Tothom vol pau.

Tothom means everyone or everybody. Grammatically, it is treated as singular, so it takes a 3rd person singular verb:

• Tothom vol... = Everyone wants...

Even though it refers to many people, the verb stays singular, just like English everyone wants, not everyone want.

Because tothom is grammatically singular.

The verb vol is the 3rd person singular form of voler (to want):

• jo vull = I want
• tu vols = you want
• ell/ella vol = he/she wants
• tothom vol = everyone wants

Volen is the 3rd person plural form (they want), so it would not match tothom.

Yes. Vol comes from the infinitive voler (to want), and it is somewhat irregular.

In the present tense:

• jo vull
• tu vols
• ell/ella vol
• nosaltres volem
• vosaltres voleu
• ells/elles volen

So vol is the normal present-tense form for he/she/it and also for subjects like tothom.

In Catalan, abstract nouns like pau (peace) often appear without an article when speaking in a general sense.

So:

• Tothom vol pau = Everyone wants peace

This is similar to English, where we also usually say peace, not the peace, when speaking generally.

If you added an article, it could change the meaning and make it sound more specific, depending on context.

Pau is a noun. It means peace.

In this sentence, it is the direct object of the verb vol:

• tothom = subject
• vol = verb
• pau = direct object

So the structure is basically:

Everyone + wants + peace

This sentence uses the most neutral and common word order in Catalan:

Subject + Verb + Object
Tothom vol pau

Catalan can sometimes change word order for emphasis, but this version is the standard one and the best one for learners to use first.

A rough guide is:

toh-TOM

The stress is on the last syllable: -hom.

A few pronunciation notes:

• The o sounds are more closed than in many English pronunciations.
• The final m is pronounced.

Depending on accent, exact pronunciation can vary a bit, but for a learner, toh-TOM is a good start.

A rough guide:

• vol ≈ bol / vohl
• pau ≈ pow (like the start of pow!)

Notes:

• In many Catalan accents, v and b are pronounced the same or very similarly.
• pau is one syllable.
• The au in pau is a diphthong.

Yes. Tothom is gender-neutral and refers to everyone, regardless of gender.

It does not change form for masculine or feminine.

Not with the same meaning in a neutral way.

• Tothom vol pau = Everyone wants peace
• Tots volen pau = All of them want peace or Everyone wants peace only in some contexts, but it sounds different

Tots is plural and usually refers more directly to a specific group or to all (people), while tothom is the standard word for everyone/everybody in general.

Also notice the verb:

• tothom vol
• tots volen

Not naturally in most cases.

• Tothom vol pau sounds normal and idiomatic.
• Cada persona vol pau is grammatically possible, but it sounds more formal, heavier, and less natural in everyday speech.

A learner should usually prefer tothom for everyone/everybody.

Yes. Vol is present tense, so the sentence is in the present simple:

• Tothom vol pau = Everyone wants peace

It can express:

• a general truth
• a common human desire
• something true right now

Catalan often does drop subject pronouns like jo, tu, or ell, because the verb ending already gives information about the subject.

But here, tothom is not just a pronoun you would normally leave out. It carries the actual meaning everyone, so it stays:

• Tothom vol pau ✔

If you removed tothom, you would just get:

• Vol pau = He/she wants peace or a context-dependent interpretation

So in this sentence, tothom is needed.

Yes. Pau is also a Catalan given name.

But in Tothom vol pau, it clearly means peace, not a person named Pau. Context makes that obvious.

If it were a name, the sentence would usually be interpreted differently, and in writing the capitalization would help:

• Tothom vol Pau = Everyone wants Pau

But in your sentence, pau is lowercase, so it means peace.

The main things are:

• tothom is singular, even though it means many people
• therefore the verb is vol, not volen
• pau appears without an article
• the sentence is very direct and idiomatic in Catalan

So a learner’s biggest possible mistake would be something like:

• Tothom volen pau ✘

The correct sentence is:

• Tothom vol pau ✔