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:

弱ることは人間らしいことだ。

Yowaru koto wa ningen rashii koto da

It is human to weaken.

Waking is human.

• 弱ること - weaken, lose strength or vigor
• は - topic or subject marker particle
• 人間 - Human being
• らしい - similar to, typical of
• こと - thing, fact, event
• だ - Verb to be/estar in the present

弱まることは勝ち目がないと思わないでください。

Yowamaru koto wa kachime ga nai to omowanai de kudasai

Don't think there's no chance of winning when you weaken.

Don't think that nerfing isn't a win.

• 弱まる - weaken
• こと - thing
• は - Topic particle
• 勝ち目 - chance of winning
• が - subject particle
• ない - negation
• と - Quote particle
• 思わないでください - please, don't think

強化することは成功への鍵です。

Kyōka suru koto wa seikō e no kagi desu

Strengthening is the key to success.

• 強化すること - It refers to the action of strengthening or reinforcing something.
• は - Topic particle, which indicates the main theme of the sentence.
• 成功への - It refers to the goal of achieving success.
• 鍵 - It refers to the key, which symbolizes something essential or fundamental.
• です - Particle that indicates the polite or polite way of expressing a statement.

強請ることは許されない。

Kyōu iru koto wa yurusarenai

It is not allowed to be forced.

• 強請る - Verb that means "to extort" or "to plead insistently".
• こと - noun that means "thing" or "subject".
• は - Particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case "強請ること".
• 許されない - Verb in the negative form that means "not allowed" or "forbidden".

強調することは大切です。

Kyouchou suru koto wa taisetsu desu

It is important to emphasize.

• 強調する - Verb that means "emphasize"
• こと - Noun that means "thing"
• は - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• 大切 - Adjective meaning "important" or "valuable".
• です - Auxiliary verb that indicates the polite form of speech

当たり前のことだ。

Atarimae no koto da

It's natural.

• 当たり前 - something that is obvious, natural, or expected
• の - Particle indicating possession or relationship
• こと - thing, subject or fact
• だ - verb "to be" in the affirmative form

当てることができた！

Ateru koto ga dekita!

I got it right!

I was able to hit!

• 当てる (ateru) - verb meaning "to guess" or "to guess"
• こと (koto) - noun meaning "thing" or "fact"
• が (ga) - particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• できた (dekita) - verb meaning "to be able to" or "to achieve", conjugated in the past tense
• ！ (exclamação) - punctuation mark indicating an expression of emotion or emphasis

役目を果たすことが大切です。

Yakume wo hatasu koto ga taisetsu desu

It is important to fulfill your role.

It's important to play a role.

• 役目 - Paper, function
• を - object particle
• 果たす - fulfill, perform
• こと - verb noun
• が - subject particle
• 大切 - important, valuable
• です - polite way of being

役割を果たすことが大切です。

Yakuwari wo hatasu koto ga taisetsu desu

It is important to fulfill the role.

It's important to play a role.

• 役割 - Paper, function
• を - object particle
• 果たす - perform, fulfill
• こと - verb noun
• が - subject particle
• 大切 - important, valuable
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

彼は計画を崩すことができなかった。

Kare wa keikaku o kuzusu koto ga dekinakatta

He couldn't undo the plan.

He couldn't break the plan.

• 彼 (kare) - he (personal pronoun)
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 計画 (keikaku) - Plan, project
• を (wo) - Direct object particle
• 崩す (kuzusu) - Knock down, dismantle, undo
• こと (koto) - Abstract noun, in this case, "action"
• が (ga) - Subject particle
• できなかった (dekinakatta) - Could not do it, was not able to.