Explanation at your level:
Hello! 모두 means 'all'. If you have three apples and you eat three apples, you ate 모두. If you are in a class and everyone is there, you say 모두 is here. It is a very easy word to use every day!
At this level, you can use 모두 to talk about groups. You can say '모두 좋아해요' (Everyone likes it) or '모두 끝났어요' (Everything is finished). It is a perfect word to summarize a situation quickly.
As you move to intermediate, you will notice 모두 is often used with '다' for emphasis, like 모두 다 같이 (all together). It helps you describe quantities and group actions with more precision in your daily conversations.
In upper-intermediate Korean, 모두 is used to express totality in more complex sentences. It can describe abstract concepts, like '모두의 의견' (everyone's opinion), showing that you understand how to use it with possessive particles.
At the advanced level, you will see 모두 used in nuanced ways, such as in formal writing or literature to describe universal truths or collective states. It acts as a bridge between simple counting and complex philosophical statements about groups.
Mastery of 모두 involves understanding its subtle role in discourse. It can be used to emphasize unity or total exclusion depending on the context. You will find it in academic papers and formal speeches to denote the entirety of a population or data set.
Word in 30 Seconds
- Means 'all' or 'everyone'.
- Used as an adverb or pronoun.
- Very common and versatile.
- No plural form needed.
Hey there! 모두 (mo-du) is one of the most useful words you will learn in Korean. Think of it as your go-to way to say 'all' or 'everyone' in almost any situation.
Whether you are talking about everyone in a room or everything on a table, 모두 has you covered. It is super versatile and works in both casual chats with friends and formal presentations at work.
The word 모두 has deep roots in the Korean language. It is believed to have evolved from the older Korean form '모다' (moda), which carried the sense of gathering or collecting things together.
Over centuries, this concept of 'gathering' shifted to describe the state of being 'complete' or 'total'. It is a native Korean word, meaning it doesn't come from Chinese characters (Hanja), which makes it feel very natural and essential in daily speech.
You can use 모두 in many ways. If you want to say 'everyone is here', you say 모두 왔어요. If you want to say 'I ate everything', you say 모두 먹었어요.
It is very common to see it paired with particles like '가' (subject) or '를' (object). It is a neutral word, so you don't have to worry about being too formal or too casual—it fits everywhere!
While 모두 is a simple word, it appears in many set phrases. For example, 모두 다 (all of it) is used for emphasis. Another common one is 모두 합쳐서, which means 'all together' or 'in total'.
You might also hear 모두 함께, which means 'all together' in a social or group activity sense. These phrases help you sound more like a native speaker by adding natural flow to your sentences.
Pronouncing 모두 is easy! It sounds like 'mo' (like the 'mo' in 'more') and 'du' (like the 'doo' in 'door'). In IPA, it is roughly [mo.du].
Grammatically, it acts as an adverb modifying verbs or as a pronoun acting as the subject or object. There is no plural form because the word itself already implies plurality, which is a great shortcut for learners!
Fun Fact
It shares a root with the verb '모으다' (to collect).
Pronunciation Guide
Clear 'o' sound, 'u' like 'oo' in food.
Similar to UK, very consistent.
Common Errors
- Pronouncing 'o' like 'oh' in 'go'
- Stressing the wrong syllable
- Mumbling the second syllable
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Very easy to read
Simple to write
Easy to pronounce
Clear sound
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Advanced
Grammar to Know
Subject Particles
모두가
Object Particles
모두를
Possessive Particles
모두의
Examples by Level
모두 안녕!
Everyone hello!
Greeting.
모두 먹어요.
Eat everything.
Object.
모두 갔어요.
Everyone went.
Subject.
모두 여기 있어요.
Everything is here.
Location.
모두 좋아요.
Everything is good.
Adjective.
모두 샀어요.
Bought everything.
Verb.
모두 보세요.
Everyone look.
Imperative.
모두 자요.
Everyone is sleeping.
Present tense.
모두가 행복해요.
모두 다 알아요.
모두 함께 해요.
모두 준비됐나요?
모두 끝났어요.
모두 기다려요.
모두 들으세요.
모두 같은 생각이에요.
모두 합쳐서 얼마예요?
모두의 노력이 필요해요.
그는 모두에게 친절해요.
모두가 동의했습니다.
모두 다 가져가세요.
모두가 놀랐어요.
모두의 책임입니다.
모두가 참석했습니다.
모두가 인정하는 사실입니다.
모두 다 이해할 수는 없어요.
모두의 기대에 부응했습니다.
모두가 한마음으로 응원했어요.
모두가 떠난 뒤에 도착했어요.
모두가 보는 앞에서 말했어요.
모두가 만족스러운 결과입니다.
모두가 각자의 위치에 있어요.
모두가 간과했던 문제였습니다.
모두의 가치관이 다를 수 있습니다.
모두가 납득할 만한 이유입니다.
모두가 평등한 권리를 가집니다.
모두가 고대하던 순간입니다.
모두가 묵인하고 있는 상황입니다.
모두가 지향하는 목표입니다.
모두가 공감하는 이야기입니다.
모두가 귀결되는 지점은 같습니다.
모두의 잠재력을 극대화해야 합니다.
모두가 묵시적으로 동의했습니다.
모두가 경외심을 가지고 바라봅니다.
모두가 고뇌하는 인간의 본성입니다.
모두가 당면한 과제입니다.
모두가 유기적으로 연결되어 있습니다.
모두가 획일화된 사고를 지양합니다.
