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:

荒らすことは許されない。

Arasu koto wa yurusarenai

It is not allowed to vandalize.

It is not allowed to devour.

• 荒らす - verb that means "destroy," "ruin," "sabotage."
• こと - noun that means "thing," "fact," "subject."
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case "荒らすこと" (the act of destroying).
• 許されない - verb in the negative form meaning "not permitted," "not tolerated," "not acceptable."

蜜をかけて食べると美味しいです。

Mitsu wo kakete taberu to oishii desu

It is delicious to eat with honey.

• 蜜 - honey
• を - object particle
• かけて - Verb "colocar" in the gerund
• 食べる - Verb "to eat" in the infinitive
• と - Comparison particle
• 美味しい - Adjective "delicious"
• です - Verb "to be" in the present

行儀が悪いと人から嫌われる。

Gyougi ga warui to hito kara kirawareru

People are hated by bad behavior.

• 行儀 - behavior, manners
• が - subject particle
• 悪い - bad, bad
• と - Comparison particle
• 人 - person
• から - origin particle
• 嫌われる - to be hated, to be detested

行くは日本語で「いく」と言います。

Iku wa nihongo de "iku" to iimasu

I'm going to Japanese in Japanese.

• 行く (iku) - means "to go" in Japanese
• 日本語 (nihongo) - "日本語"
• で (de) - a particle that indicates the means or manner of doing something
• 「いく」(iku) - a pronúncia em japonês da palavra "ir" é "iku" (行く)
• 言います (iimasu) - significa "言う" em japonês.

行き先はどこですか？

Yukisaki wa doko desu ka?

What is the destination?

Where is the destination?

• 行き先 - "destino" in Japanese means "運命" (unmei).
• は - is a grammatical particle that marks the topic of the sentence.
• どこ - means "where" in Japanese.
• です - is a polite way of saying "ser" or "estar" in Japanese.
• か - It is a grammatical particle that indicates a question.

行動することが成功の秘訣です。

Koudou suru koto ga seikou no hiketsu desu

Action is the key to success.

• 行動すること - action
• が - particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 成功 - success
• の - Particle indicating possession or relationship
• 秘訣 - secret
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

褒美をもらうと嬉しいです。

Houbi wo morau to ureshii desu

Glad if you get a reward.

• 褒美 (Houbi) - REWARD
• を (wo) - object particle
• もらう (morau) - To receive
• と (to) - Conjunction particle
• 嬉しい (ureshii) - happy
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar

要素を理解することは重要です。

Yōso o rikai suru koto wa jūyō desu

It is important to understand the elements.

• 要素 (yōso) - element
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 理解する (rikai suru) - Understand
• こと (koto) - abstract noun
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 重要 (jūyō) - important
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar in the present

見付けることができた。

Mitsukeru koto ga dekita

I managed to find.

I managed to find it.

• 見付ける - verb "to find"
• こと - noun "thing"
• が - subject particle
• できた - verb "to be able to do" in the past tense

見っともない服を着ている。

Mittomonai fuku wo kiteiru

I'm wearing very ugly clothes.

I'm wearing clothes I can't see.

• 見っともない - means "unpleasant" or "ugly".
• 服 - means "clothing".
• を - particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence.
• 着ている - continuous form of the verb 着る (kiru), which means "to wear".