Japanese Grammar Bank

HOW TO USE と AND とも

Japanese conditionals may be more difficult than English, because we have several conditional expressions.

Let’s learn how to use と and とも for conditions.

HOW TO USE と FOR CONDITIONS

No doubt you know the particle と, and you are probably using it very often in your Japanese conversation, as it is a very common particle.

It means “and”, and we often use it as a way to connect two nouns. However, と can be used as a conditional as well.

How?

と is used for constant results, things that are unchanging.

It’s not used for one-time occurrences.

PATTERN

Verb (Plain form) + と
い adjective + と
な adjective + だ + と
Noun + だ + と

NOTE || For verbs and い adjectives, you just need to add と.

For な adjective and noun, you need to attach だ before putting と.

イケメンだと会社や学校ですごくモテます。Ikemen da to kaisha ya gakko de sugoku mote masu.If the person is handsome, he will be very popular in the company or school.
お金があると、無駄なものをたくさん買ってしまいます。Okane ga aru to, muda na mono wo takusan katte shimai masu.If I have a lot of money, I buy so many unnecessary things.
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学校に行くと、新しいことを学べるし、友達もたくさんできます。Gakko ni iku to, atarashii koto wo manaberu shi, tomodachi mo takusan deki masu.If I go to school, I can learn new things and make more friends.
あのレストランに行くと、美味しいインド料理が食べられます。Ano resutoran ni iku to, oishii indo ryouri ga tabe rare masu.If you go to that restaurant, you can have delicious Indian food.
友だちに電話をすると、ついつい長話をしてしまいます。Tomodachi ni denwa wo suru to, tsuitsui nagabanashi wo shite shimai masu.If I make a phone call to my friend, I often speak for a longer time.
台風が来ると大雨になります。Taifuu ga kuru to, ooame ni nari masu.If the typhoon comes, it will be heavy rain.
夏になるとこの町はとても暑くなります。Natsu ni naru to kono machi wa totemo atsuku nari masu.If summer comes, this town will be very hot.

と can also be used to express actual conditions. This is closer to the English word “when”.

In this case, you may use と to introduce something that happened in the past. Let’s see some examples.

公園に行くと、ジョンがいました。Kouen ni iku to John ga ima shita.I went to the park, and then I found John.
図書館に行くと、探していた本が見つかりました。Toshokan ni iku to, sagashite ita hon ga mitsukari mashita.When I went to the library, I finally found the book I was looking for.
飛行機に乗ると、自分の町がよく見えました。Hikouki ni noru to, jibun no machi ga yoku mie mashita.When I was in the airplane, I could see my town very clearly.

HOW TO USE とも FOR CONDITIONS

Let’s learn one more conditional that is commonly used in Japanese sentences.

とも is similar to “even if” or “no matter what” in English.

PATTERN

Verb (ない form) + くとも
い adjective + くとも

You have to remove the last い for both verb (ない form) and い adjective before attaching くとも.

たとえどんなに辛くとも、僕はこの試練を乗り越える。Tatoe donna ni tsuraku tomo, boku wa kono shiren wo norikoeru.I will overcome this trial even if it is so tough.
父はどんなに苦しくとも弱音を吐かなかった。Chichi wa donna ni kurushiku tomo, yowane wo haka nakatta.My father never complained no matter how challenging it was.
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外見が変わろうとも、人間としての中身は変わりません。Gaiken ga kawarou tomo, ningen to shite no nakami wa kawari masen.Even if your appearance changes, your inner person will remain fundamentally the same.
親友とは頻繁に連絡を取らなくとも、心でつながっている。Shinyuu towa hinpan ni renraku wo toranaku tomo, kokoro de tsunagatte iru.Even if we don’t communicate with each other so often, my best friend and I are connected by heart.
言わなくともわかると思います。Iwanaku tomo wakaru to omoi masu.I think you can understand even if it isn’t said.
どれだけ難しくとも、このプロジェクトを完成させます。Doredake muzukashiku tomo, kono purojekuto wo kansei sase masu.I will complete this project no matter how difficult it is.

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FAQs

What is the difference between と and とも?

と is used to indicate a direct conditional relationship where one action leads to a specific result, while とも adds a nuance of inclusivity or “even if” to the condition.

Can とも be used interchangeably with ても?

While とも and ても both express “even if,” とも is often more formal or literary and less commonly used in everyday speech compared to ても.

How does と function differently in conditions compared to と used as “and”?

When used for conditions, と connects two clauses to show a cause-and-effect relationship.

e.g., “ボタンを押すと、ドアが開きます”

“If you press the button, the door opens”.

As “and,” と simply lists items or connects subjects.

Can と be used for hypothetical conditions?

No, と is generally used for predictable or automatic outcomes. For hypothetical or less likely conditions, ～ば or ～たら are more appropriate.

Are there restrictions on verb forms when using と and とも for conditions?

Yes, と usually pairs with the plain form of verbs, while とも can pair with various forms to emphasize inclusivity or hypothetical conditions, often in combination with expressions like “いくら” or “どんなに.”

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