French grammar explained
Tout, tous, toute, toutes in French How to choose the right form
French learners often hesitate between tout, tous, toute, and toutes. These four forms can all translate as all, every, the whole, or sometimes everything in English. But they are not random. To understand tout tous toute toutes in French, you need to look at gender, number, function, and sometimes pronunciation.
Quick answer: tout tous toute toutes in French
Use tout with a masculine singular noun: tout le temps, tout le monde. It can also mean everything: J’ai tout compris.
Use toute with a feminine singular noun: toute la journée, toute la semaine.
Use tous with a masculine plural noun: tous les jours, tous mes amis.
Use toutes with a feminine plural noun: toutes les semaines, toutes mes questions.
Quick contrast: tout tous toute toutes in French
Tout
Masculine singular: tout le temps, tout le monde.
Toute
Feminine singular: toute la journée, toute la ville.
Tous
Masculine plural: tous les jours, tous mes amis.
Toutes
Feminine plural: toutes les semaines, toutes mes idées.
Je travaille tout le temps.
I work all the time. Tout is masculine singular.
J’ai travaillé toute la journée.
I worked all day. Toute is feminine singular.
Je travaille tous les jours.
I work every day. Tous is masculine plural.
J’ai des réunions toutes les semaines.
I have meetings every week. Toutes is feminine plural.
Tout tous toute toutes in French: the basic rule
The basic rule is simple: when tout comes before a noun, it agrees with that noun. In other words, the form changes depending on whether the noun is masculine or feminine, singular or plural.| Form | Gender | Number | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tout | masculine | singular | tout le temps | all the time |
| toute | feminine | singular | toute la journée | all day |
| tous | masculine | plural | tous les jours | every day / all the days |
| toutes | feminine | plural | toutes les semaines | every week / all the weeks |
Simple rule
To choose between tout, tous, toute, and toutes, first identify the noun. Then ask: is it masculine or feminine? Singular or plural?
tout + masculine singular
toute + feminine singular
tous + masculine plural
toutes + feminine plural
Use tout, toute, tous, toutes before a noun
The most common use is before a noun. In this case, tout works like an adjective and agrees with the noun.Tout + masculine singular noun
Use tout before a masculine singular noun.
J’ai attendu tout le matin.
I waited all morning.
Tout le monde est là.
Everyone is here. Literally: all the world is here.
Il a lu tout le livre.
He read the whole book.
Je connais tout le quartier.
I know the whole neighborhood.
Toute + feminine singular noun
Use toute before a feminine singular noun.
J’ai étudié toute la journée.
I studied all day.
Elle a travaillé toute la semaine.
She worked all week.
Toute la ville était en fête.
The whole city was celebrating.
J’ai regardé toute la vidéo.
I watched the whole video.
Tous + masculine plural noun
Use tous before a masculine plural noun. In this use, the final s is usually silent.
Je fais du français tous les jours.
I do French every day.
Tous mes amis parlent anglais.
All my friends speak English.
Il lit tous les messages.
He reads all the messages.
Tous les élèves ont compris.
All the students understood.
Toutes + feminine plural noun
Use toutes before a feminine plural noun.
Toutes les questions sont importantes.
All the questions are important.
Je regarde toutes les vidéos.
I watch all the videos.
Toutes mes amies sont venues.
All my female friends came.
Elle connaît toutes les réponses.
She knows all the answers.
Tout as a pronoun: everything or all of them
Sometimes tout, tous, and toutes are not placed before a noun. They replace a noun or refer to a whole group. In this case, they work as pronouns.| Pronoun | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| tout | everything | J’ai tout compris. I understood everything. |
| tous | all of them, masculine or mixed group | Ils sont tous là. They are all here. |
| toutes | all of them, feminine group | Elles sont toutes prêtes. They are all ready. |
Tout va bien.
Everything is fine.
J’ai tout oublié.
I forgot everything.
Ils sont tous partis.
They all left. Here, the s in tous is pronounced.
Elles sont toutes arrivées.
They all arrived. The group is feminine.
Important pronunciation note
When tous is a pronoun, the final s is pronounced: Ils sont tous là. When tous is before a noun, the final s is usually silent: tous les jours.
Tout as an adverb: very, completely, quite
Tout can also be an adverb. In this case, it often means very, completely, or quite. This use is common in expressions like tout petit, tout simplement, and tout à fait.
C’est tout petit.
It is very small.
