todo
Lemma Details
Translation: all; every; whole; entire; complete
Part of Speech: adjective
Etymology: From Latin 'totus' meaning 'all' or 'whole'. The English words 'total' and 'totality' share this Latin root. The evolution from Latin 'totus' to Spanish 'todo' follows a common pattern of consonant softening in Romance languages.
Commonality: 95%
Guessability: 70%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Mnemonics
- Think of 'total' in English, which shares the same Latin root.
- Remember 'todo' as the word that covers it ALL.
- The 'to' in 'todo' can remind you of 'total'.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Antonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
'Todo' is one of the most frequently used words in Spanish. It appears in many common expressions and idioms. The phrase 'de todo un poco' (a little bit of everything) reflects the Spanish cultural tendency to enjoy variety, especially in food and experiences.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'todo' means 'all' or 'every' collectively, 'cada' means 'each' or 'every' individually.
Notes: 'Todo' can be used as a pronoun (meaning 'everything'), but 'cada' cannot.
Mnemonic: 'Todo' covers the whole group, while 'cada' points to individuals one by one.
Explanation: Similar spelling but completely different meaning. 'Todo' means 'all' while 'tonto' means 'silly' or 'foolish'.
Notes: The feminine forms are 'toda' and 'tonta' respectively.
Mnemonic: 'Tonto' has an extra 'n' - 'Not all (todo) silly people (tontos) know they're silly.'