Video
Let’s watch this short video for a quick overview.
Source: gokigen japanese official YouTube Channel
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:
| Function | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Listing | A and B | 日本語（にほんご）と歴史（れきし）を勉強（べんきょう）しました。/ I studied Japanese and history. |
| Companionship | “with” someone | お父さん（おとうさん）と公園（こうえん）に行（い）きました。/ I went to the park with my father. |
| Quoting | say or think “___” | ナンシーさんは「ごめんなさい」と言いました。/ Nancy said, “I’m sorry. |
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”
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| ペンとノートを買（か）いました。 | I bought a pen and a notebook. |
| コーヒーと紅茶（こうちゃ）があります。 | There is coffee and tea. |
| 英語（えいご）と日本語（にほんご）を勉強（べんきょう）しました。 | I studied English and Japanese. |
Tip: 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 ___”
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| お母さん（おかあさん）とアメリカに行きます。 | I will go to the U.S. with my mom. |
| ともだちと昼ご飯（ひるごはん）を食べました。 | I had lunch with a friend. |
| 姉（あね）と本屋（ほんや）に行きました。 | I went to the bookstore with my sister. |
💡 Note: Don’t confuse this with も (“also”)!
4. と for Quoting: “He / She said…”
Use と after a quote to mark what someone says or thinks.
Pattern:
“…” と 言いました
→ “said…”
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| シェリーさんは「ごめんなさい」と言いました。 | Shelly said, “I’m sorry.” |
| 先生は「ありがとう」と言いました。 | The teacher said “thank you.” |
| けんさんは「わたしは学生（がくせい）じゃないです」と言いました。 | Ken said, “I am not a student.” |
Quotes are often in 「かぎかっこ」 (quotation marks) in writing.
5. Real-Life Examples
| English | Japanese |
|---|---|
| I went to the hospital and the library. | 病院（びょういん）と図書館（としょかん）に行きました。 |
| I bought a T-shirt and a hat. | Tシャツと帽子（ぼうし）を買いました。 |
| I ate lunch with an international student. | 留学生（りゅうがくせい）と ひるごはんを食べました。 |
| I went to the park with my mother. | 母（はは）と公園（こうえん）に行きました。 |
| She said “good morning.” | 彼女（かのじょ）は「おはよう」と言いました。 |
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＿＿映画を見に行きました。/ 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「明日カフェに行きます」＿＿言いました。/ 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 (言いました – iimashita, said).
✅ Good job! と is the right answer for all three.
7. FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
- QWhat’s the difference between と and も?
- A
と = “and” (joins nouns), も = “also” (adds inclusion)
Example:
A と B = A and B
A も B も = Both A and B
- QCan I use と to connect verbs?
- A
No. と is only for nouns or quotes.
Use て-form to connect verbs (we’ll cover this later!).
- QAre there other ways to use 「と」?
- A
Yes, besides the basic uses we introduced in this article, there are various other ways to use 「と」. These are a bit more advanced, so here are a few tips for you:
Tip 1: Using 「と」 when a certain condition or trigger leads to the next event.
Example: 春（はる）になると、桜（さくら）が咲（さ）きます。（Haru ni naru to, sakura ga sakimasu. / When spring comes, the cherry blossoms bloom.)Tip 2: Using 「と」 when an action leads to an unexpected event or the next state.
Example: ドアを開（あ）けると、猫（ねこ）がいました。（Doa o akeru to, neko ga imashita. / When I opened the door, there was a cat.)Tip 3: Using 「と」 to express a certain state or role.
Example: 彼（かれ）は先生（せんせい）として、生徒（せいと）たちに教（おし）えています。（Kare wa sensei to shite, seito-tachi ni oshiete imasu. / He is teaching the students as a teacher.)
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.
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