都
dōu
The "all" adverb "dou"
都 means "all", and it goes before the verb — never before the noun it refers to.
Subj. + 都 + Verb / Adj.
How it works
都 is an adverb, so it lives in the adverb slot in front of the verb: 我们都住在上海. English puts "all" next to the subject; Chinese does not.
都 always looks backwards, to something already mentioned. That's why 都 cannot start a sentence, and why 都 + subject is impossible.
With negation, position changes the meaning: 我们都不去 is "none of us goes", while 我们不都去 is "not all of us go".
Examples
wǒ men dōu zhù zài shàng hǎi
我们都住在上海。
We all live in Shanghai.
tā men dōu shì xué shēng
他们都是学生。
They're all students.
wǒ hé tā dōu bú qù
我和他都不去。
Neither he nor I are going.
Common mistakes
- 都我们去 is wrong. 都 comes after the subject, before the verb.