- Forum >
- Topic: Japanese >
- Particle と
Particle と
Particle と has two separate but related meanings. One of the usage is similar to English word and when you connect two or more nouns.
と (to) - and
Noun と Noun = N and N
Japanese | Romaji | English |
---|---|---|
りんご と みかん | ringo to mikan | apple and tangerine |
やま と かわ (山と川) |
yama to kawa | mountain and river |
これ と あれ | kore to are | this and that |
うえ と した (上と下) |
ue to shita | up and down / top and bottom |
It’s important to remember that the particle と connects nouns only. Not to be used for connecting verbs, adjective phrases, or sentences as the word “and“ does in English.
と (to) - with, together with
The second usage of particle と has a meaning of accompanied by another person or thing. It can be used with verbs to show a participant in an action.
Noun と = with N
Japanese | Romaji | English |
---|---|---|
ともだち と いく | tomodachi to iku | to go with friends⁺ |
せんせい と はなす | sensei to hanasu | to talk with the teacher |
だれ と はしる | dare to hashiru | Who do you run with? |
⁺ ともだち can be either singular or plural unless it’s indicated with many or number.
【Practice】
Let’s try to come up with the phrases using particle と with either usage above.
Post finder: Language guides to help with learning Japanese
13 Comments
169
Ahhhh! This reminds me of an assignment I had in my high school Japanese class. I had to write about my family (and didn't know Kanji) so to say I have three brothers I wroteおとうととおとうととおとうと which is just madness. But you say it’s used to “connect two or more nouns” so is that how you write lists? Like 卵とパンと果物と野菜と水とジュースを(?)かいとりました
The second usage is going to take some getting used to. I run with her- かのじょとはしる I guess?
1409
This is an old comment so maybe you've already gotten your answer, but と also has a quotational meaning. It marks a phrase that is quoted speech and is sometimes like a spoken quotation mark (that only goes at the end of what's being quoted) So saying "Tanaka to mōshimasu" is somewhat akin to saying "My name is 'Tanaka' ".