El café y té todo está sobre la mesa.

Question

El café y té todo está sobre la mesa.

Why it´s está but not están? café and té , those two, it´s plural.

todos or todo is correct?

Answer 1

You can say:

1) El café y té están sobre la mesa.

2) Todo está sobre la mesa.

3) El café y té; todo está sobre la mesa.

Bien el 3ro. - fox10, Dec 8, 2011

Another good answer, Mariana. You continue to keep us learning! :-> - territurtle, Dec 8, 2011

Answer 2

I like Mariana's answer. To expand on it...

"Todo" is what makes your verb form singular. Even though "everything" is referring to more than one thing, todo, in and of itself, is a singular subject.

It's just like in English, you would say "everything IS on the table;" not "everything ARE on the table."

The sentence also needs to be punctuated correctly for clarification. (Like Mariana's #3.)

Answer 3

Can I say El café y té todos están sobre la mesa?

Technically yes, but it sounds weird to me. Redundant, if you will. In English it would be like the difference between: Tea and coffe; it's all on the table vs. The tea and the coffee are all on the table. Why all on the table? - Gekkosan, Dec 8, 2011