Translation and Meaning of: と - to

The Japanese word と [to] is one of the most fundamental and frequently used particles in the language. If you are learning Japanese, you have certainly come across it in basic sentences or even in more complex dialogues. In this article, we will explore its meaning, common uses, and how it fits into the grammatical structure of Japanese. Moreover, we will look at some curiosities about how this small particle can completely change the meaning of a sentence.

If you have already used the Suki Nihongo dictionary, you know that it is a great tool for understanding words and particles like と. Here, we go beyond simple translation and dive into the details that make this particle so essential for communication in Japan. Shall we begin?

The basic meaning and usage of と

The particle と has as its main function to indicate companionship or connection between elements. In English, it can be translated as "and" or "with," depending on the context. For example, in the phrase "りんごとバナナ" (ringo to banana), it means "apple and banana," joining the two items in a list.

Another common use is to express joint action, as in "友達と映画を見た" (tomodachi to eiga o mita), which means "I watched a movie with a friend." Note how と establishes a relationship between the mentioned people or objects, creating a clear connection in the sentence.

The origin and evolution of と

Linguistic studies indicate that と comes from ancient Japanese, where it already served similar functions to the current ones. Unlike many particles that have undergone significant changes over the centuries, と has maintained its form and basic use practically unchanged since the Heian period (794-1185).

Interestingly, research shows that と is one of the oldest particles still in continuous use in modern Japanese. Its simplicity and versatility explain why it has stood the test of time, appearing even in some of Japan's oldest texts.

Tips for using と correctly

A common confusion among students is when to use と instead of other particles like や (ya) or に (ni). Remember: と indicates a complete list or a specific joint action, while や suggests an incomplete list. For example, "本とノート" (hon to nōto) specifically means "book and notebook," without other implied items.

To better memorize, try to associate と with the symbol of a link or chain, as it always connects elements in a direct and explicit way. Another tip is to pay attention to dialogues in anime or Japanese dramas, where と appears frequently in everyday conversations.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 無論 (muron) - Without a doubt
• 当然 (touzen) - Naturally; Of course
• なんといっても (nanto ittemo) - In any case; Above all
• そうだろう (sou darou) - That's not how it is, right?
• そうに決まっている (sou ni kimatteru) - Sure it is like that.
• そうだと思う (sou da to omou) - I think it's like this.
• そう思う (sou omou) - I think like this
• そうでしょう (sou deshou) - Isn't it true?
• そうですね (sou desu ne) - This is true, isn’t it?
• そうだね (sou da ne) - That's right, isn't it?
• そうだよね (sou da yo ne) - That's right, isn't it?
• そうだよな (sou da yo na) - That's right, isn't it?
• そうだな (sou da na) - Yes, that's right
• そうかな (sou kana) - Is it like this?
• そうだろうか (sou darou ka) - Is it like this?
• そうだとすれば (sou da to sureba) - If that's the case
• そうだとしたら (sou da to shitara) - If this is true
• そうなら (sou nara) - If that's the case
• そうならば (sou naraba) - If that's the case
• そういうことだ (sou iu koto da) - That's how it is
• そういうことになる (sou iu koto ni naru) - It will reach that point.
• そういうことになっている (sou iu koto ni natteiru) - It is defined like this
• そういうことになった (sou iu koto ni natta) - This happened
• そういうことになると (sou iu koto ni naru to) - If this happens
• そういうことになると思う (sou iu koto ni naru to omou) - I think it's going to be like this.

と

Romaji: to
Kana: と
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n5

Translation / Meaning: 1. if (conjunction); 2. Promoted pawn (shogi) (ABBR)

Meaning in English: 1. if (conjunction); 2. promoted pawn (shogi) (abbr)

Definition: "To" is a conjunction that expresses a connection between sentences or words.

Example Sentences - (と) to

See below some example sentences:

秩序を守ることは社会の安定につながる。

Chitsujo wo mamoru koto wa shakai no antei ni tsunagaru

Protecting order leads to social stability.

• 秩序 (chitsujo) - order, organization
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 守る (mamoru) - protect, maintain
• こと (koto) - abstract noun, in this case, "the act of"
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 社会 (shakai) - society
• の (no) - Possession particle
• 安定 (antei) - stability, security
• に (ni) - target particle
• つながる (tsunagaru) - to be connected, to carry

空気が悪いと健康に悪影響がある。

Kuuki ga warui to kenkou ni aku eikyou ga aru

Poor air quality has a negative impact on health.

Poor air has a negative effect on health.

• 空気 (kuuki) - I'm sorry, but there seems to be no text provided for translation. Please share the content you'd like translated from Portuguese to English.
• が (ga) - subject particle
• 悪い (warui) - bad
• と (to) - I'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that.
• 健康 (kenkou) - health
• に (ni) - target particle
• 悪影響 (aku eikyou) - negative effect
• が (ga) - subject particle
• ある (aru) - exists

笑うことは健康に良いです。

Warau koto wa kenkou ni yoi desu

Laughing is good for health.

Laughing is good for your health.

• 笑うこと - means "to laugh" or "to smile".
• は - grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "to laugh" or "to smile".
• 健康に - means "for health".
• 良い - means "good" or "positive".
• です - Verb "to be" in polite form.

筋肉が弛むとリラックスできる。

Kin'niku ga yurumu to rirakkusu dekiru

You can relax when your muscles are loose.

• 筋肉 (kin'niku) - Muscle
• が (ga) - subject particle
• 弛む (yurumu) - relax, loosen
• と (to) - conditional particle
• リラックス (rirakkusu) - to relax
• できる (dekiru) - to be able to, can

筆記をすることは大切です。

Hikki wo suru koto wa taisetsu desu

Taking notes is important.

It's important to write.

• 筆記 - handwriting
• を - direct object particle
• する - make
• こと - thing
• は - Topic particle
• 大切 - important
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

符号を使って文章を書くことができます。

Fugou wo tsukatte bunshou wo kaku koto ga dekimasu

You can write sentences using a sign.

• 符号 (fugō) - symbol
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 使って (tsukatte) - using
• 文章 (bunshō) - text, writing
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 書く (kaku) - write
• こと (koto) - Nominalizer noun
• が (ga) - subject particle
• できます (dekimasu) - to be able to, can

簡易な方法で問題を解決することができます。

Kani na hōhō de mondai o kaiketsu suru koto ga dekimasu

You can solve the problem in a simple way.

• 簡易な - means "simple" in Japanese.
• 方法 - means "method" or "way" in Japanese.
• で - is a Japanese particle that indicates the means or way in which something is done.
• 問題 - means "problem" in Japanese.
• を - is a Japanese particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence.
• 解決する - means "to resolve" in Japanese.
• ことができます - is a Japanese expression meaning "to be able to do something".

紙はとても重要な素材です。

Kami wa totemo juuyou na sozai desu

The paper is a very important material.

• 紙 (kami) - paper
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• とても (totemo) - very
• 重要 (juuyou) - important
• な (na) - adjectival particle
• 素材 (sozai) - material
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar

終わることができる。

Owaru koto ga dekiru

I can end.

You can end.

• 終わる (owaru) - verb meaning "to finish"
• こと (koto) - noun that means "thing"
• が (ga) - Particle that marks the subject of the sentence
• できる (dekiru) - Verb that means "to be able to"

経験を心得ることが大切です。

Keiken wo kokorogeru koto ga taisetsu desu

It is important to have experience.

It is important to know your experience.

• 経験 - experience
• を - object particle
• 心得る - To know, to understand
• こと - Abstract noun
• が - Subject particle
• 大切 - important, valuable
• です - verb "to be"