JLPT N5-N3 reference
と・や・も: listing and inclusionと・や・も ・ To, ya, mo
These particles connect or include information in different ways: と gives a complete pairing or list, や presents examples from a larger set, and も adds an item to what is already true.
List types
| Particle | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| と | A and B; presented as a complete list | パンと卵を買いました。 I bought bread and eggs. |
| や | A, B, and things like that | パンや卵を買いました。 I bought bread, eggs, and similar things. |
| も | also, too, even | 卵も買いました。 I bought eggs too. |
Companion and quotation with と
友達と映画を見ました。Tomodachi to eiga o mimashita.I watched a film with a friend.
「また明日」と言いました。“Mata ashita” to iimashita.They said, “See you tomorrow.”
With mutual actions, と often marks the other participant. In reported thought and speech, it closes the quoted content.
Representative lists with や
や signals that the named examples do not exhaust the category. Casual speech frequently adds など after the list.
週末は掃除や洗濯などをします。Shūmatsu wa sōji ya sentaku nado o shimasu.At weekends I do cleaning, laundry, and similar chores.
も and replaced particles
も often replaces は、が、を, but follows particles such as に、で、へ、から: 学校にも、図書館でも、東京からも.
私もその本を読みました。Watashi mo sono hon o yomimashita.I read that book too.
Common errors
- Do not use と if you mean “for example” and the list is deliberately incomplete.
- 友達と会う suggests meeting with a friend; 友達に会う presents the friend as the target of meeting.
- Place も directly after the element being included or contrasted.
Quick summary
- と makes a complete list, marks a companion, or closes a quotation.
- や gives representative examples.
- も adds an item to an existing statement.
- Particle combinations reveal exactly what is being included.