Expressing 'All': 都 (dōu) with Time Expressions

In Chinese, 都 is an adverb. Adverbs usually sit right before the verb. When you use it with time, it highlights the duration or the lateness of an event. It tells the listener that the time mentioned is significant. It's like using a highlighter on a calendar. You aren't just saying what time it is; you are saying how you *feel* about that time. Usually, it's used when you think something is taking too long or starting too late. It’s the difference between saying "It is 10 PM" and "It’s already 10 PM!"

1. 1Using 都 with time usually follows these three simple paths:
2. 2Subject + Time Phrase + 都 + Verb + (了)
3. 3This emphasizes how long something has been happening.
4. 4Example: 我等了一个小时都累了。 (I've waited for an hour and I'm already tired.)
5. 5都 + Time Point + 了
6. 6This is used to say "It's already [time]."
7. 7Example: 都十二点了！ (It's already 12 o'clock!)
8. 8已经 + Time + 都 + Verb + (了)
9. 9You can combine 已经 (already) with 都 for extra emphasis. It's like saying "already already."
10. 10Example: 我都已经学了三年了。 (I have already studied for three whole years.)

Use it when you want to complain politely (or not so politely). If your friend is an hour late to your dinner date, you’d say 我都等了一个小时了！ It shows your impatience. Use it when you are shocked by the hour. If you are binging a show and notice it's 3 AM, 都三点了 is your go-to phrase. Use it at work when a deadline is looming. "It's already Friday!" becomes 都周五了. It’s also perfect for expressing how long you’ve been doing a hobby or living in a city to show your experience. Yes, even native speakers use this to brag a little about their persistence.

Don't use it for simple, neutral schedules. If you are just telling someone your flight leaves at 5:00, don't use 都. It would make it sound like 5:00 is surprisingly late or that you've been waiting for 5:00 for ages. Avoid it in purely objective reporting. A news anchor wouldn't say 都八点了 unless they were making a point about a delay. Think of it like a grammar traffic light: only use the "都 light" when you want to signal emotion or emphasis. If you're just stating a dry fact, keep it simple.

Mistake 1: Putting 都 before the subject.

• ✗ 都我等了。
• ✓ 我都等了。

都 is an adverb, and adverbs in Chinese are very picky—they must come after the subject and before the verb.

Mistake 2: Forgetting the 了 at the end.

都 and 了 are like peanut butter and jelly; they just belong together when talking about time passing. Without the 了, the sentence often feels unfinished, like a joke without a punchline.

Mistake 3: Using it for future times without the context of a deadline.

Usually, 都 looks at time that has already ticked away. Using it for a future event can confuse people unless you're emphasizing that the deadline is "already" almost here.

You might confuse 都 with 已经 (yǐjīng). While both can mean "already," 已经 is a neutral statement of fact. 都 is much more emotional. If you say 已经十点了, you are just stating the time. If you say 都十点了, you are probably telling someone to go to bed! Also, don't confuse this with 全 (quán). 全 means "the whole of" (like the whole world), while 都 refers to "all" members of a group or "all" parts of a duration.