đều — All/Both (Equally) in Vietnamese

Meaning & Usage

The word [đều is a fundamental part of Vietnamese grammar that often confuses English speakers because its translation varies depending on the context. At its core, đều functions as a distributive adverb. It indicates that an action, state, or property applies to every member of a previously mentioned group. While we often translate it as "all" or "both," its grammatical function is much more specific than the English counterparts.

In English, we say "They are all happy" or "Both of them like coffee." In Vietnamese, the concept of "all" is often split between two words: tất cả (the quantifier) and đều (the distributive marker). While tất cả groups the subjects together at the beginning of the sentence, đều is placed before the verb or adjective to emphasize that the action or quality is shared equally by every individual within that group.

A helpful mental model for đều is to think of it as meaning "equally," "uniformly," or "without exception." When you use đều, you are telling the listener that if you look at Person A, Person B, and Person C, they are all doing the exact same thing or possessing the exact same trait. If there is even one exception in the group, you cannot use đều.

Beyond its distributive function, đều can also act as an adjective meaning "even," "steady," or "regular." For example, nhịp tim đều means a "steady heartbeat," and chia đều means to "divide equally." At the B1 level, learners must distinguish between đều as a plural marker for subjects and đều as a descriptive word for rhythm or proportions.

Structure & Formation

The word đều follows a very strict word order in Vietnamese. Unlike in English, where "all" can move around (e.g., "All the students," "The students all"), đều almost always appears directly before the predicate (the verb or adjective).

1. Basic Pattern

2. Combined with "Tất cả"

To add emphasis, đều is frequently used in conjunction with tất cả (all). In this structure, tất cả acts as the quantifier at the start, and đều reinforces it before the verb.

Structure: Tất cả + Noun (plural) + đều + Verb/Adjective

3. Negative Form

When negating a sentence with đều, the position of the negative particle (không or chưa) is crucial. Placement before or after đều changes the meaning entirely.

• Đều không + Verb: None of them (Total negation).

• Không đều: Not even/Not uniform (Adjectival use).

Example Sentences

Using "đều" with Adjectives

Using "đều" with Verbs

Using "đều" for "Both" (Two items/people)

Using "đều" with "Tất cả" for emphasis

Advanced Contexts (Steady/Regular)

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Placing "đều" before the Subject

❌ Đều chúng tôi thích phở.

✅ Chúng tôi đều thích phở.

English speakers often try to translate "All of us" directly. In Vietnamese, đều is an adverb, not a quantifier like "all" in English. It must come after the subject and before the verb.

Mistake 2: Using "đều" for a Singular Subject

❌ Tôi đều đi làm mỗi ngày.

✅ Tôi đi làm mỗi ngày.

Đều implies a group. You cannot use it if the subject is a single person. If you want to say you do something "regularly," you must use đều đặn or thường xuyên, not just đều.

Mistake 3: Confusing "đều" with "cũng"

❌ A thích kem, B đều thích kem.

✅ A thích kem, B cũng thích kem.

Use cũng (also/too) when adding one person to a previous statement. Use đều when talking about the whole group at once. You only use đều if the subject is plural (A và B đều...).

Mistake 4: Incorrect Negation Placement

❌ Họ không đều đi học.

✅ Họ đều không đi học.

To say "None of them go to school," the negative không must follow đều. Saying không đều implies that the action is "uneven" or "irregular," which makes no sense in the context of school attendance.

Cultural Notes

In Vietnamese culture, there is a strong emphasis on collectivism and harmony within a group. The frequent use of đều reflects this value. When a Vietnamese person says "Chúng tôi đều...," they are emphasizing solidarity. It is very common in formal speeches, family gatherings, and business meetings to use đều to show that everyone is on the same page or treated with the same respect.

From a linguistic perspective, đều is derived from the Hán-Việt (Sino-Vietnamese) word điều (調), which relates to harmony, adjustment, and balance. This is why the word carries a connotation of things being "in sync" or "uniform." In Northern Vietnam, you might hear đều used more strictly in formal contexts, whereas in the South, it is used very liberally in daily conversation to emphasize commonality.

Related Grammar Points

• bao giờ cũng — Always (Emphatic) (Grammar B1)
• có lẽ — Perhaps, Maybe in Vietnamese (Grammar B1)
• nào...cũng — Any/Whatever in Vietnamese (Grammar B1)
• vừa...vừa — Simultaneously (At the Same Time) (Grammar B1)
• nào — Urging and Encouraging Particle (Grammar B1)
• hả, hở — Informal Question Particles (Grammar B1)

Practice Tips

For the NLTV (Vietnamese Language Proficiency Test) at the B1 level, you will likely encounter đều in reading comprehension passages or sentence transformation tasks. A common exam pattern is to give you two separate sentences and ask you to combine them using đều.

To practice, try these steps:

• Observe groups of people in public. Practice saying what they are all doing. "Họ đều đang đi bộ." (They are all walking).

• Pay attention to the difference between đều (all) and đều (even/regular). If it's before a verb, it's usually "all." If it's at the end of a sentence or modifying a noun, it's "steady/even."

• When writing, always check your subject. If your subject is chúng tôi, họ, các bạn, or hai người, ask yourself if you should add đều to make the sentence sound more natural and emphasize the shared state.