How to Use ‘Tutto’ and ‘Tutti’ in Italian 

Tutto,Tutti = all, whole, every

“Tutto” has a number of different uses depending on how it’s used in sentences. It means “all,” “whole,” or “every” when it’s used as an adjective to modify a noun. In this case, it modifies its endings to match the nouns it’s referring to.

Masculine SingularFeminine Singular
tuttotutta
Masculine PluralFeminine Plural
tuttitutte

Adjective Singular:

“Tutto” or “tutta” = all, whole 

  • Tutto il libro è interessante. (The whole book is interesting.)
  • Ho mangiato tutta la pasta. (I ate all the pasta.)

Adjective Plural:

“Tutti” or “tutte” = all, every

Notice that they are followed by a definite article that agrees with the gender and number of the noun they refer to.

Examples:

  • Tutti i ragazzi sono bravi. (All the boys are good.)
  • Tutte le stelle sono luminose. (All the stars are bright.)
  • Tutte le ragazze sono simpatiche. (All the girls are nice.)

In the plural, “tutti” or “tutte” have the meaning of “every” and can be replaced by “ogni” in Italian. Notice that, unlike “tutti,” “ogni” is always followed by a singular noun.

So, “Vado in palestra tutti i giorni” is the same as saying “vado in palestra ogni giorno”. (I go to the gym every day.)

More examples:

  • Tutti i mesi → ogni mese (every month)
  • Tutti i ragazzi → ogni ragazzo (every boy)
  • Tutte le porte  → ogni porta (every door)
  • Tutte le volte → ogni volta (every time)

Tutto/Tutti = Everything/Everyone

When ‘tutto’ is a pronoun, it means ‘everything.’ In this case, ‘tutto’ is always followed by a verb conjugated in the 3rd person singular.

Example:

  • Tutto è andato bene. (Everything went well.)

When ‘tutti’ is a pronoun, it means ‘everybody’ or ‘everyone.’ Unlike in English, ‘tutti’ is always followed by a verb conjugated in the 3rd person plural.

Examples:

  • Tutti parlano inglese di questi giorni. (Everybody speaks English these days.)
  • Tutti sono venuti alla festa. (Everyone came to the party.)

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Italian Teacher and Author Serena capilli

Ciao! I’m Serena Capilli, the author behind ItalianPills and a certified Italian teacher. Originally from Sicily and based in Rome, I create Italian graded readers, Piazzetta Italiana magazine, and a slow Italian podcast for adult learners.

My stories grew out of my lessons with English-speaking students: short, accessible texts with useful expressions, cultural insights, exercises, and audio to help you read, listen, and find more to say in Italian.

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