C’est tout simplement impossible.
It is simply impossible.
Je suis tout à fait d’accord.
I completely agree.
Elle est toute seule.
She is all alone.
Useful learner shortcut
In everyday French, memorize common expressions first: tout à fait, tout simplement, tout de suite, pas du tout, and toute seule.
Pronunciation of tout, tous, toute and toutes
Pronunciation is one of the biggest difficulties with tout tous toute toutes in French. The spelling changes, but the sound does not always change in the way English speakers expect.| Form | Usual pronunciation | Example | Important note |
|---|---|---|---|
| tout | too | tout le temps | The final t is usually silent. |
| toute | toot | toute la journée | The final t sound is pronounced. |
| tous before a noun | too | tous les jours | The final s is usually silent. |
| tous as a pronoun | toos | Ils sont tous là. | The final s is pronounced. |
| toutes | toot | toutes les semaines | The final t sound is pronounced. |
Tous les jours.
Every day. Here, tous sounds like “too”.
Ils sont tous là.
They are all here. Here, tous sounds like “toos”.
Toute la journée.
All day. Toute sounds like “toot”.
Toutes les semaines.
Every week. Toutes also sounds like “toot”.
Common expressions with tout, tous, toute, toutes
Some expressions are very frequent in spoken and written French. It is useful to learn them as complete chunks.| French expression | English meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| tout le monde | everyone | Tout le monde comprend. |
| tout le temps | all the time | Il parle tout le temps. |
| toute la journée | all day | Elle a travaillé toute la journée. |
| tous les jours | every day | J’écoute du français tous les jours. |
| toutes les semaines | every week | Nous avons cours toutes les semaines. |
| pas du tout | not at all | Ce n’est pas difficile du tout. |
| tout à fait | completely, absolutely | Je suis tout à fait d’accord. |
| tout de suite | right away | Je reviens tout de suite. |
Tout tous toute toutes in French: common mistakes
Do not use tout before every plural noun
English speakers often use tout too often because they think of one English word: all. But in French, the form must agree with the noun.| Incorrect | Correct | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| tout les jours | tous les jours | jours is masculine plural. |
| tout la journée | toute la journée | journée is feminine singular. |
| tous les semaines | toutes les semaines | semaines is feminine plural. |
| toute le monde | tout le monde | monde is masculine singular. |
Common mistake
Do not write tout les jours. The correct form is tous les jours, because jours is masculine plural.
Do not pronounce tous the same way in every sentence
The spelling tous can have two different pronunciations. This is normal.| Sentence | Pronunciation of tous | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Tous les jours | too | Tous is before a noun. |
| Ils sont tous là. | toos | Tous is a pronoun. |
| Tous mes amis | too | Tous is before a noun. |
| Je les connais tous. | toos | Tous means all of them. |
Mini practice: tout tous toute toutes in French
Complete each sentence with tout, tous, toute, or toutes.
- Je travaille ________ les jours.
- Elle a étudié ________ la nuit.
- Il a lu ________ le livre.
- Nous avons regardé ________ les vidéos.
- ________ le monde est prêt.
- Ils sont ________ arrivés.
- Elles sont ________ contentes.
- Je n’ai pas ________ compris.
- Elle est ________ seule.
- Je suis ________ à fait d’accord.
See the answers
- Je travaille tous les jours. Jours is masculine plural.
- Elle a étudié toute la nuit. Nuit is feminine singular.
- Il a lu tout le livre. Livre is masculine singular.
- Nous avons regardé toutes les vidéos. Vidéos is feminine plural.
- Tout le monde est prêt. Monde is masculine singular.
- Ils sont tous arrivés. Tous is a pronoun and the final s is pronounced.
- Elles sont toutes contentes. The group is feminine plural.
- Je n’ai pas tout compris. Here, tout means everything.
- Elle est toute seule. This is a common expression.
- Je suis tout à fait d’accord. Tout à fait is a fixed expression.
Final recap: tout tous toute toutes in French
To choose between tout, tous, toute, and toutes, first look at the noun. If the noun is masculine singular, use tout. If it is feminine singular, use toute. If it is masculine plural, use tous. If it is feminine plural, use toutes. Then pay attention to function and pronunciation. Tout can mean everything, as in J’ai tout compris. Tous before a noun usually has a silent final s, as in tous les jours. But when tous is a pronoun, the final s is pronounced, as in ils sont tous là.Ready to make real progress in French?
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