Turn this distinction into automatic recall
Falando teaches Brazilian Portuguese through grammar, vocabulary, audio, examples, and spaced review, so confusing pairs stop feeling like guesses.
Quick answer
Tudo stands alone for “everything.” Todo normally accompanies a noun and agrees with it.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
What each word does
tudo
everything
Use tudo for all things in general, without a noun after it.
todo
every or all of
Use todo for a complete set or each member, normally with a noun.
How to choose
- tudo: Choose tudo if the sentence points to all things in general, without a noun after it.
- todo: Choose todo if the sentence points to a complete set or each member, normally with a noun.
Examples
Tudo está pronto.
Everything is ready.
Todo aluno tem um livro.
Every student has a book.
Common trap
Do not say tudo dia for “every day.” The natural phrase is todo dia or todos os dias.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with tudo, then once with todo. If both versions feel possible, name the meaning shift.
Turn this distinction into automatic recall
Falando teaches Brazilian Portuguese through grammar, vocabulary, audio, examples, and spaced review, so confusing pairs stop feeling like guesses.