Japanese Particle と (To): Patterns and Comparisons With Other Particles in Japanese Grammar

As a Japanese learner, you want to know how to list more than one thing? Here's your answer - と. The particle と is written in hiragana as と, and yes, that's the same hiragana character you'd use for the syllable "to" in words like Tokyo (). と handles several completely different jobs in Japanese. You'll use it to list things, quote what someone said, describe who you're doing something with, and even create conditional statements. Let me explain how this one tiny character does all the work.

Listing nouns with と: The “and” function

The most basic use of the particle と connects nouns together, working just like "and" in English. You can chain as many nouns as you want, putting と between each pair.

One important detail: と creates an exhaustive list. When you use と, you're saying "these things and only these things." This differs from another particle や (ya), which suggests "things like these, among others." If you say hon to pen (), you mean specifically "a book and a pen." If you said hon ya pen (), you'd mean "a book, a pen, and other stuff like that."

Accompaniment: Doing things “with” someone

The particle と also expresses doing activities with another person. In English, we'd use "with" for this meaning.

This usage only works with people or animals, things you can actually do activities alongside. You can't use と this way with inanimate objects. You'd say haha to hanashita () for "I talked with my mother," but you wouldn't use と to say you ate "with chopsticks." That requires a different particle entirely.

The verb in these sentences matters too. The action needs to be something you can genuinely do together. Kanojo to hashitta () works fine for "I ran with her," whether you ran side by side or just went running together.

Quotation of speech and thoughts

Here's where と gets really interesting. The particle と marks quoted speech or thoughts, working kind of like quotation marks in English. You'll see this pattern constantly in Japanese writing and conversation.

Common verbs that pair with quotation と include iu () meaning "to say," omou () meaning "to think," kiku () meaning "to hear/ask," and kotaeru () meaning "to answer."

The quote before と can be a direct quotation of someone's exact words, or it can be indirect speech reporting the content of what was said. Both work the same way grammatically.

You can even use と to quote sounds and onomatopoeia, which Japanese absolutely loves. Inu ga wan wan to hoeta () means "The dog barked 'woof woof.'" The particle と connects the sound to the verb describing the action that made that sound.

This quotation function makes と essential for reporting conversations, sharing opinions, and describing sounds. You'll use it all the time once you start having real conversations in Japanese.

Conditional statements: The “when” or “if” meaning

The particle と can create conditional statements, expressing "when" or "if" something happens, another thing follows as a natural result. This usage feels more advanced, but you'll encounter it fairly early in your Japanese studies.

This conditional use of と describes natural consequences or habitual results. You're saying "whenever X happens, Y naturally follows." The result isn't a suggestion or possibility, it's what actually happens.

The conditional meaning differs from other conditional forms in Japanese like tara (たら) or ba (ば). Those forms handle hypotheticals and suggestions. The particle と handles natural, predictable outcomes. You'd use と for scientific facts, directions, or regular occurrences.

Making comparisons: Same and different

You'll also see と in comparison structures, particularly with words meaning "same" or "different."

Onaji () means "same," and chigau () means "different." Both commonly pair with と to show what you're comparing something to.

The particle と marks the standard of comparison, the thing you're measuring against. In English, we'd use "as" or "from" depending on whether we're talking about similarity or difference. Japanese just uses と for both.

Common mistakes to avoid when using Japanese particle と

Getting real practice to learn Japanese と

The more you actively use the particle と, the more natural it becomes. Grammar explanations help you understand the rules, but actual practice makes those patterns stick in your brain.

Anyway, if you want to learn Japanese through real content and get instant lookups while watching shows or reading articles, Migaku's browser extension and app make immersion learning way more practical. You can see particles like と in actual context and look up full sentences with one click. There's a 10-day free trial if you want to check it out.

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Learning the use of と matters to your fluency

Mastering the particle と opens up so much of Japanese grammar. You can't avoid it. Every conversation, every text, every piece of Japanese media uses と repeatedly. Getting comfortable with its various functions makes everything else easier to understand. You'll reach that level too with enough exposure and practice. Read Japanese content, listen to Japanese audio, and pay attention to how と appears naturally in context.

Knowing particles will take your Japanese to the next level!