🇯🇵 JAPANESE · N5 GRAMMAR
Grammar 06 — Connecting Particles: の, と, や, から, まで
つなぐ じょし · Tsunagu Joshi
Grammar Explanation & Practice
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📋 Formation Reference — Connecting Particles
How to use の, と, や, から, and まで to connect nouns and show range. Press ▶ to hear examples.
の (no) — POSSESSION & NOUN CONNECTION
| Pattern | Example | Romaji | Meaning | ▶ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A の B (possession) | わたしの ほん | watashi no hon | my book | |
| A の B (noun + noun) | にほんの たべもの | nihon no tabemono | Japanese food |
と (to) — EXHAUSTIVE LIST & TOGETHER WITH
[NOUN A]
と
[NOUN B]
[noun a]
to
[noun b]
→ "A and B (complete list)" / "together with A"
| Usage | Example | Romaji | Meaning | ▶ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| and (full list) | パンと ぎゅうにゅう | pan to gyuunyuu | bread and milk | |
| together with | ともだちと いきます | tomodachi to ikimasu | go with a friend |
や (ya) — PARTIAL LIST (ETC.)
[NOUN A]
や
[NOUN B]
（など）
[noun a]
ya
[noun b]
(nado)
→ "things like A and B (among others)"
| Example | Romaji | Meaning | ▶ |
|---|---|---|---|
| すしや てんぷら（など） | sushi ya tenpura (nado) | sushi, tempura, etc. |
から・まで (kara / made) — RANGE: FROM … UNTIL
[START]
から
[END]
まで
[start]
kara
[end]
made
→ "from [start] until/to [end]" — time, place, or range
| Example | Romaji | Meaning | ▶ |
|---|---|---|---|
| くじから ごじまで | kuji kara goji made | from 9 o'clock until 5 o'clock | |
| うちから がっこうまで | uchi kara gakkou made | from home to school |
🗣 Example Sentences
See how connecting particles work in context. Press ▶ to hear each sentence.
の — POSSESSION & CONNECTION
Example
これは わたしの かばんです。
Kore wa watashi no kaban desu.
This is my bag.
わたし
の
かばん
watashi
no
kaban
→ "my bag" (possessor の thing)
Example
にほんの えいがを みました。
Nihon no eiga wo mimashita.
I watched a Japanese movie.
と — AND / WITH
Example
りんごと バナナを かいました。
Ringo to banana wo kaimashita.
I bought apples and bananas.
りんご
と
バナナ
ringo
to
banana
→ "apples AND bananas" (complete, exhaustive list)
Example
かぞくと しょくじを しました。
Kazoku to shokuji wo shimashita.
I had a meal with my family.
や — PARTIAL LIST & から/まで — RANGE
Example
すしや てんぷらが すきです。
Sushi ya tenpura ga suki desu.
I like things like sushi and tempura.
すし
や
てんぷら
sushi
ya
tenpura
→ "sushi, tempura, etc." (incomplete — there are others too)
Example
うちから がっこうまで じゅっぷんです。
Uchi kara gakkou made juppun desu.
It's 10 minutes from home to school.
Example
げつようびから きんようびまで はたらきます。
Getsuyoubi kara kin'youbi made hatarakimasu.
I work from Monday to Friday.
Example
とうきょうから おおさかまで しんかんせんで いきます。
Toukyou kara Oosaka made shinkansen de ikimasu.
I go from Tokyo to Osaka by bullet train.
の chains: modifier always goes LEFT of の
✅ CORRECT
わたしの がっこうの せんせい
watashi no gakkou no sensei
my school's teacher
Chains work left-to-right: I → school → teacher
❌ COMMON MISTAKE
せんせいの がっこうの わたし
sensei no gakkou no watashi
(intended: my school's teacher)
Reversed order changes meaning completely — always start with the possessor
と vs や — complete list vs partial list
と (complete)
りんごと バナナを かいました
ringo to banana wo kaimashita
I bought apples and bananas (only those two)
と implies that is the full list — nothing else
や (partial)
りんごや バナナを かいました
ringo ya banana wo kaimashita
I bought apples, bananas, and other things
や implies there were other items too — the list is not exhaustive
から～まで pairs any range
✅ TIME RANGE
くじから じゅういちじまで べんきょうします
kuji kara juuichi-ji made benkyou shimasu
I study from 9 until 11 o'clock
Use the pair together for a continuous range
✅ PLACE RANGE
えきから うちまで あるきます
eki kara uchi made arukimasu
I walk from the station to home
Works equally well for distance / location ranges
まで vs までに — continuous vs deadline
✅ まで (until, ongoing)
ごじまで はたらきます
goji made hatarakimasu
I work until 5 o'clock (continuously)
The action continues up to that point
✅ までに (by, deadline)
ごじまでに かえります
goji made ni kaerimasu
I will return by 5 o'clock (deadline)
The action must be completed before that point
A — Flashcards
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B — Listen & Choose the Meaning
Press ▶ to hear each phrase, then choose the correct English meaning.
