

Je vous aime tous.		I love all of you.
Nous avons tous nos démons intérieurs.		We all have our private demons.
Toutes sont à la fête.		They (the women) are all at the party.

The plural pronoun is commonly used with stressed pronouns:

– Qui veut voyager cet été ?		– Who wants to travel this summer?
– Eux tous. – Elles toutes. – Nous tous.		– All of them. – All of the women. – All of us.