The indefinite adjective (tout, tous)

"All", "every", and "the whole" with tout

To say "all", "every", or "the whole" in French, use the adjective tout followed by a definite article (le, la, l', or les) and the noun.

Like other adjectives, tout must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes.

SingularPlural
Masculinetouttous
Femininetoutetoutes

Use the singular forms (tout or toute) to talk about "the whole" of something. Use tout for masculine singular nouns and toute for feminine singular nouns:

They clean the whole building.
Ils nettoient tout le bâtiment.
We stay at the beach all day.
Nous restons à la plage toute la journée.

Use the plural forms (tous or toutes) to talk about "all" or "every" of something. Use tous for masculine plural nouns and toutes for feminine plural nouns:

I like all the seasons.
J'aime toutes les saisons.
The boss understands all the details.
Le chef comprend tous les détails.
All the employees are tired today.
Tous les employés sont fatigués aujourd'hui.

Pronunciation tip: When tous is used before les and a noun (like in tous les détails), the final s is completely silent!

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