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:

彼女は私にお金を呉れると言った。

Kanojo wa watashi ni okane wo kureru to itta

She said she would give me money.

She told me that she would earn money.

• 彼女 (kanojo) - she
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 私 (watashi) - I
• に (ni) - target particle
• お金 (okane) - money
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 呉れる (kureru) - give (humble form)
• と (to) - Quote particle
• 言った (itta) - he said

彼女の顔付きはとても怒っていた。

Kanojo no kaozuki wa totemo okotte ita

Her look was very angry.

• 彼女 (kanojo) - "Ela" significa "彼女" (kanojo) em japonês.
• の (no) - particle that indicates possession or relationship between two things
• 顔付き (kao tsuki) - means "facial expression" in Japanese
• は (wa) - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• とても (totemo) - adverb meaning "very"
• 怒っていた (okotte ita) - verb meaning "to be angry" in the past continuous

彼女は窓から抜けることができた。

Kanojo wa mado kara nukeru koto ga dekita

She managed to escape through the window.

She was able to climb out of the window.

• 彼女 - she
• は - Topic particle
• 窓 - window
• から - of
• 抜ける - escape
• こと - thing
• が - subject particle
• できた - was able to

眼鏡をかけると視界がクリアになる。

Megane wo kakeru to shikai ga kuria ni naru

Wearing glasses makes your vision clear.

• 眼鏡 - glasses
• を - object particle
• かける - put on (glasses)
• と - Comparison particle
• 視界 - field of vision
• が - subject particle
• クリア - Of course
• に - adverbial particle
• なる - become

私はこのプロジェクトを受け持ちます。

Watashi wa kono purojekuto wo ukemochi masu

I will be responsible for this project.

I take this project.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• この (kono) - demonstrative adjective meaning "this"
• プロジェクト (purojekuto) - katakana word meaning "project"
• を (wo) - Particle indicating the direct object of the sentence
• 受け持ちます (ukemochimasu) - verb meaning "to take responsibility for"

酷いことを言わないでください。

Hidoi koto wo iwanai de kudasai

Please don't say cruel things.

Don't say bad things.

• 酷い (hidoi) - means "cruel" or "terrible"
• こと (koto) - means "thing" or "subject"
• を (wo) - Particle indicating the direct object of the sentence
• 言わないで (iwanaide) - negative form of the verb "to say"
• ください (kudasai) - polite form of the verb "give" or "do"

重なることがある。

Kasanaru koto ga aru

Sometimes

Can overlap.

• 重なる - It means "to overlap" or "to coincide".
• こと - means "thing" or "fact"
• が - Particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• ある - means "to exist" or "to have"

重要なことを忘れないでください。

Juuyou na koto wo wasurenai de kudasai

Please don't forget the important things.

Don't forget important things.

• 重要なこと - means "important things".
• を - object particle.
• 忘れないで - means "do not forget".
• ください - it's a polite way to ask for something, in this case, "please".
• . - period indicating the end of the sentence.

野生の動物は自由に生きることができる。

Yasei no doubutsu wa jiyuu ni ikiru koto ga dekiru

Wild animals can live freely.

Wild animals can live freely.

• 野生の動物 - Wild animals
• は - Topic particle
• 自由に - Freely
• 生きる - Live
• ことができる - To be able to

野菜を食べることは健康に良いです。

Yasai wo taberu koto wa kenkou ni yoi desu

Eating vegetables is good for health.

Eating vegetables is good for your health.

• 野菜 - means "vegetables"
• を - direct object particle
• 食べる - means "to eat"
• こと - noun that means "thing"
• は - Topic particle
• 健康 - means "health"
• に - target particle
• 良い - means "good"
• です - Verb "to be" in the present tense