“All (of)/Each/Every”
In English, “all” can follow either an indefinite or definite plural noun. “All of” can only be followed by a definite noun. When “all” means “the entirety, totality” or is used with a pronoun, it is followed by “of” + definite noun. For example:
1. “All (of) the students protested against the new law.”
اِحتَجَّ كُلُّ الطُّلَّابِ على القانونِ الجديدِ.
2. “All workers who were there voted against the strike.”
صوَّتَ كُلُّ العُمَّالِ الذين كانوا هناك ضدَّ الإضرابِ.
3. “All the wood had been burnt.”
اِحتَرَقَت كُلُّ الأخشابِ.
4. “All of us attended the lecture by the Dean of the Faculty.”
حَضَرْنَا كُلَّنا المُحاضَرةَ التي ألقاها عَميدُ الكُلية.
Usage of “All” as a Noun
For example:
“All he could do was admit to the crime and accept the punishment.”
كُلُّ ما كان عليهِ أَنْ يُعترفَ بالجريمةِ ويَقبلَ العقاب.
This concept is mirrored in Arabic, where كُلُّ is expressed as a noun and followed by a preposition such as مِنْ. For example:
1. تَكلَّم مع كُلِّ المُشاركين.
He spoke with all the participants.
2. يجب أن تَحضُروا كُلُّكُم المؤتمر.
All of you have to attend the conference.
3. كُلُّ الطلابِ ذوي الإعاقةِ هُم أعضاءٌ كامِلون في المجتمعِ ويجب أن تُقَدَّم لهم المساعدة من كُلِّنا.
All of the students with learning disabilities are full members of society and need support from all of us.
Plural Usage of Verbs Following “كُلُّ”
When كُلُّ is the subject of a verb, the verb is plural if the quantified noun is human. For example:
1. “All the demonstrators rejected the government demands and are calling for civil disobedience.”
رَفَضَ كُلُّ المُتَظَاهِرين مَطالب الحكومة وبدأوا بالدعوةِ للعِصيانِ المدني.
“كُلُّ” in إضافة Construction
Arabic uses جَميعُ (all/totality) in an إضافة construction:
1. جَميعُ الطلَّابِ
All students.
2. جميع النَّاسِ (with the definite article):
All people.
Expressions of Wholeness:
1. أَجمع/أَجمعهم
• Superlative form meaning “in its entirety.” Example:
العالم الغربيُّ أَجمعُ.
The whole Western world.
• In its entirety:
يُسافرون أَجمعهم.
All of them are traveling.
بغداد أجمل مدينة في العالم أَجمعُ.
Baghdad is the most beautiful city in the whole world.
2. Feminine form كافَّة:
Example: كافّة الأَحياء.
All areas.
• Collectively/Without Exception:
يشمل هذا القانونُ كافّة الطلاب.
This law includes all students.
3. بأسرها/كُلها
• Example:
سيُطبقُ القانونُ في كُلِّهِ.
The law will be applied in its entirety.
Expressions Combining “All”
1. All in all (= “in general”):
عموماً، بشكلٍ عامٍّ، على العموم.
Example:
“All in all, I think we’re better off without him.”
على العموم، أظن أننا أفضل بدونه.
2. All along (= “throughout”):
طوالَ الوقتِ.
Example:
“All along, they thought that we wouldn’t agree.”
كانوا يَعتقدون طُوالَ الوقتِ أننا لن نتفق.
3. One and all (= “every single one”):
Example:
“It is important to make this clear to one and all.”
من المهمِّ أن نوضِّح هذا لكلِّ واحدٍ منهم.
4. All alone (= “all by oneself”):
Example:
“He was left there all alone.”
تُرِكَ هناك لوحدِه.
5. All the better (= “so much the better”):
Example:
“All the better if she doesn’t tell him the truth.”
من الأفضلِ إذا لم تُخبره بالحقيقة
Note 1:
When كُلّ is the subject of a subsequent verb, the verb takes the plural form if the quantified noun refers to humans.
For example:
• رَفَضَ كُلُّ المُتَظَاهِرِينَ مَطَالِبَ الحُكُومَةِ
“All the demonstrators rejected the government demands.”
Note 2:
In Arabic, جَمِيع is also used to express entirety. It is often used in an إضافة construction, such as:
• جَمِيعُ الطُّلَّابِ
“All students.”
Additionally, جَمِيع is used with the definite article to mean “all people” or “entirely.” Without the definite article, it can mean “all together.”
For example:
• جَمِيعًا
“Altogether.”
Note 3:
The superlative form أَجْمَعُ denotes “whole” or “entirety.” It is used as an adjective and appears in the post-modifier position:
For example:
• العَالَمُ الغَرْبِيُّ أَجْمَعُ
“The whole Western world.”
In the feminine form, it occurs in إضافة, as in:
• كَافَّةُ الأَنْحَاءِ
“All areas.”
Note 4:
The adverb كَافَّةً means “all without exception” or “collectively.” It is often used to emphasize inclusivity.
For example:
• يَشمَلُ هَذَا القَانُونُ الطُّلَّابَ كَافَّةً
“This law includes all students.”
Note 5:
In expressions of totality, بِأَسْرِهِ or بِأَسْرِهَا can mean “in its entirety.”
For example:
• فَرَنْسَا بِأَسْرِهَا قَالَتْ: لَا لِلرَّئِيسِ.
“All of France said no to the president.”
Note 6:
Expressions like وَحْدَهُ or وَحْدَهَا are used to mean “all alone” or “by oneself.”
For example:
• تُرِكَ هُنَاكَ وَحْدَهُ.
“He was left there all alone.”