Japanese Grammar: The Particle “も” (mo) – Complete Guide with Examples

Grammar

Addition (also / too)

Sentence Pattern: Noun + mo

Grammar Explanation: also / too (Adding another item or person)

Ex.: かれほんじんです。

Rm.: Kare mo Nihonjin desu.

En.: He is also Japanese.

Ex.: 今日きょうあめです。

Rm.: Kyou mo ame desu.

En.: It is raining today too.

Ex.: わたしほんりゅうがくしたいです。

Rm.: Watashi mo Nihon e ryugaku shitai desu.

En.: I also want to study in Japan.

Ex.: わたしほんのアニメがだいきです。

Rm.: Watashi mo Nihon no anime ga daisuki desu.

En.: I also love Japanese anime.

Listing (A also, B also)

Sentence Pattern: Noun + mo

Grammar Explanation: A also, B also (Listing multiple items)

Ex.: かれべんきょうもできるし、スポーツもできます。

Rm.: Kare wa benkyou mo dekiru shi, supootsu mo dekimasu.

En.: He is good at both academics and sports.

Ex.: わたしいぬねこきです。

Rm.: Watashi wa inu mo neko mo suki desu.

En.: I like both dogs and cats.

Ex.: かれはルックスもいいし、ひとがらさいこうです。

Rm.: Kare wa rukkusu mo ii shi, hitogara mo saikou desu.

En.: He is good-looking and has a great personality.

Ex.: だれかれもがせいこうできるわけではありません。

Rm.: Dare mo kare mo ga seikou dekiru wake dewa arimasen.

En.: Not everyone can succeed.

Emphasis (even ~ / not even ~)

Sentence Pattern: Verb (Dictionary Form) + nomo / Verb (Dictionary Form) + kotomo

Grammar Explanation: The particle も is used after a nominalized verb to emphasize the action, meaning “even doing ~” or “not even doing ~”.

Ex.: のどいたくてみずむのもつらいです。

Rm.: Nodo ga itakute mizu o nomu no mo tsurai desu.

En.: My throat hurts so much that even drinking water is painful.

Ex.: あんなやつかおなんてるのもいやです。

Rm.: Anna yatsu no kao nante miru no mo iya desu.

En.: I can’t even stand looking at someone like him (her).

Ex.: かれこうつうこうしょうつこともできません。

Rm.: Kare wa koutsuu jiko no kouishou de tatsu koto mo dekimasen.

En.: He can’t even stand because of the aftereffects of a traffic accident.

Ex.: かのじょりょうどころかさいることもできません。

Rm.: Kanojo wa ryouri dokoro ka yasai o kiru koto mo dekimasen.

En.: She can’t even cut vegetables, let alone cook.

Emphasis (even ~ / not even ~)

Sentence Pattern: Noun + mo

Grammar Explanation: even ~ / not even ~ (Emphasis)

Ex.: かたはおろかひらもわかりません。

Rm.: Katakana wa oroka hiragana mo wakarimasen.

En.: I don’t even know hiragana, let alone katakana.

Ex.: このごとはじめてのひとでもできるごとです。

Rm.: Kono shigoto wa hajimete no hito demo dekiru shigoto desu.

En.: This is a job that even first-time workers can do.

Ex.: おそろしくてこえませんでした。

Rm.: Osoroshikute koe mo demasen deshita.

En.: I was so scared that I couldn’t even speak.

Ex.: ショックすぎてなみだもでません。

Rm.: Shokku sugite namida mo demasen.

En.: I am so shocked that I can’t even cry.

Emphasis (as much as ~ / as many as ~ / as long as ~)

Sentence Pattern: Quantity + mo

Grammar Explanation: も emphasizes a surprisingly large amount or number.

Ex.: このワンピースは5まんえんもします。

Rm.: Kono wanpiisu wa go-man-en mo shimasu.

En.: This dress costs as much as 50,000 yen.

Ex.: けいしゅうに3まんえんもかかりました。

Rm.: Tokei no shuuri ni san-man-en mo kakarimashita.

En.: It cost as much as 30,000 yen to repair my watch.

Ex.: いえからえきまであるいて1かんもかかります。

Rm.: Ie kara eki made aruite ichi-jikan mo kakarimasu.

En.: It takes as long as an hour to walk from my house to the station.

Ex.: このらーめんてんはいるのに、2かんならびました。

Rm.: Raamen-ten ni hairu noni, ni-jikan mo narabimashita.

En.: I waited in line for two whole hours to get into the ramen shop.

Emphasis (not even ~ / less than ~)

Sentence Pattern: Quantity + mo + Negative Form

Grammar Explanation: も emphasizes that the amount or number is extremely small. It means “not even ~.”

Ex.: つうちょうにはあと500えんもありません。

Rm.: Tsuuchou ni wa ato go-hyaku-en mo arimasen.

En.: I don’t even have 500 yen left in my bank account.

Ex.: かれはベッドにはいって5ふんたないうちにてしまいました。

Rm.: Kare wa beddo ni haitte go-fun mo tatanai uchi ni nete shimaimashita.

En.: He fell asleep less than five minutes after getting into bed.

Ex.: ここからえきまで100mもありません。

Rm.: Koko kara eki made hyaku-meetoru mo arimasen.

En.: It isn’t even 100 meters from here to the station.

Ex.: かれせい1分いっぷんまんできません。

Rm.: Kare wa seiza o ippun mo gaman dekimasen.

En.: He can’t even sit in seiza for one minute.

Emphasis (not even one ~)

Sentence Pattern: One + mo + Negative Form

Grammar Explanation: も is used with a negative form to emphasize that not even one person, thing, or unit exists or is possible. It means “not even one ~”.

Ex.: 今日きょうはおきゃくさんが一人ひとりませんでした。

Rm.: Kyou wa okyaku-san ga hitori mo kimasen deshita.

En.: Not even one customer came today.

Ex.: かのじょのことをいちにちわすれたことはありません。

Rm.: Kanojo no koto o ichi-nichi mo wasureta koto wa arimasen.

En.: I haven’t forgotten her for even a single day.

Ex.: このいけにはさかないっぴきもいません。

Rm.: Kono ike ni wa sakana ga ippiki mo imasen.

En.: There isn’t even one fish in this pond.

Ex.: わたし1回いっかい煙草たばこったことがありません。

Rm.: Watashi wa ikkai mo tabako o sutta koto ga arimasen.

En.: I have never smoked, not even once.

Japanese Grammar (日本語文法)
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