Common Collocations
Idioms & Expressions
"모두가 한마음"
everyone is of one mind
모두가 한마음으로 응원했다.
neutral"모두 다"
everything without exception
이것은 모두 다 내 거예요.
casual"모두 합쳐서"
in total
모두 합쳐서 다섯 명이에요.
neutral"모두의 적"
enemy of all
그는 모두의 적이 되었다.
formal"모두가 아는"
well-known to everyone
그것은 모두가 아는 사실이다.
neutral"모두에게 해당되는"
applicable to everyone
이 규칙은 모두에게 해당됩니다.
formalEasily Confused
Similar sound and meaning.
모든 is a determiner (needs a noun), 모두 is a pronoun/adverb.
모든 사람 vs 모두가.
Both mean 'all'.
전부 is slightly more focused on the 'total amount'.
전부 다 먹었다.
Both refer to groups.
각자 means 'each person' individually.
각자 하세요 vs 모두 하세요.
Shortened form of 모두.
다 is casual, 모두 is standard.
다 했어? vs 모두 했어요?
Sentence Patterns
Subject + 모두 + Verb
우리는 모두 갑니다.
모두 + Object + Verb
모두 다 먹었어요.
모두의 + Noun
모두의 생각이 중요해요.
모두에게 + Verb
모두에게 말했습니다.
모두가 + Verb
모두가 동의했습니다.
Word Family
Nouns
Related
How to Use It
10/10
Formality Scale
Common Mistakes
It needs a particle to function as a subject or object.
모든 must be followed by a noun.
모두 implies the whole group together.
Adverb placement affects meaning.
모두 is best for countable groups.
Tips
Memory Palace Trick
Imagine a big 'M' for 'Many' and 'D' for 'Done'.
When Native Speakers Use It
Use it when you want to emphasize that no one or nothing is left out.
Cultural Insight
Koreans value group harmony; 모두 is often used to emphasize togetherness.
Grammar Shortcut
Always check if you need a particle like 가, 를, or 의.
Say It Right
Keep the vowels crisp and short.
Don't Make This Mistake
Do not use '모든' without a noun following it.
Did You Know?
It is one of the first words children learn.
Study Smart
Write five sentences using 모두 every day.
Contextual Learning
Listen for it in K-dramas when characters talk about groups.
Vocabulary Building
Learn it alongside '각자' to understand the contrast.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Mo-du (More-do): If you do more, you have all of it!
Visual Association
A big circle containing everything.
Word Web
Challenge
Say '모두' every time you see a group of people today.
Word Origin
Korean
Original meaning: Gathering together
Cultural Context
None, very neutral.
Equivalent to 'all' or 'everyone'.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
at school
- 모두 주목하세요
- 모두 숙제 냈나요
- 모두 자리에 앉으세요
at a restaurant
- 모두 합쳐서 얼마예요
- 모두 맛있게 드세요
- 모두 주문하셨나요
at work
- 모두 수고하셨습니다
- 모두 동의하시나요
- 모두 회의실로 오세요
traveling
- 모두 준비됐나요
- 모두 탔어요
- 모두 즐거웠어요
Conversation Starters
"모두 잘 지내요?"
"모두가 좋아하는 음식이 뭐예요?"
"모두가 함께 여행 가면 어떨까요?"
"모두의 의견을 들어볼까요?"
"모두 다 끝났나요?"
Journal Prompts
Write about a time everyone was happy.
Describe everything you did today using '모두'.
What is something everyone should know?
How do you feel when everyone is together?
Frequently Asked Questions
8 questionsIt is neutral and fits in almost any situation.
Yes, it means everyone.
Yes, it means everything.
모든 needs a noun after it; 모두 stands alone.
Yes, very common in both writing and speech.
No, it is already plural.
Yes, as an adverb.
No, it is very straightforward.
Test Yourself
___ 왔어요. (Everyone came.)
모두 means everyone.
Which means 'everything'?
모두 is the correct word for all/everything.
모두 can be used as a noun.
It functions as a pronoun.
Word
Meaning
Matching synonyms and antonyms.
모두 다 is a common phrase.
___ 의견이 다릅니다.
Possessive particle '의' is needed.
Which is most formal?
전체 is often used in formal contexts.
모두 can be used as a verb.
It is an adverb/pronoun.
Correct structure for a formal sentence.
그는 ___에게 존경받습니다.
Dative particle '에게' is required.
Score: /10
Summary
모두 is the perfect, simple way to refer to every person or everything in a group.
- Means 'all' or 'everyone'.
- Used as an adverb or pronoun.
- Very common and versatile.
- No plural form needed.
Memory Palace Trick
Imagine a big 'M' for 'Many' and 'D' for 'Done'.
When Native Speakers Use It
Use it when you want to emphasize that no one or nothing is left out.
Cultural Insight
Koreans value group harmony; 모두 is often used to emphasize togetherness.
Grammar Shortcut
Always check if you need a particle like 가, 를, or 의.
Related Content
This Word in Other Languages
More general words
대해
A2About, concerning.
~에 대해서
A2Concerning or regarding a particular subject; about.
정도
A2An approximate amount or degree.
위에
A1on top of
절대적
B2Being unconditional, unlimited, or not relative to anything else. It describes something that is certain, total, or supreme without comparison.
절대로
A2Never, absolutely not.
우연적이다
B2To be accidental or coincidental; happening by chance.
우연히
B1By chance, accidentally, or unexpectedly. Often used in TOEFL listening narratives or history passages about accidental discoveries.
데리다
A1To take (a person); to pick up.
따라
A2Along, according to.
