Kullamaa: Expressing

The word كلّ works through a relationship called the *Idafa*. This sounds fancy, but it just means two nouns stuck together. In this case, كلّ is always the first part. The noun that comes after it is the second part. The secret power of كلّ lies in the noun that follows. Is the noun singular? Is it plural? Does it have the article ال (al-)? These small details change "every student" into "all the students." It is like a grammar traffic light. Green means "every," and yellow means "all." You just need to look at the noun's clothes to know the meaning.

1. 1Using كلّ follows a very logical set of steps.
2. 2Start with the word كلّ (kull).
3. 3For the meaning "every" or "each": Follow with a singular indefinite noun (no ال).
4. 4Example: كلّ طالب (kull taalib) – Every student.
5. 5For the meaning "all": Follow with a plural definite noun (with ال).
6. 6Example: كلّ الطلاب (kull al-tullaab) – All the students.
7. 7For the meaning "the whole" or "all of": Follow with a singular definite noun (with ال).
8. 8Example: كلّ الكتاب (kull al-kitaab) – The whole book.
9. 9Remember the ending! The noun after كلّ usually ends with a *kasra* (the "ee" sound). This is because كلّ acts as the boss of the phrase.

You will find كلّ everywhere. Use it when you are talking about your habits. "I go to the gym every day." Use it when you are at a restaurant. "I want every type of hummus." (We've all been there). It is perfect for generalizations. "All people love coffee." It is also great for work scenarios. "I finished the whole report." Use it whenever you want to express a total amount or a repeating occurrence. It makes your Arabic sound much more fluid and natural. Even native speakers rely on it heavily to keep sentences short and punchy.

Don't use كلّ when you are being specific about a small part. If you only mean "some" or "half," كلّ is not your friend. It is an all-or-nothing kind of word. Also, avoid using it with verbs directly. You cannot say "I every eat." You must use it with a noun or a pronoun. If you want to say "everyone," don't just say كلّ. You usually say كلّ الناس (all the people) or الكلّ (the all). Think of it as a bridge; it always needs a solid noun to land on. If there is no noun, the bridge leads nowhere.

One big trap is the "Every + Plural" mistake. In English, we say "every student" (singular). In Arabic, we do the same. But beginners often try to say كلّ طلاب (every students). This sounds very clunky. Always keep the noun singular if you want to say "every." Another mistake is forgetting the ال (al-). If you want to say "all the students," you must include the "the." Without it, the sentence feels naked. Don't worry, though. Even native speakers mess up the tiny vowel endings (the *Harakaat*) sometimes. Just focus on the noun being singular or plural first. That is where the real meaning lives.

You might hear the word جميع (jamee'). This also means "all." So, what is the difference? Think of كلّ as the casual, everyday t-shirt. It is comfortable and works everywhere. جميع is more like a suit. It is formal and sounds a bit more "bookish." You will see جميع in news broadcasts or textbooks. In a cafe or with friends, stick to كلّ. There is also the word كلنا (kullunaa), which means "all of us." This is just كلّ with a pronoun attached. It follows the same logic, but the noun is replaced by "us."