D — Listen & Write in Romaji
Press ▶ to hear each phrase, then type what you heard in romaji.
💡 Tip: Long vowels → double the vowel (おう = ou / oo). Double consonants → write them twice (きって = kitte).
の as a pronoun — replacing a noun
の can stand alone to replace a noun, meaning "the one that is…" or "the [adjective] one". This is common in conversation when the noun is already understood.
• あかいの = the red one
• おおきいの = the big one
• Just add の after an adjective or possessive phrase to refer to the implied noun
• あかいの = the red one
• おおきいの = the big one
• Just add の after an adjective or possessive phrase to refer to the implied noun
[ADJECTIVE]
の
[adjective]
no
→ "the [adjective] one"
あのあかいのは わたしのです。
Ano akai no wa watashi no desu.
That red one is mine.
の at the end of a sentence — explanation & soft questions
Sentence-final の softens the tone and implies explanation or seeking confirmation. It is common in casual speech, especially among women, but widely understood.
• いくの？ = You're going? / Are you going? (casual, slightly surprised)
• たべないの。 = (It's that) I'm not eating. (explaining a reason)
• Rising intonation = question; falling intonation = explanation
• いくの？ = You're going? / Are you going? (casual, slightly surprised)
• たべないの。 = (It's that) I'm not eating. (explaining a reason)
• Rising intonation = question; falling intonation = explanation
もう かえるの？
Mou kaeru no?
Are you already leaving?
と for quoting — ～とおもいます / ～といいます
と is used before verbs of saying and thinking to mark a quote or thought. This is different from the listing/togetherness usage and is essential for intermediate grammar.
• ～とおもいます = I think that…
• ～といいます = it is called… / (someone) says…
• The content before と can be a full sentence (plain form)
• ～とおもいます = I think that…
• ～といいます = it is called… / (someone) says…
• The content before と can be a full sentence (plain form)
[PLAIN SENTENCE]
と
[VERB OF SAYING/THINKING]
[plain sentence]
to
omoimasu / iimasu
→ "I think that… / It is said that…"
にほんごは むずかしいと おもいます。
Nihongo wa muzukashii to omoimasu.
I think Japanese is difficult.
から for reasons — because / since
から can attach to the end of a clause (after a plain or polite verb/adjective) to express reason, meaning "because" or "since". This is sentence-level から, distinct from the range から.
• さむいから、コートを きます = Because it's cold, I will wear a coat
• In casual speech, the result clause is sometimes omitted and から alone closes the sentence (implying "…so that's why")
• さむいから、コートを きます = Because it's cold, I will wear a coat
• In casual speech, the result clause is sometimes omitted and から alone closes the sentence (implying "…so that's why")
[REASON CLAUSE]
から、
[RESULT CLAUSE]
[reason]
kara,
[result]
→ "Because [reason], [result]."
つかれたから、はやく ねます。
Tsukareta kara, hayaku nemasu.
Because I'm tired, I'll go to sleep early.
まで vs までに — continuous action vs deadline
This is one of the most commonly confused distinctions at N5/N4 level.
• まで = the action continues UP TO that point (ongoing until)
• までに = the action must be COMPLETED by that point (deadline)
• Key test: can the action be "ongoing"? If yes, use まで. If it is a one-time completion, use までに.
• まで = the action continues UP TO that point (ongoing until)
• までに = the action must be COMPLETED by that point (deadline)
• Key test: can the action be "ongoing"? If yes, use まで. If it is a one-time completion, use までに.
ろくじまで おんがくを ききます。
Rokuji made ongaku wo kikimasu.
I listen to music until 6 o'clock. (ongoing)
ろくじまでに しゅくだいを します。
Rokuji made ni shukudai wo shimasu.
I will do my homework by 6 o'clock. (deadline)
| Japanese | Romaji | English | ▶ |
|---|---|---|---|
| かばん | kaban | bag | |
| えいが | eiga | movie / film | |
| りんご | ringo | apple | |
| バナナ | banana | banana | |
| かぞく | kazoku | family | |
| しょくじ | shokuji | meal | |
| すし | sushi | sushi | |
| てんぷら | tenpura | tempura | |
| しんかんせん | shinkansen | bullet train | |
| ページ | peeji | page |