都

Also / All

Level 1Sounds Like dou1

The Cantonese word 都 (dou1) is a versatile pre-verbal adverb. Unlike Standard Mandarin, which uses 也 (jaa5) for 'also', spoken Cantonese uses 都 (dou1) for both 'also/too' and 'all/both'.

How It Works

The adverb 都 (dou1) is one of the most frequently used words in daily Cantonese.

1. Expressing 'Also' or 'Too'
In natural spoken Cantonese, 都 (dou1) is the standard everyday word for 'also' or 'too'. It sits before the verb or adjective.
• 我都係 (ngo5 dou1 hai6) = 'Me too / I am as well.'
• 佢都去 (keoi5 dou1 heoi3) = 'He is also going.'

2. Expressing 'All' or 'Both'
When the subject is plural or includes a quantifier, 都 (dou1) acts as a scope marker meaning 'all' or 'both' for the entities situated to its left.
• 佢哋兩個都嚟咗 (keoi5 dei6 loeng5 go3 dou1 lai4 zo2) = 'Both of them came.'
• 全部人都知 (cyun4 bou6 jan4 dou1 zi1) = 'Everyone knows.'

3. Position with Total Negation
To express total negation ('all not' or 'also not'), place the negation particle 唔 (m4) or 冇 (mou5) directly AFTER 都.
• 我哋都唔去 (ngo5 dei6 dou1 m4 heoi3) = 'We are also not going' or 'None of us are going.'

Note: Placing negation directly after 都 creates total negation. For partial negation ('not all / not everyone'), place 唔係 (m4 hai6) at the beginning before the quantifier.

Examples (5)

  1. 我都係。

    Me too.

    Word by Word: I also am

    A standard everyday phrase where 都 (dou1) combines with 係 (hai6) to mean 'also/too'.

  2. 佢哋兩個都嚟咗。

    Both of them came.

    Word by Word: They two [classifier] both came [completed]

    When modifying a subject group of two items or people, 都 (dou1) translates to 'both'.

  3. 全部人都去。

    Everyone is going.

    Word by Word: All people all go

    Quantifiers like 全部 (cyun4 bou6) work together with 都 (dou1) placed before the verb.

  4. 我都想食。

    I also want to eat.

    Word by Word: I also want eat

    Here 都 (dou1) sits before the auxiliary verb 想 (soeng2) to express 'also'.

  5. 佢哋都唔知。

    None of them know.

    Word by Word: They all not know

    Notice that the negation particle 唔 (m4) comes after 都 (dou1).

Common Mistakes

  • Placing 都 (dou1) at the beginning of the sentence

    都我哋去。
    我哋都去。

    Unlike English 'Also we go', 都 (dou1) is a pre-verbal adverb in Cantonese and must sit after the subject and before the verb.

  • Using Mandarin 也 (jaa5) instead of 都 (dou1) in spoken Cantonese

    Different Meaning我也係。
    我都係。

    也 (jaa5) is formal/literary in Cantonese. Native speakers almost exclusively use 都 (dou1) for 'also/too' in everyday speech.

  • Omitting 都 (dou1) after a universal quantifier

    全部人去。
    全部人都去。

    Noun-phrase quantifiers like 全部 (cyun4 bou6) require the pre-verbal adverb 都 (dou1) before the verb to complete the grammar naturally.

How It Connects

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都Level 1Also / All

Learn This First

To understand '都', you need to know where adverbs sit in a Cantonese sentence (before the verb) and be familiar with basic pronouns and the verb 'to be' to form simple 'also' or 'all' statements.

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