も: 'Also', 'Too', and 'Even' (Particle Guide + Examples)
What も marks
も is the "me too" particle. It marks a noun as being the same as something already mentioned — "also," "as well," "too." If your friend is a student and so are you, you reach for も. It quietly points back to what came before and says "this one, as well."
ヤッタンも学生です。
ヤッタンも がくせいです。
Yattan is a student too.
も replaces は here — not ヤッタンはも.
モチも来た。
モチも きた。
Mochi came too.
も replaces が — モチが来た becomes モチも来た.
ヤッタンの弟も本を読みます。
ヤッタンの おとうとも ほんを よみます。
Yattan's little brother reads books too.
も and the particles it swallows: は, が, を
The single thing learners trip on is which particle wins the slot. も belongs to the same "core grammar" family as は, が, and を, so it can't share the position with them — it takes their place outright. You never write ヤッタンはも or モチがも; you write ヤッタンも, モチも. Think of も as evicting は, が, and を rather than joining them.
Where も sits — swap it in, or ride behind
For は, が, and を, も simply slots in where the old particle was and pushes it out. For every other particle — で, に, へ, and so on — も does the opposite: it rides along behind the particle, which stays put.
| Original | With も | English |
|---|---|---|
| ヤッタンは | ヤッタンも | Yattan too (topic) |
| モチが | モチも | Mochi too (subject) |
| コーヒーを | コーヒーも | coffee too (object) |
| 学校で | 学校でも | at school too (keep で) |
That last row is where placement errors cluster: は, が, を get replaced, but で, に, へ are kept and も is added after them (でも, にも, へも). Don't flatten 学校でも down to just 学校も.
"Both…and" and "neither…nor": 〜も〜も
Put も after each item to mean "both…and" in a positive sentence, or "neither…nor" in a negative one:
ヤッタンはコーヒーもお茶も好きです。
ヤッタンは コーヒーも おちゃも すきです。
Yattan likes both coffee and tea.
モチは肉も魚も食べません。
モチは にくも さかなも たべません。
Mochi eats neither meat nor fish.
With a negative verb, 〜も〜も = neither…nor.
先生も弟も来ました。
せんせいも おとうとも きました。
Both the teacher and Yattan's little brother came.
Number + counter + も: "as many as" / "not even"
Place も right after a number + counter and it turns into emphasis. In a positive sentence it means "as many as" (a surprisingly large amount); in a negative sentence it means "(not) even." The verb's polarity, not も, decides which:
ヤッタンはコーヒーを三杯も飲んだ。
ヤッタンは コーヒーを さんばいも のんだ。
Yattan drank as many as three cups of coffee.
Positive + number + も = a surprising amount.
モチは一円もない。
モチは いちえんも ない。
Mochi doesn't have even one yen.
Negative + number + も = not even.
先生は一時間も待ちました。
せんせいは いちじかんも まちました。
The teacher waited a whole hour.
Watch-outs
- Keeping は, が, or を next to も. This is the big one. It's ヤッタンも (✓), never ヤッタンはも or モチがも or コーヒーをも in everyday speech. も swallows those three particles.
- Dropping で / に when you shouldn't. Other particles stay and も is added: 学校でも ("at school too"), ヤッタンにも ("to Yattan too"). Don't reduce these to just も.
- Using only one も for "both…and." You need も on each item: コーヒーもお茶も, not コーヒーとお茶も.
- Forgetting the negative for "not even." 一円も by itself isn't enough — it needs a negative verb: 一円もない ("not even one yen").
The short version
- も = "also / too / even"; it adds a noun to what was already said.
- も replaces は, が, and を — never use them together.
- Other particles (で, に, へ) stay, and も follows: でも, にも, へも.
- 〜も〜も = "both…and" (positive) or "neither…nor" (negative).
- Number + counter + も = "as many as" (positive) or "not even" (negative).
Practice it
Choose the correct use of も (also / 〜も〜も / number + も).
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
Choose the grammar pattern that best completes the sentence.
先生は学生です。ヤッタン＿＿＿学生です。
Frequently asked questions
Does も replace は and が?
Yes. も takes the place of は, が, and を — you don't keep both. ヤッタンは → ヤッタンも, モチが → モチも, コーヒーを → コーヒーも.
What about particles like で and に?
Those are kept, and も is added after them: 学校でも ('at school too'), ヤッタンにも ('to Yattan too'). Only は, が, and を get replaced.
How do I say 'both A and B'?
Put も after each item: コーヒーもお茶も好き ('I like both coffee and tea'). With a negative verb, the same 〜も〜も pattern means 'neither…nor.'
What does も after a number mean?
It adds emphasis. Positive: 三杯も飲んだ ('drank as many as three cups'). Negative: 一円もない ('not even one yen').
Where も fits
Don't confuse it with
- Conditional 〜と · N4 — The と conditional links A to an inevitable result B: 春になると、桜が咲く. Learn the plain-form formation, why B can't be a request, and how it differs from ば/たら/なら.
- で · N5 — The particle で marks where an action happens, the means or tool you use, the material, the cause, and the scope of a superlative. Learn each use and how で differs from に.
- が · N5 — が marks the grammatical subject and introduces new information. Learn how to use が with question words, existence (ある/いる), ability, and likes such as 好き — plus how が differs from は.
- 〜こと · N4 — こと turns a verb or clause into a noun: 話すことは難しい ('speaking is hard'). Learn the formation, こと vs の, and frames like 〜ことがある, 〜ことにする, and 〜ことになる.
Hear it in a real conversation
See this pattern used naturally in a real-situation dialogue:
More N5 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 〜てあげる — 〜てあげる means you do an action FOR someone as a favour, from the giver's side. Learn the て-form + あげる pattern, the に particle, the さしあげる/やる politeness levels, and the condescension trap.
- 〜てくれる — 〜てくれる means someone does something FOR you as a kindness: モチが手伝ってくれた. Learn the form, the polite 〜てくださる, the request 〜てくれませんか, and how it differs from 〜てあげる and 〜てもらう.
- 〜てもらう — 〜てもらう means you receive the favor of someone doing something for you: the receiver is the subject, the doer takes に. Learn formation, the polite ていただく, and how it differs from てくれる and てあげる.
- 〜てください — 〜てください is the standard way to politely ask someone to do something ('please do…'). Learn the formation, the negative 〜ないでください, softer variations, and see clear examples.
- なんて / なんか — なんか softens or gives a vague example ('something like'); なんて means 'such as / things like,' often dismissive or surprised. Learn the nuance, formation, and when to avoid them.
- 〜たり〜たり — 〜たり〜たり lists representative actions ('doing things like A and B'). Learn the formation from the た-form, the する at the end, and how it differs from plain て-form listing.