Con Todos en Inglés: Why Your Direct Translations Are Failing You

Con Todos en Inglés: Why Your Direct Translations Are Failing You

You're at a dinner party. Or maybe a high-stakes business meeting in London. You want to address the whole room, include everyone, and sound natural. You think of the Spanish phrase "con todos," and your brain immediately serves up "with all." You say it. There’s a tiny, almost imperceptible pause from the native speakers. They understood you, sure, but it felt... off. Stiff. Like you're reading from a 1990s textbook.

Honestly, using con todos en inglés isn't just about finding a word-for-word swap. English is weirdly specific about how you include people. It depends on whether you're being formal, casual, or just trying to get the bill at a restaurant. If you just stick to "with all," you're missing out on the nuance that makes you sound fluent rather than just functional.

Most people get this wrong because they focus on the "all" (todos) and forget the "con" (with). In English, we often drop the "with" entirely or replace the whole structure with something like "everyone" or "the whole lot."

Why "With All" Usually Sounds Wrong

Let's be real: English speakers rarely say "I want to speak with all." It sounds like you're a Victorian ghost or a very polite robot.

In Spanish, "con todos" is a powerhouse. It’s versatile. But in English, the context dictates the phrase. If you are talking about people, you’re almost always going to use "everyone" or "everybody." If you’re talking about things—like ordering a pizza with everything on it—you use "with everything."

I remember a student who once tried to say "I am happy with all" during a job interview. The recruiter looked confused. Did he mean he was happy with all the people? All the benefits? Or just life in general? He should have said, "I'm happy with everything so far." One word change, totally different vibe.

The "Everyone" vs. "Everybody" Debate

People ask me all the time if there's a difference. There isn't. Not really.

"Everyone" is slightly more formal. You'll see it in emails or speeches. "Everybody" is what you use at the pub or with your family. Both are perfectly valid translations for con todos en inglés when referring to people.

  • Casual: "I'm going to the beach with everybody."
  • Formal: "We shared the results with everyone in the department."

But wait. There’s a trap.

In Spanish, "todos" is plural. In English, "everyone" is grammatically singular. You say "Everyone is happy," not "Everyone are happy." This is the number one mistake Spanish speakers make. It’s a hard habit to break, but if you want to sound like a pro, you’ve got to treat "everyone" like a "he" or a "she" in your verb conjugation.

Different Ways to Say Con Todos en Inglés Depending on the Vibe

Context is king. If you’re in a professional setting, you might use "collectively" or "as a whole." If you're shouting at your friends, you might say "the whole gang" or "all of you."

1. The Professional Approach

When you’re at work, you want to sound precise. Using "with all" can sound vague. Instead, try "with the entire team" or "across the board."

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If you say, "I discussed the budget with all," it sounds incomplete. If you say, "I discussed the budget with the entire team," you sound like a leader. Experts like linguist Deborah Tannen have often pointed out that the specificity of our language affects how our authority is perceived. Using broader, vaguer terms like "with all" can actually weaken your professional stance.

2. The "Everything" Trap

Sometimes con todos en inglés refers to things, not people.

Think about a hamburger. You want it with "everything." In some parts of the US, specifically the Midwest, you might hear people ask for a burger "with the works." It’s a classic idiom. If you say "with all" to a waiter in Chicago, they’ll probably figure it out, but "with everything" or "with the works" gets you that nod of "this person knows the local lingo."

3. Including the Whole Group

"All of you" is your best friend.

"I want to go with all of you."
"I'm so proud of all of you."

It’s warmer than "everyone." It feels more direct. It bridges that gap between the formal and the intimate.

Beyond the Basics: Phrasal Verbs and Idioms

English loves to hide its meaning in phrasal verbs. Sometimes, you don't even need a word for "with" or "all."

Take the verb "to involve."

Instead of saying "I did the project with all," you could say "I involved everyone in the project." It sounds more active. More sophisticated.

Then there’s "The whole nine yards." This is a bit of an old-school idiom, but it basically means "with everything" or "including all." Use it sparingly. It’s great for when you’re talking about a project that had a lot of moving parts. "We did the research, the marketing, the sales—the whole nine yards."

The Nuance of "Altogether"

Occasionally, people try to use "altogether" as a translation for con todos. Be careful.

