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:

彼女は私と食べ物を分けることを拒否した。

Kanojo wa watashi to tabemono wo wakeru koto wo kyohi shita

She refused to share the food with me.

She refused to separate the food from me.

• 彼女 (kanojo) - She
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 私 (watashi) - I
• と (to) - particle indicating company
• 食べ物 (tabemono) - food
• を (wo) - Direct object particle
• 分ける (wakeru) - Divide
• こと (koto) - noun indicating action or event
• を (wo) - Direct object particle
• 拒否する (kyohosuru) - Refuse
• た (ta) - Past verbal suffix

彼女は私が彼と話しているのを見て妬んでいた。

Kanojo wa watashi ga kare to hanashite iru no o mite yandete ita

She was jealous of me talking to him.

She was jealous to see me talking to him.

• 彼女 (kanojo) - she
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 私 (watashi) - I
• が (ga) - subject particle
• 彼 (kare) - he
• と (to) - accompanying particle
• 話している (hanashiteiru) - speaking
• のを (nowo) - object particle
• 見て (mite) - selling
• 妬んでいた (netandeita) - I was jealous

彼女は自分の感情を制することができる。

Kanojo wa jibun no kanjou o seisuru koto ga dekiru

She can control her emotions.

She can control her emotions.

• 彼女 (kanojo) - she
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 自分 (jibun) - yourself
• の (no) - Possession particle
• 感情 (kanjou) - emotion
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 制する (seisuru) - to control
• ことができる (koto ga dekiru) - Be able to

彼女は近寄ると私に微笑んだ。

Kanojo wa chikayoru to watashi ni hohoenda

She smiled at me as she approached.

• 彼女 (kanojo) - she
• は (wa) - particle that marks the topic of the sentence
• 近寄る (chikayoru) - to approach
• と (to) - particle indicating simultaneous action
• 私 (watashi) - I
• に (ni) - Particle indicating the target of the action
• 微笑む (hohoemu) - to smile

彼女と付き合うのは楽しいです。

Kanojo to tsukiau no wa tanoshii desu

It's fun hanging out with her.

• 彼女 (kanojo) - "Namorada" significa "彼女" (かのじ, kanojo) em japonês.
• と (to) - a particle that indicates someone's company, in this case, "with"
• 付き合う (tsukiau) - a verb meaning "to date" or "to have a relationship"
• のは (no wa) - a particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "about"
• 楽しい (tanoshii) - an adjective meaning "fun" or "pleasant"
• です (desu) - a particle indicating the polite form of the verb "to be"

彼女を苛めるのは悪いことだ。

Kanojo wo ijimeru no wa warui koto da

It's wrong to bully a girl.

It's bad to catch her.

• 彼女 (kanojo) - means "girlfriend" or "she" in Japanese
• を (wo) - Direct Object Particle in Japanese
• 苛める (ijimeru) - verb meaning "bullying" or "intimidating" in Japanese
• のは (no wa) - Japanese topic particle
• 悪い (warui) - Adjective meaning "bad" or "evil" in Japanese.
• こと (koto) - Noun that means "thing" or "fact" in Japanese.
• だ (da) - verb "to be" in Japanese

彼女に強いることはできない。

Kanojo ni shiiru koto wa dekinai

I can't force her.

• 彼女 (kanojo) - means "girlfriend" or "she" in Japanese
• に (ni) - a particle that indicates the target or recipient of the action, in this case, "to her"
• 強いる (shiiru) - a verb that means "to force" or "to impose"
• こと (koto) - a particle that indicates an action or event, in this case, "the action of forcing"
• は (wa) - a particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "about the action of forcing"
• できない (dekinai) - a verb that means "to be unable to do something"

彼女の気立てはとても優しいです。

Kanojo no kidate wa totemo yasashii desu

Your apprentices are very kind.

• 彼女 (kanojo) - means "girlfriend" or "her"
• の (no) - possessive particle, indicates that "kanojo" is the subject of the sentence
• 気立て (kidate) - means "personality" or "temperament"
• は (wa) - topic particle, indicates that "kidate" is the topic of the sentence
• とても (totemo) - adverb meaning "very"
• 優しい (yasashii) - adjective meaning "gentle" or "kind"
• です (desu) - Verb "to be" in polite form

彼女に出くわすのは毎日のことだ。

Kanojo ni dekuwasu no wa mainichi no koto da

Meeting her is something that happens every day.

It's to find her every day.

• 彼女 (kanojo) - means "girlfriend" or "her"
• に (ni) - particle that indicates the target or recipient of the action
• 出くわす (dekawasu) - verb that means "to find" or "to encounter"
• のは (no wa) - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• 毎日 (mainichi) - The adverb that means "every day" or "daily"
• のこと (no koto) - expression that means "thing of"
• だ (da) - verb that indicates existence or affirmation

彼女との交際はとても楽しいです。

Kanojo to no kousai wa totemo tanoshii desu

My relationship with my girlfriend is a lot of fun.

Dating with her is a lot of fun.

• 彼女 (kanojo) - means "girlfriend"
• との (tono) - a particle that indicates "with"
• 交際 (kousai) - it means "dating"
• は (wa) - a particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• とても (totemo) - means "very"
• 楽しい (tanoshii) - means "fun"
• です (desu) - a particle that indicates the end of the sentence and formality