Does ‘Todo Mundo’ Take a Singular Verb in Portuguese — Practice
A guided practice lesson with English explanations, Brazilian Portuguese examples, and answers you can check. Read the examples, recall the meaning, then say a version of your own.
Treat todo mundo as a singular expression
Todo mundo means ‘everyone’ or ‘everybody.’ Even though it refers to multiple people, it usually takes a third-person singular verb in standard Brazilian Portuguese.
Keep the same agreement in a longer sentence. The expression behaves like one grammatical unit, so the verb does not become plural just because mundo refers to a crowd.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Todo mundo sabe a resposta. | Everyone knows the answer. |
| Todo mundo chegou cedo. | Everyone arrived early. |
| Todo mundo vai participar da reunião. | Everyone is going to take part in the meeting. |
Use todos or todas when the noun is plural
Todos os alunos chegaram and todas as pessoas chegaram use plural agreement because the subject includes a plural noun. Compare that with todo mundo chegou.
The meaning is similar, but the grammar is different. Learn the expressions as complete chunks and you will be less likely to match the verb to the English word ‘everyone.’
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Todo mundo está pronto. | Everyone is ready. |
| Todos os convidados estão prontos. | All the guests are ready. |
| Todo mundo quer experimentar a sobremesa. | Everyone wants to try the dessert. |
Remember: Todo mundo usually takes a singular verb; todos/todas + plural noun takes plural agreement.
Check your understanding
Choose the English meaning of each Portuguese example. Answer before looking back at the tables. These questions check the written examples in this guide; they are not a listening or proficiency test.
Recall the Portuguese, then say it
Read the English prompt and say a Portuguese version before opening the answer. The answer shows the example from the lesson; other natural translations may also work. Compare the meaning and the situation rather than counting a different word as automatically wrong.
Everyone knows the answer.
Show a Portuguese answer
Todo mundo sabe a resposta.
Everyone arrived early.
Show a Portuguese answer
Todo mundo chegou cedo.
Everyone is going to take part in the meeting.
Show a Portuguese answer
Todo mundo vai participar da reunião.
Everyone is ready.
Show a Portuguese answer
Todo mundo está pronto.
All the guests are ready.
Show a Portuguese answer
Todos os convidados estão prontos.
Everyone wants to try the dessert.
Show a Portuguese answer
Todo mundo quer experimentar a sobremesa.
Make the phrase useful to you
Choose one example you could actually use. Say it once from memory, then change one detail that fits your life, such as the person, place, time, or object. Check whether your change also needs a different verb form, article, or adjective ending. If it does, compare it with the pattern in the explanation.
Todo mundo usually takes a singular verb; todos/todas + plural noun takes plural agreement.
Return to two prompts tomorrow without opening the answers first. If a phrase still feels difficult, shorten it to a useful chunk and build the complete sentence again.
Sources and your next lesson
This I Speak Portuguese practice guide builds on our Does ‘Todo Mundo’ Take a Singular Verb in Portuguese? lesson on Real Life Portuguese, with written recall tasks and additional speaking practice. The explanations and examples are teaching material; the practice questions are exercises, not a transcript of a recording.
To add Brazilian audio to your routine, choose a lesson in the Real Life Portuguese app. The app offers its own lessons and practice; this page does not imply that every example here has an app recording.
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