How to Use the Japanese Particle To（と） | “And”, “With”, and Quoting Speech

Introduction

What do the following have in common?

• “I studied Japanese and history.”
• “I went to the park with my dad.”
• “She said ‘I’m sorry.’”

They all use the Japanese particle と（to）!

This tiny word has several powerful uses in Japanese. In this article, you’ll learn:

✔ The three main meanings of と
✔ How to use と to say “and,” “with,” and quote speech
✔ Natural sentence examples
✔ Beginner-friendly explanations and tips
✔ A helpful FAQ section to clear up confusion

Let’s dive into the world of と — one of the most flexible and useful particles in Japanese!

1. What Is the Japanese Particle “と”？

The particle と is used to:

Let’s explore each one in more detail!

2. と for Listing: A and B

Use と to connect two or more nouns in a list.

Pattern: A と B → “A and B”

gokigen penguin

と is used only between nouns (not verbs or adjectives).

3. と for Company: “With” Someone

Use と after someone you do something with.

Pattern: Person と Verb → “do something with ___”

💡 Note: Don’t confuse this with も (“also”)!

Tip: useful expression “いっしょに” (together)

You can also add いっしょに (一緒に / issho ni), meaning “together,” for extra clarity or friendliness.

For example: 母といっしょにアメリカに行きます。(Haha to issho ni Amerika ni ikimasu.)
“I will go to the U.S. with my mom.”

Both 母とアメリカに行きます and 母といっしょにアメリカに行きます are natural — the second one simply emphasizes “together.”

4. と for Quoting: “He / She said…”

Use と after a quote to mark what someone says or thinks.

Pattern: “…” と 言いいました → “said…”

Quotes are often in 「かぎかっこ」 (quotation marks) in writing.

Extra Notes on “と” for Quoting

Casual Form: “～って”

In casual speech, the particle と is often replaced with って when quoting. For example:

• Formal: 先生は「ありがとう」と言いました。(Sensei wa “arigatou” to iimashita.)
• Casual: 先生「ありがとう」って言ってた。(Sensei “arigatou” tte itteta.)

Here, って sounds more natural in everyday conversation among friends or family.

Using 「〜と言っていました」

You can also use 〜と言っていました (to itte imashita) to report what someone said earlier.

It’s similar to “(someone) was saying” or “said (before)” in English. For example:

先生せんせいは「今日きょうはテストです」と言いっていました。
The teacher said (earlier) that there’s a test today.

This pattern is often used when you’re reporting information second-hand — something you heard before but are telling someone now.

Difference: 「〜と言いました」 vs. 「〜と言っていました」

Example:

• 先生せんせいは「今日きょうはテストです」と言いいました。 → The teacher said there is a test (just now).
• 先生は「今日はテストです」と言っていました。 → The teacher was saying there is a test (I heard earlier).

5. Real-Life Examples

6. Practice Time: Fill in the Blank with と

Let’s explore the different ways you can use the particle と in Japanese. Fill in the blank with と and think about why it fits in each sentence. Explanations are provided after each question.

Question 1: 友達ともだち＿＿映画えいがを見みに行いきました。/ I went to see a movie with friends.

Explanation: Here, と indicates that you went to see a movie with your friend. It shows companionship or doing an action together.

Question 2: コーヒー＿＿ケーキを注文ちゅうもんしました。/ I ordered coffee and cake.

Explanation: In this case, と connects two nouns, indicating “and.” You ordered both coffee and cake.

Question 3: ケンさんは「明日あしたカフェに行いきます」＿＿言いいました。/ Ken said, “I will go to the cafe tomorrow.”

Explanation: Here, と is used to quote direct speech. It comes after the quoted phrase and before a verb of saying (言いいました – iimashita, said).

✅ Good job! と is the right answer for all three.

7. FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

8. Conclusion: と Is a Multi-Tasking Particle!

Now you know how to use と to say:

✔ “A and B”
✔ “with someone”
✔ “he said ___”

It’s one of the most flexible and frequent particles in Japanese — and now it’s yours to use!

🎯 Try writing 3 example sentences using と in all three ways.