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"Altogether" usually means "completely" or "in total."
"There were six people altogether." (Total count).
"I'm not altogether sure about this." (Completely sure).

It doesn't really work for the social "with everyone" vibe you're usually going for.

Real-World Examples of Modern Usage

Let’s look at how this actually plays out in 2026. Language is shifting. We’re seeing a move toward more inclusive, yet concise, language.

In digital spaces—think Slack or Discord—"all" is often used as a pronoun on its own.
"Morning, all!"
"Is this okay with all?"

It’s a shorthand. It’s efficient. But in a formal letter? Absolutely not. You’d stick to "To whom it may concern" or "Dear everyone."

Also, consider the rise of "folks." It’s become a very popular, gender-neutral way to address a group. "I'm heading out with all the folks from the office." It sounds friendly and modern. If you're in the southern United States, you'll hear "y'all" (you all). "I'm going with y'all." It’s iconic, but use it with caution—if you don't have the accent, it can sometimes sound like you're trying too hard.

Why Your Brain Wants to Say "With All"

It's called "Language Interference." Your brain has a map of Spanish, and it's trying to overlay that map onto English.

In Spanish, "con" and "todos" are like two LEGO bricks that fit perfectly together in dozens of situations. English is more like a specialized tool kit. You have a wrench for this, a screwdriver for that.

The trick is to stop translating the words and start translating the intent.

When you say con todos en inglés, what are you actually trying to achieve?

  • Are you trying to be inclusive? Use "everyone."
  • Are you trying to be exhaustive? Use "everything."
  • Are you trying to be casual? Use "the whole group."

Common Mistakes to Avoid (The "Don'ts")

Don't say "With all the world."
This is a literal translation of "con todo el mundo." In English, "all the world" sounds like you're talking about the literal planet or a Shakespearean play. Just say "everyone."

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Don't say "I'm with all."
It feels like a sentence that hasn't finished. "I'm with everyone" is better, but "I'm with the whole group" is even more natural.

Don't forget the "s" on "everyone's."
If you're talking about something belonging to everyone, the possessive is "everyone's."
"It is everyone's responsibility."

Actionable Steps to Master the Phrase

If you want to stop making these mistakes, you need to change how you practice.

First, stop thinking in pairs. Don't memorize "con todos = with all." Instead, memorize scenarios.

  • Scenario: At a restaurant. Practice saying "I'll have it with everything" until it feels like a single word.
  • Scenario: Ending an email. Use "Thanks, everyone" or "Best to all."
  • Scenario: Telling a story. Use "The whole lot of us" to describe your friends.

Secondly, listen to how native speakers use "all" in movies or podcasts. You'll notice they rarely use it after "with" unless there's a specific noun following it (like "with all my heart" or "with all the respect in the world").

Thirdly, record yourself. Speak a few sentences where you would normally say "con todos." If you hear yourself saying "with all," stop. Rewind. Replace it with "everyone" or "the whole group."

Language is a muscle. You're just retraining it to move in a slightly different direction. It feels clunky at first, but honestly, once you start using "everyone" naturally, you'll find that native speakers engage with you more easily. There’s less of a "translation lag" in the conversation.

Basically, the "secret" to con todos en inglés is realizing that "with all" is almost never the answer. Look for the "everyone," the "everything," and the "whole." Those are the words that will actually make you sound like you belong in the conversation.

Start by replacing "with all" in your next three emails with "everyone." Notice if the tone feels different. It usually feels a lot cleaner and more direct. From there, you can start experimenting with more colorful phrases like "the whole gang" or "the entire crew" when you're hanging out with friends.

The goal isn't just to be understood; it's to be felt. And in English, that means being specific about who—or what—you're including.

To really nail this down, pay close attention to "everyone" as a singular noun. Start practicing "Everyone is" instead of "Everyone are" today. It’s the fastest way to jump from intermediate to advanced in the eyes of a native speaker.

Once you’ve mastered that, try using "across the board" in your next business meeting to describe something that affects everyone. It shows a level of idiomatic comfort that "with all" simply can't match.

For your next step, choose one specific context—like your workplace or your friend group—and commit to using only "everyone" or "all of you" for the next week. Breaking the literal translation habit requires this kind of focused repetition.