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:

このプロジェクトの成功の基準は何ですか？

Kono purojekuto no seikō no kijun wa nan desu ka?

What is the success criterion of this project?

What are the successful criteria for this project?

• この - demonstrative pronoun meaning "this" or "this"
• プロジェクト - noun meaning "project"
• の - possessive particle that indicates ownership or belonging
• 成功 - noun meaning "success"
• の - possessive particle that indicates ownership or belonging
• 基準 - noun meaning "criterion" or "standard"
• は - topic particle indicating the main subject of the sentence
• 何 - interrogative pronoun that means "what"
• です - auxiliary verb indicating a polite or polished way of speaking
• か - interrogative particle indicating a question
• ？ - punctuation mark that indicates a question

この川の流れはとても美しいです。

Kono kawa no nagare wa totemo utsukushii desu

The current of this river is very beautiful.

The flow of this river is very beautiful.

• この - demonstrative pronoun that means "this"
• 川 - noun meaning "river"
• の - particle that indicates possession or relationship between two words
• 流れ - noun that means "flow" or "current"
• は - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• とても - adverb meaning "very"
• 美しい - adjective meaning "beautiful" or "beautiful"
• です - linking verb that indicates the polite and formal form of the present

この本のセクションはとても興味深いです。

Kono hon no sekushon wa totemo kyoumi bukai desu

The section of this book is very interesting.

The section of this book is very interesting.

• この - demonstrative pronoun that means "this"
• 本 - noun meaning "book"
• の - particle that indicates ownership, in this case, "of the book"
• セクション - noun meaning "section"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "the section"
• とても - adverb meaning "very"
• 興味深い - adjective meaning "interesting"
• です - auxiliary verb that indicates the polite form of the present, in this case, "é"

このページはとても役に立ちます。

Kono peeji wa totemo yaku ni tachimasu

This page is very useful.

This page is very useful.

• このページ - This page
• は - Topic particle
• とても - Very
• 役に立ちます - It's useful

この店の陳列はとても美しいです。

Kono mise no chinretsu wa totemo utsukushii desu

The display of this store is very beautiful.

The display of this store is very beautiful.

• この - demonstrative pronoun that means "this" or "this here"
• 店 - noun that means "store" or "commercial establishment"
• の - particle that indicates possession, in this case "of the store"
• 陳列 - noun that means "exhibition" or "disposition of products in a store"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case "the exhibition"
• とても - adverb meaning "very" or "extremely"
• 美しい - adjective meaning "beautiful" or "beautiful"
• です - verb that indicates the polite and courteous way of affirming something, in this case "is"

この文章の文体はとても美しいです。

Kono bunshou no buntai wa totemo utsukushii desu

The writing of this text is very beautiful.

The style of this sentence is very beautiful.

• この - demonstrative pronoun that means "this" or "this here"
• 文章 - noun meaning "text" or "written"
• の - particle that indicates possession or belonging
• 文体 - noun meaning "writing style" or "literary style"
• は - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• とても - adverb meaning "very" or "extremely"
• 美しい - adjective meaning "beautiful" or "beautiful"
• です - verb ser/estar in the present, used to indicate formality and courtesy in the Japanese language

この領域にはまだ未知のことがたくさんある。

Kono ryōiki ni wa mada michi no koto ga takusan aru

There are still many unknown things in this domain.

There are still many unknown things in this area.

• この - demonstrative pronoun that means "this" or "this here"
• 領域 - noun meaning "area", "domain" or "field"
• に - particle that indicates the action of "in" or "to"
• はまだ - adverb that means "still" or "for now"
• 未知 - Noun meaning "unknown" or "ignored".
• の - particle that indicates possession or belonging
• こと - noun that means "thing", "fact", or "event"
• が - Particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• たくさん - adverb meaning "very" or "many"
• ある - verb meaning "to exist" or "to be present"

この課程はとても興味深いです。

Kono katei wa totemo kyoumi fukai desu

This course is very interesting.

This course is very interesting.

• この - indicates proximity, in this case, "this"
• 課程 - means "course"
• は - topic particle, indicates that the subject of the sentence is "this course"
• とても - adverb meaning "very"
• 興味深い - adjective meaning "interesting"
• です - verb "to be" in the present tense, indicating that "this course is very interesting"

この服の継ぎ目はとてもきれいです。

Kono fuku no tsugime wa totemo kirei desu

The stitching on this outfit is very beautiful.

The stitching on this outfit is very beautiful.

• この - indicates proximity, meaning "this"
• 服 - means "clothing"
• の - particle indicating possession, meaning "from"
• 継ぎ目 - means "sewing, joining"
• は - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• とても - adverb meaning "very"
• きれい - adjective meaning "beautiful, clean"
• です - verb to be in the polite form

このアイスクリームは滑らかでとても美味しいです。

Kono aisukurīmu wa subaraka de totemo oishii desu

This ice cream is smooth and very delicious.

This ice cream is smooth and very delicious.

• この - indicates that something is near or present, in this case "this"
• アイスクリーム - "ice cream" in Japanese
• は - particle indicating the subject of the sentence, in this case "ice cream"
• 滑らか - "soft" or "smooth"
• で - particle indicating the means or method, in this case "de"
• とても - "very"
• 美味しい - "delicious" or "tasty"
• です - Verb "to be" in the present tense